THERE has never been a need for a line graph or PowerPoint presentation in order to understand where the Audi TT S has been positioned in the sportscar landscape, or its own model range.

Indeed, few rivals have ever been as placed as equidistantly between the coupe design brief to be both stylish (let us call it the X-axis) and a sporty steer (Y-axis). Space, meanwhile, has long taken a (cramped) back seat.

Rivals such as the BMW M2 and Porsche Cayman have also long pushed closer to being sporty performers rather than indulging in the sort of first-class finish that the Audi has been renowned for.

The question with this three-year-old model is whether this S – likewise equidistantly placed between the 2.0 TFSI quattro below it and TT RS above it – can now challenge the best sportscars on the road. Maybe, these days, it has started to pivot ever closer to that Y-axis…