2017 Audi TT-RS
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Audi TT-RS
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Year:2017
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Engine:inline-4
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Horsepower @ RPM:400
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Torque @ RPM:354
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Displacement:2.5 L
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0-60 time:3.7 sec.
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Top Speed:155 mph (Est.)
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Price:€ 66400 (Est.)
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Quicker than a Porsche 718 Cayman!
Although the third-generation Audi TT was unveiled in early 2014, it didn’t cross the pond to the U.S. until 2015, for the 2016 model year. The high-performance TT-RS will have a similar fate, even though Audi unveiled the beefed-up coupe at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show. It’s been a full year since the TT-RS made its global debut and the high-performance two-door is getting ready to come to the U.S. at the 2017 New York Auto Show, meaning it will go on sale for the 2018 model year.
The TT-RS saga began in 2009, 11 years after the Audi TT’s launch and three years after the TT Mk2’s introduction. Available as both a coupe and roadster, it climbed above the TTS in the TT range. The company’s first compact RS was powered by the legendary, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine that produced 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of twist, and featured revised styling and a sportier interior. The TT-RS came to the U.S. in 2012, when the Plus model was launched. Fitted with an uprated version of the 2.5-liter turbo-five, the TT-RS Plus had a cool 360 ponies and 342 pound-feet on tap.
Already more powerful than a Porsche Cayman, the Plus will be replaced by an even wilder version of the TT equipped with a brand-new iteration of the 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine. Find out how powerful and quick it is and how it stacks up against Porsche’s relatively new 718 Cayman in the review below.
Updated 04/25/2016: Audi dropped the official details on the new TT RS at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Audi TT-RS.
Latest Audi TT-RS news and reviews:
The Audi TT RS Says Goodbye to the U.S. Market
When the Audi TT was released in America in the early 2000s, the styling and design were unlike anything we had seen before. It had a body that managed to be both futuristic and retro at the same time, not to mention it was one of the first examples of a manufacturer using headlights and taillights, not just as a necessity, but as a design feature.
Crazy Race: Lamborghini Urus vs Porsche Cayman GT4 vs Audi TTRS vs Golf R
It’s always interesting to see how different engine layouts compare to one another. It’s even more interesting when a high-performance SUV goes up against some of the best compact sports cars and a capable hot hatchback. This is exactly the case with this drag race from Carwow, where a Lamborghini Urus is being challenged by a Porsche Cayman GT4, Audi TT RS, and a Volkswagen Golf R.
Watch The Lamborghini Urus Fight It Out Against The Audi TT-RS, The Porsche Cayman GT4, and The Volkswagen Golf R
Mat Watson and his team from ‘Carwow’ pit four very different vehicles against each other on the drag strip. The mix included a Lamborghini Urus, a Porsche Cayman GT4, an Audi TT-RS, and a Volkswagen Golf R. With the difference in size, shape, weight, and engine capacities, the race is quite unpredictable.
A Highly Modified Audi TTRS Picks On a 1,000 Horsepower Nissan GT-R
Drag races seem to never get old. They are the ultimate straight-line performance test for any car. A quarter-mile drag race shows not only how quick a car is, but also how well it puts the power down. With this in mind, the YouTube channel Officially Gassed is giving us an epic drag race, between two highly modified vehicles – a Litchfield-tuned Nissan R35 GT-R and an Audi TTRS modified by Awesome GTI.
This Rendering Concept Predicts The Audi TT’s Electric Future
Shortly after Audi celebrated the TT’s 20th anniversary in January of 2019 (yes it’s been more than two decades, now), word came down that the Audi TT could, in fact, be retired and more recently the Q4 E-tron and Q4 E-Tron Sportback made their global reveal. Does this mean the TT might live on as an all-electric sports car given Audi’s strong push into the EV Segment? If it does, this concept rendering gives us a good idea of what it could look like.
