IT’S the mightiest TT ever – and we’ve driven it! This is the stunning new RS version, which has been inspired by Audi’s legendary Eighties road-going rally car, the Quattro.
Like its spiritual predecessor, it features a five-cylinder turbocharged engine, but the all-new 2.5-litre TFSI unit boasts 335bhp – the original Quattro mustered 'only' around 200bhp by comparison. Add in sports suspension, quattro four-wheel drive and huge brakes, and you've got a real recipe for excitement.
Priced from £42,985 for the Coupe and £44,885 for the Roadster version, you’d hope that the RS stands out from more regular TTs. And it does. In comes a set of R8-style front air intakes, 18-inch alloys and larger twin chrome exhaust pipes. However, the fixed rear spoiler looks rather aftermarket – thankfully, you can specify a more discrete pop-up version if you want.
Inside, there are sports seats clad in Silk Nappa leather, aluminium pedals and a chunky flat-bottomed steering wheel complete with RS badging.
Twist the key and the new engine fires up with a bark from the twin exhausts. And it’s clear from the off that it’s a very special unit. First of all, it boasts amazing flexibility, thanks to a torque peak of 450Nm, which arrives from just 1,600rpm right up to 5,300rpm.
Together with that deep-chested mid-range urge, there’s neck-snapping top-end punch too – with 335bhp available from 5,400rpm all the way to 6,700rpm. Indeed, with a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds and storming in-gear pace, it feels every bit as quick as a V8-engined R8.
If anything, though, the sound is even more of a highlight. There’s a lovely off-beat warble, reminiscent of the original Quattro, but it’s supremely smooth. There’s a sport button too, which as well as sharpening throttle and steering response, opens up baffles in the exhausts. The result is very loud – with even more bass at low-speed and a metallic zing at high-revs.
Riding on optional 19-inch alloys, but without Audi’s clever magnetic damping system (it’s an optional extra), our test car coped well on Germany’s smooth roads – but it’s likely to feel very firm on bumpy UK tarmac.
Around corners the TT RS grips hard – so hard that it’s difficult to get near its enormous limits. Eventually it will understeer but a lift of the throttle will see it tighten its line keenly yet safely. Unlike the R8 and much-missed RS4, its quattro four-wheel drive system isn’t rear-biased, so the TT RS isn’t quite as much fun – and despite heavier and more precise steering than a TT S, the wheel doesn’t brim with feel, so a Porsche Cayman still edges it on driver appeal.
But it’s still hugely capable – and highly desirable. And thanks to that characterful engine, it’ll still put a huge smile on your face.
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Originally Posted by Qisha
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