YOU know how Irish weather can suddenly change from sunshine to downpour in seconds. Well Audi has the answer if you are caught out.

The new TT Roadster will have you hooded in just 12 seconds . . .

and you will not even have to stop. Electric motors wind up the hood noiselessly and you can keep driving provided the speed is less than 50km/h (30mph).

Audi is sticking with the cloth roof . . . which is well insulated to keep noise and cold out in the worst conditions. The Roadster will be on the shopping list of those who want style and believe global warming will continue to give us months of sunshine.

The Roadster handles as well as the Coupe and will be on the forecourts by April . . . just in time for the spring/summer weather.

Strictly a two-seater . . . rivals such as the BMW 3-Series convertible and Volvo C70 have four seats . . . the Audi does have a good size in the boot and will take 250 litres of luggage. It has a tunnel for long items such as skis and can hold a set of golf clubs.

The new TT design remains true to the original. The rollover hoops are high enough to give good protection, the short rear tail overhang is still there and the stubby nose has been reshaped.

Many will wonder why Audi did not go for the folding metal roof like Volvo and BMW. But Audi smugly reply that the car is lighter and that purists prefer a cloth roof. But why not go for the two-in-one car idea?

"Audi offer two distinct TT cars, a Roadster and a Coupe.

Our customers can clearly be seen to be driving a Roadster when the cloth roof is up unlike many other prestige makers who have foldable metal roofs, " retorts the Audi spokesman who adds that they have no plans to go down the foldable hard-top way. A bit snobby maybe, but this year 50 cloth-top Roadsters will be sold while 200 TT fans will opt for the hard-top Coupe.

The cloth-top has many engineering benefits too, such as the speed of operating the cloth roof, the fact no manual locking is required and also that the car is lighter, with superior handling and fuel consumption.

The new model handles well with the roof up or down. There is an electrically operated wind deflector behind the seats which makes the cabin relatively cosy even at high speeds. And it is very safe. The new design has a strengthened windscreen, reinforced A-pillars and sills which gives it body strength and make it almost as stiff and rigid as the Coupe. Expect tenacious road-holding and a drive that will not cause any bruises, even over rough roads. As always, driving pleasure, safety and comfort are the Audi keywords. Airconditioning is standard and there is a full range of braking and traction control aids.

There are two engines on offer.

The new two-litre TFSI 200bhp with 280Nm of torque will account for 90% of sales in both Coupe and Roadster versions. It is more than adequate for Irish driving conditions with 0-100 km/s taking just 6.5 seconds, a top speed of 237km/h and fuel consumption in mixed driving coming in at 7.8L/100km. There is a choice of manual or S-Tronic gear change. Prices here are 54,340 and 57,170.

The alternative is the 3.2-litre FSI V6 which develops 350 bhp and 320Nm of torque and is priced at 66,040 for the sixspeed manual and 68,870 for the S-Tronic.

This is a car for those who indulge themselves so expect to see very successful types behind the wheel of what will most likely be the second or third car they will have parked in the driveway.

John Hayes, in charge of Audi sales here, says that last year was the second best ever for Audi in Ireland, up 18% with 4,400 sales . . .

limited because of availability problems. But he forecasts a record 5,200 sales in 2007.

During the year there will be a number of important new arrivals apart from the TT Roadster. A completely new car, the A5 Coupe, will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will be on the forecourts by the summer. Also new to the Audi range will be the R-8, a Ferrari style two-seater with a mid-engine configuration.

VITAL STATISTICS Audi TT Roadster 2-litre petrol 200bhp 4178mm 1843mm 1358mm 2470mm 0-100 km . . . 6.5 secs 237km/h 6-speed manual 7.8L/100km 54,340