Audi TT

IT’S a question I’ve been asked many times in my job as editor in chief of Britain’s biggest weekly motoring magazine: “If you were buying a car, what would it be?”

Usually, the person making the enquiry expects the stock motoring journalist’s answer – Porsche 911, BMW M3 or Mitsubishi Evo. But they don’t get that from me – because I don’t go along with the mantra that fast necessarily equals fun. So, go on, ask me the question again...

Well, there are two cars I’d pay to have on my drive. First, a MINI Cooper S, probably in Pepper White with a black chequered roof, bonnet stripes and chunky alloys.

Second – and probably my favourite of the two – the model you see here: the beautiful Audi TT. I’ve been incredibly lucky to be the keyholder of our long-term 3.2 quattro for the past 15 months. And believe me, Audi is going to have one helluva fight to wrench those keys from my grasp!

At this price, there are very, very few cars that come close to making you feel so special. Now, sadly, it is time to say farewell to the TT. All I am going to be left with is a brochure as a reminder of how good this model has been.

I commute around 100 miles a day, and I can honestly say that every single time I have climbed behind the steering wheel has been a memorable experience.

Highlights? A fantastic cabin with great styling and high-quality features. A terrific, rumbling engine note from the V6 unit nestling under the bonnet. The paddleshifters on the steering wheel that allow quick-slick manual gearchanges. A decent, practical boot for a car in this class.

Lowlights? Light-coloured leather seats which wear too quickly. The S tronic gearbox that struggles in ‘auto’ mode. And a rear three-quarter blindspot which makes parking tricky.

And finally, the biggest blot on the TT’s copybook – overpriced servicing. Even allowing for the fact that variable intervals can let you go up to 18,000 miles between visits to your local Audi dealer, nearly £400 for a first service is bonkers!