07 Dec 06
The TT has always been viewed with a degree of suspicion, regarded by some as a triumph of style over substance - especially the roadster version.
The new coupe has met with an overwhelmingly positive response, any dimming of its visual brilliance more than compensated for by its improved ride, handling and driver involvement. But can the roadster pull off the same trick?
Having driven it with both engines and both gearboxes, we can answer that one very simply: yes. It's a terrific car. Nimble, agile, responsive, poised, balanced, involving, fun. It's all those things and more. Think of the 2.0-litre version as being like a Golf GTI in a funkier package, and the 3.2-litre V6 as being the Golf R32 in the same funky package, but for a higher price.
Both work very well, but certainly in the teeming rain of our test route in the South of France the 200bhp 2.0 seemed to have all the performance you could want - 147mph top speed, 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds for the manual or 6.5 seconds for the S-Tronic paddleshift auto.
The 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 trumps that with a top end electronically governed to 155mph and 0-62mph times of 6.1sec for the manual and 5.9 for the S-Tronic. But it also drinks petrol at a rate of 27.1mpg on the combined cycle (or 29.7mpg for the optional S-Tronic) and produces 250g/km of CO2 (or 227 for the auto) compared to the 2.0-litre car's equivalent figures of 36.2mpg and 186g/km (for either gearbox).