2021 Audi TT RS 40 Years of Quattro
Audi is famous for a lot of innovations in the history of the auto industry, but none have been as impactful to the automaker as the quattro all-wheel-drive system. Introduced at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, the quattro all-wheel-drive system has become a foundational piece of all of Audi’s road-going performance cars.
It’s only right that with the quattro system celebrating its 40th anniversary, Audi is launching a special edition TT RS to commemorate the occasion. The special edition model is called the 40 Years of quattro, as fitting a name as any SE model Audi has released in recent memory.
Kick Off Your Weekend By Watching an Audi R8 Take on an Audi TT RS-R
On paper, the stock Audi TT RS is no match to the Audi R8 V-10 Plus. One car is powered by a 2.5-liter TFSI engine that produces 394 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the other car packs a 5.2-liter FSI V-10 engine that produces 610 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque.
You can’t dispute those figures, especially when you race both Audis against each other. So why did Carwow bother to race a TT RS against an R8 V10 Plus? The answer is the TT RS-R, the heavily modified version of the sports coupe.
1,300-HP Audi TT RS Is Faster Than Your Dream Car
These days, anything’s possible in the world of tuning. But you already knew that. What you didn’t know was that someone built a 1,300-horsepower Audi TT RS that can pull off mad half-mile runs.
We bet the name Don Octane doesn’t ring too many bells. Are we right? Well, get ready to put this German tuner on your follow list because their Audi TT is dubbed as one of the fastest in Europe. And there’s proof to that.
2020 Audi TT-RS - Driven
Audi updated the TT-RS for the 2019 model year, and after just a year on the market, we finally managed to get our hands on one. To our surprise, we found that the updated front and rear designs actually give the TT-RS a more dynamic, yet aggressive look. That is thanks to, at least in part, the new honeycomb grille up front that’s paired with the contrasted front spoiler lip.
Further emphasizing the sporty appearance of our TT-RS tester were the black mirror caps, the black accents on the rear spoiler, and the black diffuser-like elements in the rear fascia. Most people wouldn’t recognize some of the smaller bits, but those black legs for the spoiler, for instance, really stand out with the black accents on the rear decklid and the taillights.
The interior design of the TT-RS just screams performance and, at times, we almost felt like we were driving a Porsche. Maybe it’s the honeycomb inserts on the seats, the low seating position, or the material on the flat-bottom steering wheel. Honestly, it was probably a combination of all three, but we were so mesmerized by the crispness of the Audi virtual cockpit it was hard to look away.
Under the hood sits Audi’s classic 2.5-liter inline-five with 400 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. We really wish we had a six-speed manual, but unfortunately, the best we could ask for was the seven-speed automatic. The AWD was nice and, despite Audi’s claims of a 3.7-second sprint to 60 mph, we actually clocked the same run somewhere in the high-3.5 to low-3.6 range on multiple occasions. If we had tried a top speed run, we would have been limited to 155 mph (we didn’t break the highway speed limit, though) however, if you’re willing to pay for it, you could get that limit raised to 174 mph. Pricing for our tester, as you see it here, was $77,490.
2019 Audi TT RS
The current Audi TT was unveiled in 2014, and the range-topping TT RS model was introduced for the 2017 model year. The high-revving coupe has been on the market for less than two years as of May, but Audi is already testing a mid-cycle facelift. Spotted testing on public roads in late 2017, the TT RS visited the Nurburgring track in April 2018. The coupe is still wearing camouflaged over the body parts that will get updates, but it seems that it won’t be long until it’s ready to go into production.
Like all Audi facelifts, expect the upgrade to bring only minor revisions inside and out. The exterior should get new bumpers and improved aerodynamics, while the cabin should receive Audi’s latest technology, but retain the third-generation design layout. The German car will continue to use the turbocharged, five-cylinder engine, but revised internals should add a bit of extra power and decrease CO2 emissions. An unveiling could happen by the end of 2018, but don’t expect the updated TT RS to arrive in the United States before the 2020 model year.
