If you fancy owning a new Audi TT but have so far resisted buying one because of a preference for open-air motoring, your patience will be rewarded in April 2015 when UK deliveries of the next-generation Roadster begin.
It looks very similar to the TT Coupe, but there are major differences. For a start, it's unquestionably a two-seater, lacking the Coupe's small rear seats and the increase in practicality that can be achieved by folding them down. The luggage compartment is also slightly smaller, at 280 litres rather than the Coupe's 305. Unusually for a convertible, the boot capacity remains the same no matter what you do with the roof, as it has its own storage space.
Unlike the rivalling BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK, but like the Porsche Boxster, the TT has a fabric roof which does a very good job of keeping exterior noise out of the cabin. Opening or closing it requires nothing more than the press of a button, it takes ten seconds and it can be done at speeds of up to 31mph.
Nearly all convertibles suffer from scuttle shake to some extent, but one of the Roadster's best qualities is that it seems to have none of this at all, even when it's being driven over rough surfaces. The fact that the subject didn't even enter my head until the morning after I drove the car is a tribute to the integrity of the Roadster's part-steel, part-aluminium structure.
More generally, the Roadster feels very much like the Coupe to drive. This is not necessarily good news, since both cars have a problem with over-soft front suspension which no choice of wheel/tyre combination and no amount of fiddling with the adaptive damping can overcome. The TT can be made to go through corners effectively enough, but it's no driver's car.
The choice of powertrains is identical to that of the Coupe. It's difficult to see past the ultra, with its 181bhp 2-litre diesel engine, six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel drive, since although it's the slowest car (0-62mph in 7.3 seconds, top speed 147mph) it's quick enough for most purposes, and it has easily the best official fuel economy and CO2 emissions of 65.7mpg and 114g/km, assuming 18- or 19-inch wheels. (On 20s it uses more fuel and produces more CO2.)
Still, buy a 227bhp 2.0 TFSI turbo petrol model if you must, even though it's more expensive to buy and run. At least you get the options of six-speed S tronic semi-automatic transmission and quattro four-wheel drive.
Or, if you're prepared to wait until June before your car arrives and you have over £40,000 at your disposal, you can have the TTS, which again uses the 2.0 TFSI engine but this time boasting 306bhp.
Audi estimates that 10 per cent of UK TT buyers will go for the TTS, with twice that number choosing one of the others in Sport specification. The remaining 70 per cent will choose the S line trim level, which includes slightly revised interior and exterior styling, LED headlights, 19-inch wheels and, if you want it (though there's no extra charge either way), stiffer suspension and a lower ride height.