MotorAuthority

Audi insider: U.S. likely to receive TT-RS and RS5

Posted Mon Mar 9 2009 8:59 PM by James Martinez

The RS5 will likely make its world debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show

The hotly-anticipated TT-RS will hit showrooms in Europe by the middle of the year but ask Audi when it will arrive in the U.S. and the only answer you will likely receive is that it’s still under consideration. A similar response can be expected for the even more extreme RS5, scheduled to be revealed for the first time at the end of the year, but given the halo status of these two models Audi would be foolish to ignore the U.S. market.

An inside source at Audi has offered a glimmer of hope, claiming the chances of the TT-RS and RS5 hitting U.S. showrooms is very high. Speaking with MotorTrend, the insider explained that Audi traditionally staggers the launches of its different model variants to keep excitement going.

The TTS and updated S5 Coupe and new Cabrio have just been launched so Audi doesn’t want the high-performance RS models coming in and stealing all the limelight – not yet anyway. According to the insider, the most likely launch for the TT-RS in the U.S. will be towards the end of the year, while the RS5 won’t roll in until sometime next year.

Chances for the range-topping RS6 are slim, however. Emissions testing is the culprit, since the RS6's twin-turbo V10 powerplant just isn't clean enough to make a reasonable business case. Powertrain options for the RS5 remain cloaked in secrecy but one of the primary options - and a likely one given the status of Audi's U.S. emissions plans - is to take the 4.2L V8 from the RS4 and tune it a bit more violently, for about 450hp (335kW). Pairing the V8 with a dual-clutch S-tronic gearbox would also make sense given the RS5's market position. Expect to see the RS5 make its world debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

Story Tags:

• 2010 Audi TT-RS
• A5
• Audi
• Audi A5
• Audi RS5
• Audi RS6
• Audi S5
• Audi TT
• Audi TT-RS
• Audi TTS
• Coupes
• RS5
• TT
• TT-RS
• TTS

Reader Comments

• Mon Sep 15 2008 6:44 PM

  NoNameDenton says

  Oh well, the RS6 would have been too expensive anyway, and lets face it, the market is down.

• Mon Sep 15 2008 6:57 PM

  Michael D. says

  It's all good, and the RS5 (perhaps RS4, too) will continue to sport a highly tuned V8!
  OK, we won't get the RS6 in this current generation, but, it'll happen with the next-generation A6!

• Mon Sep 15 2008 10:20 PM

  NoNameDenton says

  One could hope, but I would not hold my breath, I bet we get a diesel A6 before we get the RS6.

• Tue Sep 16 2008 1:09 AM

  www.mywheelsonwalls.com says

  If Porsche has its way and wins control the RS6 will never show up as it might feel it would steal sales from their soon to be launched sedan.

• Tue Mar 10 2009 9:00 AM

  GreyRazor says

  It's about time we get more RS models over here. I don't think the RS6 would have been much more expensive than the RS5 as they share the same twin-turbo V10.

• Tue Mar 10 2009 12:50 PM

  Mike says

  Uh, Grey Razor, I think the RS5 has a tuned version of the RS4's 4.2l V8, not the V10tt of the RS6. It wouldn't make sense for the RS5 to have the V10, considering its market position below the 6.

• Tue Mar 10 2009 9:07 PM

  danDAN says

  Quote:

  Originally Posted by Mike
  Uh, Grey Razor, I think the RS5 has a tuned version of the RS4's 4.2l V8, not the V10tt of the RS6. It wouldn't make sense for the RS5 to have the V10, considering its market position below the 6.
  
  
  should have the non-turbo v10 to make it worth the extra $$ tho