Updated 07/06/2018: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming Audi TT RS testing on the smaller roads in Southern Europe.
Continue reading to learn more about the Audi TT RS.
The new TT-RS hit the streets in 2017, and it came with plenty of extra power compared to the model it replaced. It brought on more aggressive styling cues, a sportier interior, and enough power to put its Porsche competitors to shame. As a worthy successor to the Second-Gen TT-RS, the 2017 model came complete with the 2.5-liter inline-five, but it was completely revised to drop weight and improve output. It rolls off the production line with 400 horsepower on tap – that’s 60 ponies more than the second-gen TT-RS and 40 ponies more than the last TT-RS Plus. It got 22 pound-feet of extra torque, bringing total twist output to 354 pound-feet. Audi wasn’t fooling around and, despite the fact that it’s been on the market for more than a year now, it just looks sexy. So, it’s our candidate for wallpaper of the day. We’ve hand-picked our favorite but thrown a gallery in down below so you can pick out your own favorite.
Hagerty Has These 2017-2018MY Cars On Track To Be Future Collectibles
2017 has been quite the year for the automotive industry. We’ve seen hypercars make their debuts. We’ve seen incredible advancements and electrification and autonomous driving technology. Heck, we’ve even seen deceased brands come back to life - shout out to TVR! - with a vengeance. One of the best parts of all these releases is that at some point, some of them will inevitably skip the depreciation curve and become collectible cars. The trick is figuring out which ones will be able to navigate down that road, and if you’re trying to do that, there’s no better source of authority in matters pertaining to the collector car market than Hagerty.
It’s safe to say that when the insurance company talks, all of our ears perk up. If it says that one of today’s models is on the inside track to be a future classic, there’s a good chance that it could turn into one. Ok, so enough small talk. Hagerty’s has already released its picks of 2017-2018 models that are trending on the right path. It’s not a guarantee that these cars will earn collectible status in the future, but having Hagerty’s stamp of approval goes a long way in shaping the opinions of car collectors all over the world.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
Audi Sport launches new driving experience at Circuit of The Americas
Audi Sport, the company’s recently founded performance division, launched a new driving experience program in the United States, at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The program is opened to both customers and fans, who can improve their performance driving skills or experience the new Audi Sport models on a full-blown race track.
The event is open year round to drivers of all experience levels (there’s no specific schedule yet, though,) and the Audi Sport driving experience includes hands-on coaching from professional instructors, dynamic car control exercises, cornering techniques, and high-speed lead. Vehicles featured in the Audi driving experience include the all-new RS3 and TT RS, the R8 V10 Plus supercar, as well as the Q7. In addition to all of the above, participants will also enjoy dedicated suites and garages along with catered meals. Let’s have a closer look at what you can do there.
Continue reading for the full story.
Audi Launches Sport Performance Parts Upgrades For R8 And TT
The automotive market has evolved to the point where carmakers offer a wide range of intermediate versions of their vehicles. Can’t afford a BMW M but you also want something above the standard model? You can get one with the M Sport package. The same goes for various Mercedes-Benz models and, starting 2017, for a couple of Audi vehicles too. The German firm has just launched the Audi Sport Performance Parts line, which adds various upgrades to the R8, TT, TTS and TT RS.
With upgrades for the exterior, interior, suspension, and exhaust system, the Sport Performance Parts package is also a bit different from what you can get from BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Specifically, it’s a retrofit range, so you can purchase it for a car you already own. The bundles are scheduled to go on sale this summer, initially in Germany, but other markets will receive them later on. The good news is that Audi is planning to launch similar ranges for additional models in the future. Find out what these packages include in the review below.
Continue reading for the full story.
2017 Audi TT RS-R by ABT Sportsline
The story of the Audi TT RS dates back to 2009 when it was conceived to serve as the range-topping variant of the automaker’s family of TT sports cars. Eight years and a generation change later, the TT RS remains as the embodiment of Audi performance mixed in with an affordable price tag. Yes, there’s the R8 supercar now too, but those bad boys easily fetch six figures in base form. The TT, for all intents and purposes, has served as Audi’s everyman sports car, and the TT RS is becoming the most desirable of the lot.
