3rd
TT RS is devastatingly fast regardless of
the conditions underfoot, but fails to really
involve you in the process of driving it
Those hoods rarely
stay down for long
in wet North Wales
48 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 3 1 JULY 2019
The same can’t be said of the
Boxster’s engine, which can feel
even more lethargic and strangled
than the Audi’s. There’s very little
low-down urgency present here,
and progress from this point feels
noticeably stunted. It’s not until you
get the crankshaft spinning at speeds
well above the 3500rpm mark that it
starts to come to life, but even then
the accompanying soundtrack is
nothing more than a f latulent drone.
Which is a pity, really, because
the Boxster T is easily the sharpest-
handling car here. In terms of its
responsiveness, its balance and
its f leet-footedness, it’s simply on
another level. The dainty steering
wheel paints a far clearer picture of
how the tyres are interacting with
the road than the other two, and at all
times its chassis feels as though it’s
mor e i n t u ne w it h b ot h y ou r i nput s
and the Tarmac beneath you.
With its adaptive dampers in their
firmest setting, the car can feel a bit
too tightly controlled for the roads
we’re on, but slacken them off and
it breathes with the topography
under-wheel in a graceful, elegant
fashion. The short throw of its
manual ’box is wonderfully tactile
and a joy to engage with too, so the
f a c t y ou’ l l ne e d t o i nt e r a c t w it h it
s o muc h t o k e e p t he e n g i ne on t he
b oi l i s at le a s t one si l v e r l i n i n g t o
its asthmatic performance. It’s an
utterly f lattering sports car, this
- adjustable, communicative and
engaging to the last.
But you know what? Of the three,
I don’t think it’d be the car I’d go for
i f it w e r e my mone y on t he l i ne. W h i le
it’s undoubtedly the sweetest to drive
of the three, as far as drop-tops are
concerned the theatre that comes
from actually driving them is just
a s i mp or t a nt. A nd on t h at f r ont , t he
Boxster’s characterless engine simply
isn’t up to the task. If it had a bit more
punch, a bit more soul – perhaps
even a bit more in the way of cylinder
count – it’d probably walk this test.
A s it s t a nd s , it ju s t m i s s e s out.
Missing out by a greater margin
is the Audi, which is problematic
because it takes things too far in the
opp o sit e d i r e c t ion. T he T T R S h a s
the performance and makes the right
noises, but you feel so far removed
from the task of driving the car
t h at it ’s d i f f ic u lt t o for m a ny t h i n g
close to a meaningful relationship TT RS drivers sit atop a VW Golf platform
Behind the seats lies Porsche’s flat four
Z4 forgoes its predecessor’s metal roof
with it. And unlike the BMW, and
particularly the Porsche, you also
fe e l a s t hou g h y ou’r e p e r c he d on
top of the car rather than in it, so it’s
difficult to ignore those hatchback
underpinnings.
It’s the BMW’s ability to strike a
balance between these extremes that
s e e s it c l i nc h v ic t or y t o d ay, i f on l y b y
the skin of its teeth. The Z4 has got the
engine, plus the everyday refinement,
t h at w ou ld m a k e it a n e a s y c a r t o l i v e
with on a daily basis. Its cabin is the
smartest of the bunch, too, and carries
with it the most premium appeal.
The BMW may not have the clinical,
delicate finesse of the Porsche, but it
excites in its own characterful, heavy-
hitting way that feels genuinelyauthentic and is absolutely endearing.
Put it this way: the Boxster might be
the car you’d take for a drive, but the
Z4 is the one you’d take for a fang.
You’ll have to forgive the Antipodean
slang, but it gives you a good idea
of what separates these two very
different sports cars. L
While the Audi may not have won top
honours in this particular group test,
the fact it’s still around to participate
at all is to be celebrated.
You see, it seems the TT’s days
could well be numbered. Audi has
suggested that the two-door sports
c a r w i l l b e r e p l a ce d by a n e w, ‘ e m o t i ve’
model in the next couple of years, and
it wouldn’t be surprising if that took
the shape of an electric sports car.
The question is: will the TT be
missed if it is consigned to the history
books? While it was something of a
design landmark when it first arrived
in 1998, in 2019 I’m no longer sure
that’s the case. And I don’t think
many people will miss it for the way
it drives either.
What would be missed, though, is
the five-cylinder motor used by the
TT RS. How many manufacturers still
produce high-performance five-pots
these days? None I can think of. So
hats off to Audi for its perseverance –
long may it last.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE AUDI TT?