Posted on Tuesday 19 August 2008
Audi took the wraps off its new TT-S range back at January’s Detroit Auto Show and then followed it up with the new TT 2.0L TDI diesel and entry-level 1.8L TFSI, however there’s one more TT variant in the works and it could potentially be the fastest production TT ever. The new car is the performance RS variant of the TT and it’s expected to be launched in both coupe and roadster forms in the middle of next year.
The car was originally thought to be launched at the end of the year but its release date has since been pushed back because of the extra time required to further develop and test its all-new engine. Audi is also looking to use the same engine in a new RS variant of the A3 hatch as well. This model is expected to arrive soon after the launch of the TT-RS.
Powering both cars will be a five-cylinder twin-turbocharged engine developing between 350hp (260kW) and 390hp (291kW). The older VR6 unit was ruled out early on because of its incompatibility with Audi’s latest turbocharger designs, according to our friends at Sweden’s Auto Motor & Sport.
The new engine will feature an inline-five design and is said to be only 6cm wider than the current four-cylinder 2.0L TFSI mill. This is because of the relatively small cylinder size of the new engine, which will reportedly total just 2.5L in displacement.
While the RS3 remains hidden, the upcoming TT-RS has been spotted in prototype form testing at Germany’s Nurburgring. Although engineers were using a TT-S shell, key features such as the oversized cross-drilled brake discs, upgraded calipers, electronically controlled rear-spoiler and carbon-fiber elements suggest the test car is an even sportier model.
This is by far the best looking car that Audi makes!
From the looks of it, it’s a track ready daily driver, with some impressive looks and power, all sported under that awesome Audi logo, finally we get a glimpse of a TT on steroids…
looks like a baby s5
is it a 2 seater or 4.
Its looks nice and small. Can’t wait for the real thing.
Isn’t this new Audi not much more than a redesigning of the new VW Beetle? The chassis of both cars must have something in common since ‘platform sharing technology’ is the latest norm.
@ Edward - The TT is indeed based on the same platform as the VW New Beetle, which is the Golf IV platform in any case - I think it’s more than a re-design, though. Which one would you rather have? The clown mobile or the TT?
Very nice.
Audi is at the top of it’s game.
While there are only 1 or 2 BMW’s that I find attractive, and 1 or 2 MBZ’s, I find almost the entire Audi line to be good looking, and with performance to match…
Gus, I’m with you on that assessment,.. I fear the only thing that stops audi from competing with the other two marks is that they must have VW type quality concerns.. the sort of problem that BMW and MB have been correcting over the last 10 years..
Audi just need to sort out their drive terrains. too much FWD.
The TT, A3, A4, A6 and A8 are all FWD unless opted to be AWD if they were real wheel drive it would make them a bit more fun.
Make the TT midengined, or front midengine, that would make it sportier.
I think it’s plenty sporty for 99.99999% of drivers out there.
I have my own sports car club, and believe me, most of my members don’t know how to wring half of what their car is capable of out of them.
Unless you have some serious track time or a professional instructor and the gall to push your car to the limit and shred the tires, you won’t ever know what your car can do.
That is true for a Focus or a Ferrari.
That said, this little car looks like a hoot.
If I didn’t need a back seat in convertible, I’d buy this over many other choices, in large part because unlike many (most?) cars these days, it has a unique style you could actually recognize from a long ways away…
Mid-engines would also make it a good little brother to the R8. Even if most people do not notice, some people will appreciate it.
350hp from a 2.5L gasoline engine? Great news!!! The Volkswagen Group is really pushing their specific output figures further.