It’s only fitting, then, that just months after the new-generation Audi TT RS officially made its debut at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, the first in what will inevitably end up being a long list of tuning programs for the sports car will make its debut at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. This program, which is dubbed the TT RS-R, comes by way of ABT Sportsline, who you may know for its laundry list of available tuning kits for models wearing the four rings badge.
The German tuner knows its Audis the same way LeBron James knows basketball, so it’s no surprise that it’s initial offering for the TT RS comes with a load of upgrades. But none are more important than power gains to the car’s new 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, which bring power to 500 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.
The power gains are impressive, but seeing as this is ABT Sportsline we’re talking about here, there’s more to this TT RS program than raunchy power and neck-straining performance. Exterior upgrades are available, and they are aplenty. Same thing with updates on the interior, which count as a lot considering that all the work put into that section was taken cared of by ABT Individual, the tuner’s very own in-house personalization division.
Sadly, there is a caveat to ABT’s TT RS-R, and that’s quantity. The tuner, for one reason or another, decided to build only 50 examples of the program, making it that much more exclusive and a lot harder to get. The good news is that according to ABT, individual components of the program are available for conversions. So if you don’t get the full TT RS-R experience, there are other ways to get, well, some parts of it.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Audi TT RS-R by ABT Sportsline
2017 Audi TT-RS
Although the third-generation Audi TT was unveiled in early 2014, it didn’t cross the pond to the U.S. until 2015, for the 2016 model year. The high-performance TT-RS will have a similar fate, even though Audi unveiled the beefed-up coupe at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show. It’s been a full year since the TT-RS made its global debut and the high-performance two-door is getting ready to come to the U.S. at the 2017 New York Auto Show, meaning it will go on sale for the 2018 model year.
The TT-RS saga began in 2009, 11 years after the Audi TT’s launch and three years after the TT Mk2’s introduction. Available as both a coupe and roadster, it climbed above the TTS in the TT range. The company’s first compact RS was powered by the legendary, 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine that produced 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of twist, and featured revised styling and a sportier interior. The TT-RS came to the U.S. in 2012, when the Plus model was launched. Fitted with an uprated version of the 2.5-liter turbo-five, the TT-RS Plus had a cool 360 ponies and 342 pound-feet on tap.
Already more powerful than a Porsche Cayman, the Plus will be replaced by an even wilder version of the TT equipped with a brand-new iteration of the 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine. Find out how powerful and quick it is and how it stacks up against Porsche’s relatively new 718 Cayman in the review below.
Updated 04/25/2016: Audi dropped the official details on the new TT RS at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Audi TT-RS.
This is how the new Audi TT RS Is Being Produced: Video
From the outside, Audi’s production facility in Gyro, Hungary looks just like any other massive business complex. But once you go inside the actual manufacturing area, that’s where things become a lot more interesting. This video by way of YouCar takes us on a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the brand new Audi TT RS and as you can expect from a company like Audi, no expense was spared to ensure that its new sports car is being built with only the highest of standards in mind.
As you can see, the process that gives life to the Audi TT RS relies on a combination of human craftsmanship and robots. Both work hand-and-hand to put all the pieces of the car together. Of particular note is how meticulous the workers are in ensuring that every bolt in the car is tightened, every spot is polished, and every crevice is measured, presumably right down to the centimeter.
At the very least, watching this video provides us a with a newfound appreciation of the hard work that comes with manufacturing a car like the TT RS. As prospective customers, we only see the car in glistening form in the dealerships; we never get to see it created from the ground-up.
Well, now we do, and it’s absolutely fantastic.
