Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: No data available
All the attributes of the standard TT; great S-tronic gearbox; civilised ride and road behaviour
Not enough of an advance over the other variants
A very fine sports car, but not quite as special-feeling as a Cayman, nor as full-on as a Z4 M Coupe
The Mk2 TT range is far stiffer in its construction than the first-generation model, with a lower centre of gravity, lighter-weight body, and wider front and rear tracks, all contributing to a much sportier, more rewarding drive.
The magnetic ride suspension (magnetorheological, to use the boffins' terminology) depends on magnetic particles within the damper fluid, which are charged by a variable electric current: this changes the fluid's density according to demand or driving conditions, and thus the resistance of the dampers. It makes for flatter cornering with less wallow - the suspension stiffens up - and the selectable Sport mode lowers the ride by 10mm for closer contact with the road. You can also select a later-intervention mode for the ESP stability control, to invoke a more on-the-edge feel, though only within conservative limits.
In truth, you'd have to push on pretty hard to notice much of a difference between this and a mainstream, non-magnetic TT: the basic car is so good these days anyway, with superb balance and stability, and predictable, confidence-inspiring responses. Same goes for the engine: though the on-paper figures (155mph, 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds, or 5.2 seconds with the S-tronic gearbox) suggest Cayman-beating acceleration. The TTS, however, does not feel like a superlatively fast car, not least because it is so civilised. There is not a substantial advance in performance over the perfectly fast-enough 2.0 TFSI or heavier 3.2 V6, though where this engine does win out over the entry-level version is with its continued strength at the top end of the rev range, making for relaxed high-speed highway cruising.
Given then that the TTS, for all its lowering, stiffening and butching-up, is still more of a cruiser than a hardcore road-racer, it makes sense to opt for the S-tronic gearbox in place of the standard six-speed manual transmission. This smart set-up gives relaxed automatic-style progress, yet is super-quick to react when asked for rapid acceleration (it'll change gears quicker than a driver could) and even allows for a nice, rewarding growl and throttle-blipping on downchanges. It's so intuitive that there's really little gain in trying to over-ride it in the 'manual' sequential-shift mode, unless you want to rev the engine to near-ridiculous levels.
The TTS is all very accomplished, then, but it doesn't really offer enough of an advantage over the excellent 197bhp 2.0 TFSI - our favourite TT in the current range - to justify its higher price. And consider this: it's an upmarket, specced-up version of a mainstream, relatively affordable car, whereas the Cayman is an entry-level ticket into another sphere, something altogether more rarified. To which would you aspire?
