We took delivery of our first long-term TT 225 exactly five years ago. I've been looking up some of my reports from that time and, apart from making me feel old, they reminded me that the TT was one of my favourite long-term steers. There were a number of reasons for this soft spot but most of all it was because the TT was such a good all-rounder. There was room for improvement though: I always found the steering heavy, and the chassis could have been generally more involving. So the thought of spending six months in an updated and sportified model was definitely intriguing.

In creating the 240 Sport, Quattro GmbH has increased the output of the turbo engine, lowered and stiffened the suspension and added wider wheels. Inside, the TT's had a business-class upgrade with a shot of trackday ambience.
First impression was how the two-tone blue body/ black roof, chunky 18-inch alloys and lowered suspension give the TT a more purposeful look. Some of the new two-tone combinations look a bit left-field but this one works fine.

Inside it feels great. Alcantara covers everything - steering wheel, gearknob, handbrake. If you have an allergy to the stuff, you're knackered, but fortunately I like it. The whole cabin looks and feels really sorted. Not too much, just right. Classic Audi understatement.

The only problem is in the back. Kids fitted perfectly into the mini rear seats of the 225, but there are no rear perches in the 240 Sport (much to the disgust of my four- and seven-year-old). Instead you get a ledge and a beefy bar for anchoring a racing harness, which would thread through the slits in the huggy one-piece Recaros. Those Recaros offer a perfect driving position and complete the feeling of serious driving intent. (The only interior component I've found to be inferior in the Sport is the ICE system, which doesn't match the rich sound of the 225's Bose system.)

The sense of purpose continues when you turn the ignition key and a more manly rumble bursts from the exhaust. As I eased out of the car park at Evo Towers for the first time, everything felt tight and balanced. The stiffer ride is prominent, but an improvement, and the TT's trademark turbo whistle now accompanies a feeling of more urgency.

With only 95-odd delivery miles on the clock, enjoying those extra horses would have to wait for a while; I decided to keep it below 4000rpm, at least for the stated 600-mile running-in period. Which made the first couple of weeks a bit frustrating, though I'm able to record an impressive (and probably unrepeatable) 30.4mpg as a result.

First impressions bode well then, but you'll have to wait until next month for some proper driving thoughts. Now if I could just find a way of wedging the kids behind the seats...