2018 Audi TT-RS Roadster
In March of 2016 we were looking at the most recent spy shots of the upcoming Audi TT-RS Roadster, and with the kickoff of the Beijing Auto Show, we’re finally getting to see the car in the metal. The Roadster is a pretty big departure from its predecessor. Highlights include new styling up front, new Matric OLED lights available in the rear, a cockpit that is focused on the driver, and – more importantly – an updated 2.5-liter that promises to bring a 60-horsepower improvement over the previous model. The new TT-RS Roadster hits showrooms in Europe as early as fall of 2016 and will have a starting price of €69,200 – $77,873 at current exchange rates.
Originally, we expected to see the TT-RS Coupe debut at the New York Auto Show and the TT-RS Roadster to come later on at the Paris Auto Show in October. Audi threw us all for a loop, however, and decided to pull the sheet off both at the Beijing Auto Show. Since we’ve been itching to see the Roadster like there is no tomorrow, join me on a stroll down the page as we talk about the new TT-RS Roadster in detail. There are some exciting things to talk about, if you’re an Audi fan, that is.
Updated 04/25/2016: Audi unveiled the new TT RS at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 Audi TT-RS Roadster.
Audi TT-RS Prototype Crashes At the Nürburgring
The new Audi TT-RS isn’t expected to be unveiled until later in the year as prototypes of the car are still hammering out some lap times around the Nürburgring. But one recent excursion around the infamous “Green Hell” ended pretty badly for one of the prototypes as a test driver crashed a prototype into one of the circuit’s metal fences. The damage wasn’t extensive, but it was enough to cause some dings on the rear end, specifically on the area where the taillight clusters are supposed to be.
Seeing as how overly protective automakers are of the finer details of their cars ahead of their scheduled debuts, the test driver, with the help of a colleague who was testing his own TT-RS prototype, quickly sprung to action to cover the entire mule car as they waited for a flatbed to come pick it up and take it away for inspection.
The video does show glimpses of the damage caused by the car but more importantly, precious few seconds passed with the front door of the car swung open, giving us a look at the car’s interior. There is some distance from where the video was shot so it’s not as clear of a look as I’d like, but if my eyes don’t deceive me, that steering wheel looks a lot like the steering wheel from the TT-S model.
The prototype was eventually scampered of to safety, but not before the whole episode gave us a better understanding on the lengths automakers really go through to keep their prototypes away from the prying eyes of those video cameras.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
HPerformance has just finished a new tuning program for the previous generation Audi TT-RS and it is arguably the most insane kit I’ve ever seen on a TT-RS. There have been other aftermarket shops that have worked on the sports coupe, but nobody has been able to do what HPerformance just did.
The German tuner, known for its works on Audis, Volkswagens, and Mercedes-Benz models, put the proverbial hammer down with an engine modification that puts enough power on the TT-RS to put real-world supercars to shame. Seriously, the program gives the TT-RS an output that’s north of 700 horsepower. Can you imagine what that much power can do to a car, let alone one with the status of the TT-RS? I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.
Of course, the engine upgrade is the highlight of the kit. But HPerformance also did other things to complement it, even if said other “things” are minimal at best. But the lack of balance on the tuning kit shouldn’t take away from what the German tuner did to the TT-RS. With that much power sitting under that hood, I can only imagine what this car can do on a race track.
Continue reading to learn more about the Audi TT-RS By HPerformance.
Already available in Europe, the third-generation Audi TT has yet to arrive in U.S. dealerships. And by the time the new coupe starts roaming North American streets later this year, Audi may have already launched the hot TT-RS version. The beefed-up compact just hit the streets for a new testing session, suggesting its debut is closer than ever.
How do I know this is the TT-RS and not the milder TTS as suggested by the prototype’s body details? Well, the spy photographers that took these shots managed to take a closer look at the brake calipers and reported each has an "RS" logo painted over. Moreover, a sticker on one of the rear dampers carried the same lettering. The third hint lies in the bigger brake discs, which you can see in the photos above and below. Nice try, Audi!
