Audi TT S Roadster long-term test review – second report:

The second report: June

Mileage: 1668 Cost: None so far

Like spring showers have given way to a few weeks of summer weather is right and barbeque, our TT S Roadster has really started to come into its own. It is the perfect companion on most drives, perfect for livening up a dull Schelp to work, airports managed or cloudy days.

However, in order to avoid personal bias on my part, I also handed over the keys to my colleagues and Andy Pringle Jon Quirk recently, and it's fair to say the feedback is mixed. Jon told me it was 'fantastic spec', and I tend to agree. With simple tools we have added to KU16 MPE, it feels like you are left wanting for nothing, a rarity in any premium models.

Andy expressed surprise that in the early months I have managed to squeeze 41.4mpg out of it on a drive to the office. Truth is, I really tried, but it was an ominous sign that frees machine. But he also said; "I do not know why you need a TT roadster into a fast '. The question is, is he right?

I tend to drive quite gentle to and from work, especially with the roof down, as most of the route is a busy highway, only occasionally spoiling the full potential of 306bhp car. So is TT S a little excessive? Should we go for the more powerful model instead?

To fully test the trust as a sports car right, we lined it up for a showdown against the dynamic benchmark for every open-top two-seater, Porsche Boxster Spyder. Maybe choose a limited edition, 911-engined Boxster 981 version is a little unfair, but I want to see what TT S as alongside the best of the best, regardless of price.

Boxster was fantastic in all areas was expecting, and you can feel how different ethos of the car as soon as you are inside. You sit much lower to the ground than in TT, steering wheel, pedals and weight control much meatier and feelsome that I almost pushed my foot straight through the clutch pedal as I am back in daintier Audi.

Driving them back-to-back on a country road is brilliant around the Oxfordshire countryside, TT Boxster S makes surprisingly honest, with mid-corner grip tenacious and strong, flexible engines that loud low-down punch thanks to its turbo. However, there is no substitute for a six-cylinder, and after that in achieving higher rev range, Boxster sounds epic.

Where TT tip needs to bend and powering of them, the layout of the mid-engined Boxster and poised chassis that provides a lot of extra options for fun, so as a thrill ride, it's a win without content. But the gap is not as great as I thought, and in other places, the Audi certainly appears his fancy cousin. intricate, finger-busting manual roof Spyder is a pain every time you use it, and some parts of the cabin feel badly constructed next to the TT S.

Overall, the TT S is satisfying to drive quickly, and having a manual gearbox is an important part of that. The six-speed in the Audi is not the slickest, but because of that you need to concentrate, to engage your brain to drive it precisely, and ensure each shift is smooth. 

I also like the duality of its hot hatch-derived engine. It might not wail or rumble like a flat- or straight-six (we're looking at you BMW M2) but being able to sneak out late at night without waking the neighbourhood is great when you want to go incognito. It still takes on a raucous edge when you wring it out, and while not spine-tingling, it always gets me grinning.

While it’s not gone haywire (unlike several early versions of this TT did) it asks you to insert a SIM card every time you start the car, and refuses to display the navigation until you do so, or press ‘Accept’. Surely forcing you through this menu every single time is unnecessary, and it’s frustrating to have to start journeys like this. I’m now pondering a low-cost SIM just to shut the system up for good. 

Secondly, and again this is such a small complaint that it borders on pedantry, but the Super Sports Seats are hard to get comfy in on longer journeys. They feature plenty of scope for manual adjustment, and lumbar support, too, but much twiddling and tweaking is required to find the perfect position, a process I have to repeat every time someone moves the seat. 

Next month, I’ll give them a proper long distance test as we drive the car down to Le Mans for the 24hr race, so I’ll report back then if I find a magic formula. I’m also going to try and test the boot capacity to its limits. But for now, summer in the TT S is looking very bright. It might not quite be a fully-fledged sports car, but it's a wonderful roadster all the same.

Key specs:

• Model: Audi TT S Roadster 2.0 TFSI Quattro
• Price as tested: £46,675
• Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, six-speed manual gearbox
• Power: 306bhp
• Torque: 280lb ft
• Top speed: 155mph
• 0-62mph: 5.2 seconds
• Economy: 37.7mpg
• CO2/BIK tax liability: 173g/km/31%
• Boot space: 280 litres

Optional Equipment:

An exhaustive list of everything fitted to our long-termer, and a breakdown of the price.

Base price: £40,450 

Vegas Yellow paint: £550 

Storage and luggage pack: £175 

Comfort and Sound pack: £1,460 

Technology Pack with Audi Connect: £1,795 

Open-Top Driving Pack: £1,000 

Audi Parking system plus, front and rear: £410 

Cruise control: £295

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