Audi TT Roadster review

Given that the TT Roadster is no driver’s delight, there’s an argument for suggesting the sweet spot is the entry level 197bhp version with a bit of spec thrown at it. Upgrade to S Line, but maybe hold the quattro because you’ve only got 197bhp and 4wd will chomp more fuel. So that’s £35,430, plus a few tasty options, and you’ve still got a car with emissions of just 144g/km, capable of close to 40mpg (beware the small 45-litre fuel tank), 0-62mph in 6.9secs and a top end – if you’re on holiday in Germany – of 153mph.

It’s the one that makes most sense, although Audi is putting more focus on the 245bhp model – that’s the one where you can have manual, quattro and so on. Bigger profit margins, basically. Residuals are claimed to be a hair better than the new BMW Z4’s, both a notch above the ageing SLC. I suspect the Boxster outperforms them all. If you like driving, that’s the one you want to have a long, hard look at, and be prepared to have a long, hard rummage down the back of the sofa for, because it’ll be costlier to buy and run (insurance and servicing, rather than tax and fuel).

As already mentioned, Audi namechecks the gawky BMW Z4 and Mercedes’ long forgotten SLC. However, few buyers in this class think along such straight lines. Cross-shopping is rife. A Range Rover Velar, Evoque convertible or Mercedes-AMG A35 could just as easily be on the shopping list.