While the next TT-RS’ styling isn’t much of a mystery — look for a slightly more aggressive TTS with aero updates front and rear — the engine Audi is working on is. Most reports claim the souped-up coupe could get either the familiar 2.5-liter five-cylinder found in the RS3 or a heavily modified 2.0-liter turbo-four, likely similar to the one in the Golf R400. If I were to take a guess, I’d say Audi will keep the five-pot and simply upgrade it to deliver around 400 horsepower. That would be a significant improvement over the TT-RS Plus and its 355 horses.
Continue reading for the full story.
Less than a year away from its official reveal, the 2017 Audi TT RS is expected to really up the ante as far as power goes. According to the Aussies from Motoring, who recently chatted with some Audi sources, the next-generation TT RS will develop more than 400 horsepower, which would make it more powerful than both the 2012 TT RS Plus and the recently unveiled 2015 Audi RS3.
Don’t expect this amount of power to come without some mechanical hurdles though, as the General Manager of Quattro GmbH, Stephan Reil, says that turbocharged, five-cylinder engine in the RS3 and TT RS is already at the limit from some perspectives. "If you look at the performance curve, there are not many engines out there that can deliver this much torque (465Nm) at such a low (1,625) rpm," Reil said. "But to do that the car is at the limit of the speed of the turbocharger now. The turbocharger is a relatively small one, for reasons of throttle response, and the performance in the RS 3 is at the limit of the rpm the turbocharger wheels can do in production," he continued.
In other words, the new Audi TT RS will probably get a larger turbocharger, meaning that the increased power will go hand in hand with a bit more throttle lag. Usually, that goes with the territory, but if the model will switch to a lightning-fast, dual-clutch transmission exclusively, than the lag may appear less obvious.
Note: Standard Audi TT pictured here.
Continue reading to learn more about the next Audi TT RS.
It’s been only a few months since the first 2015 Lamborghini Huracans were shipped to their owners and the Gallardo’s successor has already made its first appearance on the drag strip. If you were anxious to find out what this entry-level supercar is capable of on the quarter-mile, I have the perfect video for you.
The Huracan you’re about to see above is bone stock and pitted against two vehicles that are less powerful on paper. The first one is a 997-generation 911 Turbo that had its engine tweaked to generate 600 horsepower, while the second one an Audi TT RS with 530 horsepower at its disposal. For reference, the stock Huracan’s 5.2-liter V-10 cranks out 610 ponies and 413 pound-feet of torque for a 0-to-62 mph sprint of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of more than 202 mph.
It’s all good for the Huracan on paper, but is it enough against a pair of highly modified cars specifically designed for the drag strip? I’m not going to spoil the video, so you’re going it to have to watch it to find out. Be prepared for an unexpected outcome though.
Now that the third-generation Audi TT — due 2016 in the United States — has been unveiled, the Germans are busy working on more powerful iterations of the small coupe. The TTS, which shares a 310-pony, 2.0-liter turbo with the Audi S3, is already underway with Nurburgring testing having commenced in May 2014. Now, Audi is upping the ante with the range-topping TT-RS model, which showed up on the "Green Hell" wearing a TTS disguise.
How can we tell this is a TT-RS mule and not the TTS we saw earlier in 2014? Well, that’s quite simple. The main clue is that the coupe’s exhaust note indicates the presence of a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine under the hood. The super-powerful five-pot is reserved for vehicles such as the TT-RS and the RS3, while the Audi TTS, whose body was bolted onto the mule’s chassis, is motivated by a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-banger.
Yes, the next-generation TT-RS gets to keep its five-cylinder engine, but not without the mandatory upgrades that come with each new iteration. Expect output to increase to around 375 horsepower, 20 ponies more than the previous model, and 0-to-60 mph times to drop to four seconds, if not 3.9. Routing the power to all four wheels will be the same seven-speed, twin-clutch transmission. We figure fuel consumption will remain unchanged due to updated internals and a slightly lighter vehicle. The previous TT-RS returned 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, so expect to get the same deal.
