At 6.15pm I parked on a single yellow line and decided that the Corporation of London had had enough of my money that week. So I elected to sit, with nothing to do, until 6.29 and 59 seconds.
As commuters bustled past it became evident that the TT, especially in S-Line trim, is a serious head turner. It gave me some insight into what it must be like to be seriously attractive.
Not wishing to seem arrogant, I gave everyone who gawped at me a generous grin and what I hoped looked like a successful person’s wink.
But that grew tiresome, so I consulted the price pages (I never leave home without a price guide and nor should you) and realised that not only does this car cost more than £35,000 new, but even a year-old version with fewer options is at least £23,000. It doesn’t drop below £20,000 until it has passed its first MOT and 30,000 miles.
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And I wondered, am I prepared to pay that much to look attractive when I double park? Which gave me some insight into what it must be like to seriously consider a boob job or liposuction.
But of course buying a TT is not just about aesthetics; it is also about the driving experience.
With my hands at ‘a quarter to three’ on the wheel, an index finger on each of the DSG gear shift paddles, I squeezed the throttle and enjoyed the double sensation of watching the revs rise towards 6,000 and listening to the hoarse exhaust note ratchet up.
It is tempting to flip the gear paddle up at 4,000 revs, but you soon regret it as it cuts off both the engine noise and acceleration. Better to let the TT run and rasp.
At empty roundabouts, or into tighter corners, with two quick flicks of the left paddle you’re down into third. Poised, calm, perfectly balanced. Audi steering can often seem light and disconnected, but the TT feels as involved as a Mazda MX-5.
There is a pleasant weight in the wheel at all times that communicates with the driver, helping them be smooth and precise as she gently sweeps through a country bend.
Then it’s off again, down the slip road and onto the motorway. In top gear, I glance in my rear-view mirror and see that the rear spoiler is up, which makes me smile. If I am going to pay five figures for a car I want reminders of how cool I look while I’m in it, not just as I approach it once in the morning and once in the evening.
I turn the sports suspension off and settle back for a quiet, refined journey that even my dad would be happy with. The cabin is spacious, although the small windscreen and low roof front can suggest the contrary until you adjust.
The large sports seats are extremely comfortable and supportive. It is very quiet at motorway speeds; because it only has 16-inch alloys there is no road noise (yet it still looks good).
Practical people will be equally pleased with the boot. For a car of this type and size, it is perfectly practical, easily swallowing a couple’s weekend travel bags.
All week long the TT impressed. It is bigger both in actual size and metaphorical stature than I expected. This is no hairdresser’s car.
What’s the market like?
There are a couple of thousand used TTs on the market at any one time. Considering how similar the older design looks, that gives you plenty of choice. But the mk2 from 2006 is less common – there are less than 1,000 on the market in normal conditions.
If you want the thrifty diesel, you’re looking at less than 100 cars in the market, with firm prices that start at £20,000 and rise rapidly from there.
The earliest new shape 2.0T FSI petrols start at £16,000, although if you want one with sensible mileage, you need to think more in terms of £17,000.
What else can this budget buy?
A budget of £18,000 for a car that’s not more than 3 years old and is a versatile, head-turning sports car gives you a few options. Fortunately, I don’t have to look you in the eye when I pick these out from the price pages.
It’s not that the prices I quote are wrong; it’s just I am not sure a 2007 Honda S200 with 10,000 miles is as much of a head-turner. Brilliant fun though a 2008 Mazda MX-5 is, it’s not as practical or relaxing on long motorway runs.
If it were me, I would buy a 2006 3.2 Nissan 350Z. But I suspect most of you will buy a 2007 BMW Z4 with the 2.5 litre petrol engine, or of course, the Audi tested, which on a 2007 plate will set you back around £20,000 with 22,000 average miles.
Summary
Bigger than it looks, the latest TT is less of a trinket and more a real sports car. Comfortable, quiet, quick and a real head turner. Everything about it is perfect – but even on the used market, you pay through the nose for quality like this.