we 've enjoyed some of the highest temperatures of the year this week .
the range starts at £ 31,995 and the audi can cost as much as £ 50,000 .
no matter how good , the new audi tt still has nothing on the 1999 model .
with the sunshine beaming this week and some of the highest temperatures recorded so far this year , what better moment to splash out on the new third-generation audi tt roadster . it goes on sale this month . just the time to get the roof off on this softtop german sports car , which has established itself as a firm favourite in the 16 years it has been on the road .
i drove the fully stocked four-wheel-drive 2-litre tfsi in s-line quattro trim with 230 bhp , which was adept at whipping around the cotswolds in style .
sure-footed and fun to drive with lively acceleration that takes it from rest to 62 mph in just 6.1 seconds up to a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph . co2 emissions are a fair 154g/km .
supportively cossetting sports seats leave you sitting comfortably at the wheel .
a nicely tuned exhaust pipe gives the tt roadster a most satisfying ` brrrm brrrm ' .
you wo n't break the bank at the filling station . even with the satisfying performance you 'll average 43.5 mpg , rising to 52.3 mpg when cruising and still managing a respectable 33.6 mpg around town .
great wind-in-the-hair motoring with a top that will come down in ten seconds at speeds of up to 31mph , and a more streamlined body .
it 's easy to make a hands-free phone call with the automatic three-layer fabric hood down because microphones are embedded in the safety belt .
auto-dim led headlights have been transferred across from the flagship audi a8 saloon .
if it ai n't broke , do n't fix it . though this version is on an allnew platform , the progression is evolution , not revolution .
the car i drove cost well in excess of £ 50,000 . the range starts from £ 31,995 for the 2-litre tdi sport in six-speed manual .
the optional open-top driving package includes head-level heating to keep your bonce from getting chilly , an electrically operated wind deflector , which stops parky draughts whistling behind your neck , and handily heated super sports seats .
no matter how good , nothing will have the jaw-dropping impact on the car market as the original audi tt of 1999 . it was dubbed the ` bauhaus bullet ' because of its clean , minimalist lines reminiscent of the german art movement of the twenties and early thirties .
hefty prestige price tag . the base price of the car i drove was £ 41,630 . but it was loaded up with extras adding another £ 13,000 -- or the price of a half-decent family runaround .
these include an open-top driving package -lrb- £ 1,000 -rrb- , rotorgrey fine nappa leather and super-sports seats -lrb- £ 1,390 -rrb- , a comfort and sound package -lrb- £ 1,590 -rrb- , technology package -lrb- £ 1,795 -rrb- , electric front seats -lrb- £ 995 -rrb- , 19 in twin-spoke alloy wheels -lrb- £ 450 -rrb- , metallic paint -lrb- £ 545 -rrb- , and led headlights -lrb- £ 945 -rrb- .