Drivetrain aside, the TT-RS is also in for a redesigned body and interior, in line with the new-generation TT. The high-performance coupe will be unveiled by the of 2015 and go on sale for the 2016 model year. In the meantime, hit play to watch the TT-RS lap the Nurburgring track for the first time.
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It’s been a good 2014 for Audi. The company is on pace to sell 1.6 million cars this year, a record-breaking number that has come closer and closer to threatening BMW’s top sales numbers. But Audi isn’t just settling for the sales title. It also wants to continue to be on the cutting edge of innovation, something Audi boss Rupert Stadler brushed on when he announced plans to launch RS-badged high-performance diesel models in the future, possibly as soon as the end of the decade.
The company is optimistic that it already has the applications to transition the technology from concept form into production. Remember, the RS5 TDI concept showed that it was possible to slap an e-turbo-diesel engine into an Audi without compromising the car’s performance capabilities.
Stadler understands that the key in achieving that goal is to take a step-by-step process on piecing together the tools and technology needed to make it work on a production model.
You can count on Audi to always be at the forefront of innovation. The German automaker thrives on being in that position, and when you give it incentive to succeed, you can bet that it’s going to pull out all the stops to make it happen.
Click past the jump to read more about Audi’s future diesel plans.
Next year will mark a milestone for on of Audi’s key models, as the TT sports car will celebrate 20 years since it debuted as a concept in 1995. It’s hard to believe that the TT is that old, but it’s also a testament to how well-received the model has been since series production began back in 1998.
In that time, the TT has become one of Audi’s most popular models, having been used in a multitude of functions geared towards racing development and, yes, even autonomous driving.
With the arrival of the third-generation TT, the German sports car takes that next evolutionary step that adds another chapter to the car’s growing legacy. Truth be told, there is something to the belief that when legendary design meets superior technology, as the video says, legends are born.
No more is that statement any truer than with the Audi TT, a car that represents everything Audi stands for.
So what if a lot of people have neglected the Audi TT line ever since the R8 came into the picture. Those who did are missing out on something pretty cool because the TT, especially the top-line TT RS, is still a pocket Hercules in its own right.
Recently, PP-Performance, together with Cam Shaft, unveiled a ridiculous new program for the high-powered TT RS. The whole project features a comprehensive upgrade on the aerodynamics and performance of the car, enough to make you really consider just how fast and powerful the TT RS can become when treated with some affection.
The first thing you’ll notice is the Matte Pearl White finish given to the car with matching black "PP Performance" decals on the side. One look and you immediately know which aftermarket company worked on this bad boy. Far more than just its pretty white face, the TT RS also received a bevy of new carbon-fiber components, including a new front lip, a new hood, new exterior mirrors, a modified diffuser, and a new rear wing. Add all of those to the gloss-black, powder-coated alloy wheels and you have a TT RS with an outward appearance that’s just begging to be teen for a spin.
Speaking of spins, once you step inside the cabin of this little pocket rocket, you’ll immediately understand why this car received such a hellacious performance upgrade. Thanks to a new intercooler, a 200-cell catalytic convertor, a high-flow fuel pump, and a new clutch, the TT RS’ standard 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque numbers are child’s play compared to the new output of 470 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. This new-found power allows the little German sports car to presumably hit 60 mph in just under four seconds to go with a top speed of around 180 mph.
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi TT RS by PP Performance and Cam Shaft
When Audi announced that it would offer the TT RS to the North American market, we were stoked about it. Though the TT RS is mighty impressive, we were a little bit disappointed that this awesome sports coupe only delivered 360 horsepower. Lucky for us, ABT Sportsline seems to agree with us that the TT RS can much better.
To help satisfy our power hunger, ABT Sportsline developed an upgrade kit for both the TT RS and the TT RS Plus models that pushes it to extreme levels. The tuner installed a self-developed ABT air-to-air intercooler and an ABT turbocharger.
