Audi TT RS Roadster review

Tips & Advice

How does the Audi TT RS Roadster stack up? We head to Germany to discover if it can take on the Porsche Cayman.

"Is this finally an Audi to beat a Porsche Cayman?"

The Audi TT is a metrosexual motor: function follows form, and while the car’s not bad to drive, the well-groomed TT is more like a well coordinated fashion accessory than a proper drivers’ car. Still, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for it.

But this new RS is something completely different. You can have it as a Coupe, but I opted to drive the Roadster because it’s the fastest convertible Audi has ever built. It looks the part thanks to its gaping front bumper air intakes, OTT fixed rear wing and rear bumper diffuser.

On the inside, the typical Audi niceties like fantastic build quality and expensive-feeling materials are all present and correct. The RS also gets sport seats clad in leather and Alcantara, gauges for the oil temperature and turbo boost, and even a lap timer.

But what really puts hairs on the TT RS’ chest is its all-new five-cylinder turbo engine that punts out 340hp. It drives all four wheels through a slightly imprecise six-speed manual gearbox – the engine is so brawny that the S Tronic gearbox can’t take the power.

So what’s it like? Noisy for a start. The five-pot engine makes a fantastic warble that’s reminiscent of the Audi quattro rally cars of the early ’80s. In fact, it’s surprisingly noisy for an Audi – especially when the “S” button is depressed, which opens a flap in the exhaust for even more aural thrills. It’s really, seriously rapid too. The engine offers loads of punch from low down in the rev range, and I’ve no doubt it’ll reach its derestricted top speed of 174mph.

Granted it’s not quite as razor sharp in the bends as a Porsche Cayman, but there’s masses of cornering grip from the four-wheel-drive system, and plenty of traction when you’re spearing onto the straights. The upgraded brakes shed speed without fuss too.

Bad points? At £44,900 it ain’t cheap to start with, so I was amazed to find out that magnetic ride, which is standard on the TTS, costs extra. The RS felt very stiff on smooth German roads, so you’ll need it if you don’t want to compromise the RS’ refinement here.