Audi TT Roadster convertible - Engines, drive & performance

The latest Audi TT Roadster features lots of technology and equipment, but Audi has managed to keep it roughly the same weight as the previous version, which is good news for handling and performance. The roof mechanism, for example, weighs 3kg less than the one in the previous car.

The Roadster does weigh 90kg more than the TT Coupe due to the stronger body needed to make up for the removal of the fixed roof. Happily, though, it’s hard to tell the difference between the Coupe and Roadster from behind the wheel. The Roadster feels very settled in corners, with hardly any body lean and excellent stability. Go for four-wheel drive and there’s lots of grip, too, although the TT is still not as exciting as a rear-wheel-drive BMW or Porsche.

As you’d expect from a sporty car, there’s a certain firmness to the suspension, but the Roadster doesn’t crash over imperfections in the road. If you shun the standard suspension and specify the firmer (and 10mm lower) no-cost optional S line suspension, you’ll notice bumps and ruts in the road much more.

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Audi TT Roadster petrol engines

If you drive the TT smoothly and briskly, rather than on the ragged edge, it feels agile and is easily fast enough to provide driving enthusiasts with plenty of thrills. The engine range was heavily cut down in 2023, with just the 195bhp 2.0-litre 40 TFSI model with front-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic gearbox still available for the TT Roadster. It does 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds, so it’s not quite as quick as the TT Coupe or TTS Coupe, which have a range of engines still available that were discontinued on the Roadster. If it’s out-and-out performance you’re after, you’d be better catered for by one of those models.