2008 Audi TT Roadster

Arriving just in time for this year's longest day, Audi's recast TT Roadster is set to join its recently introduced Coupe kin in dealerships across America. While these two share most key mechanical and design elements, the revitalized Roadster brings a unique alfresco sense of style and spirit to the mix.

Below the beltline, this newest TT variant shares bodywork and interior bits with its 2+2 closed counterpart but remains a pure two-seater. However, where the Coupe s roofline flows back smoothly to meet its auto deploying spoiler, the Roadster's soft-top gets a more defined C-pillar treatment that imparts greater visual distinction when it s not configured in wide open mode. Even more significant are changes you don't see. Offsetting its lack of a full metal jacket, the Roadster s new aluminum-and-steel Audi Space Frame unit body boasts critical revisions that enhance integrity without packing on unnecessary mass.

The key difference is in the side sill design, where bespoke aluminum extrusions with thicker walls and computer mapped ribbing that optimize the balance between weight and strength. Internal steel stiffeners in the A-pillars further help the cause and effectively team with the fixed rear roll hoops to improve passenger protection. Audi claims the rework ups torsional rigidity by nearly 120 percent compared with the original Roadster, yielding a rock-solid platform that virtually banishes shake and shudder.

True to the formula, the Roadster s soft-top also mixes steel and aluminum in its skeletal understructure. A center latched manual unit is standard in the 2.0 TFSI, while the 3.2 V-6 Quattro gets a one-touch power top that s optional on the 2.0. The motorized lid opens and closes in about 12 seconds and can be deployed at speeds up to 20 mph. Both feature a Z-fold design that turns the forward portion into a de facto tonneau cover when retracted. Equally nice, top dropping has no impact on trunk capacity, which rises to a useable 8.8 cubic feet and is enhanced by an available passthrough with waterproof ski sack.

Like the TT Coupe, the Roadster matches MacPherson struts up front with a new multilink rear suspension setup. While most of the TT's key components are culled from VW's latest Gen V Golf/Rabbit, Audi rendered them in lightweight aluminum instead of steel and added its Magnetic Ride Adaptive Damping system to the option list. Our initial encounter on twisting but traffic rich two-lane roads just above the Mediterranean provided only a tantalizing hint of the TT Roadster s real potential. However, it confirmed there's a keener edge to the package with any engine/transmission combination. Despite slightly larger overall dimensions, curb weights on all Roadster variants have dropped by more than 300 pounds. Factor in a wider stance and the upgraded chassis, and you ve got a formula for precise response and control that's guaranteed to excite any enthusiast.

As a final touch, Audi bumped output of the direct-injected DOHC turbo four in the FWD only 2.0 TFSI model from 180 to 200 horsepower. Those extra ponies, coupled with 207 pound-feet from 1800 to 5000 rpm, and near-immediate throttle response promise 0-to-60-mph times of just under 6.5 seconds when backed by the six-speed paddle-shiftable S Tronic gearbox. The 3.2-liter V-6 in the Quattro holds output at 250 horses and 236 pound-feet from 2500 to 3000 rpm, but now hustles the lighter, topline TT Roadster to that mark in just 5.9 ticks when fitted with the S Tronic.

Although a final judgment here awaits the arrival of U.S. production vehicles, there's no doubt the Gen II TT Roadster is a lot more car than the original. It still won't outgun a mid-engine Porsche Boxster or Boxster S, but nonetheless the new 2008 TT Roadster has stepped up its game big time. A four cylinder TT Roadster starts at $36,800, with the V-6 Quattro six-speed manual $44,500 and S Tronic models $45,900, not including the $720 destination fee. The firm also admits that a 2.0 Quattro variant is in the works.