The end result is an increase in output up to a total of 470 horsepower and 464 pound-feet – up from 343 pound-feet in the stock model. With the extra power under the hood, the ABT TT RS sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds and up to a top speed of 177 mph – this equals a 0.2-second faster 0-to-60 mph time and a 3 mph increase in top speed.
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi TT RS by ABT Sportsline.
The third generation Audi TT (Tourist Trophy) has already been caught testing in many times and today, new details on the model have surfaced online.
As previously reported, the third-generationTT sports car will return to its original roots: its design will once again be inspired by the original concept unveiled at the 1995 Frankfurt auto show.
According to an unconfirmed report from Car and Driver, the U.S.-spec TT will get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with Volkswagen Group’s EA888 turbocharged and direct-injected technology – the same engine that was just added to the 2013 Beetle Turbo. In the base version this engine will deliver a total of 220 horsepower and the S version will receive an extra turbo to allow it to deliver a total of 300 horsepower.
Car and Driver also reported that the TT-RS version will continue to carry a five-cylinder engine tuned to produce a whopping 380 horsepower. That adds up to a 20-horsepower increase over the current generation’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. Audi will also offer both front and Quattro all-wheel drive systems on the TT-RS.
The new Audi TT will arrive on the market in 2014 in coupe form and in roadster form a few months later.
Click past the jump to read more about the next Audi TT.
Some people might overlook the Audi TT-RS because of the presence of the mighty R8, but we’re of the opinion that the TT-RS is still one heck of a sports car.
Aftermarket company, FolienCenter-NRW, seems to agree with us. Known more for its expertise in the art of auto wrapping, FolienCenter-NRW veered away from its norm with this program, giving the TT-RS a ridiculous engine upgrade that, as far as we can tell, is one of the most powerful output upgrades we’ve seen in a TT-RS.
The work done under the hood is nothing short of spectacular. Taking the sports coupe’s 2.5-liter engine, FolienCenter dropped a number of LOBA motorsports components into the mix, highlighted by a LO500P turbo charger, a charge air intercooler and a fuel pump. From there, the tuner also sought FTS Fahrzeugtechnik to add high-performance ignition plugs and software optimization into the mix. As you can expect, that much work resulted in some serious power improvements to the tune of 501 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, allowing the car to hit 200 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.6 seconds with a blistering top speed of 199 mph.
And to put the proverbial cherry on top of this tuning sundae, FolienCenter gave the TT-RS some new skin. FolienCenter calls this color "Chromium Red,” and it goes with matte-silver elements that give off a nice contrast to the eye-popping body color. Last but not least, a set of 20-inch rims were installed wrapped in Hankook S1 Evo tires with a new Bilstein B16 coil-over suspension system taking care of lowering the car’s ride height.
This is a real treat of a program, if we do say so ourselves. A shade under 200 mph for an Audi TT-RS?
We’re buying in.
When Audi brought the TT to the U.S. back in the 2000 model year, it was not overly powerful or fast. Rather its 180-horsepower, turbocharged 1.8-liter engine produced adequate power combined with an agile chassis to make a complete sports coupe. As time went on, however, the TT became more powerful and firmly planted itself as one of the best sports cars on the market. In 2012, Audi decided it was time to show exactly what the TT could do, given the right tuning. With this came the introduction of the 2012 Audi TT RS, which was a super-high-performance machine that left every other sports car in its wake – even some that were significantly more expensive.
In 2013, Audi will continue this high-performance variant of the TT and will, for the most part, carry the model over from the 2012 model year. So the question that begs to be answered is “can the TT RS continue to dominate with essentially the same setup as it had a year ago?”
Click past the jump to get the answer to that question in our full review of the 2013 Audi TT RS.
After watching this video, we strongly believe it is time for us to relocate. Where exactly? Well...Poland! Because this is where all the amazing action from this video took place.
The guys over at Autokult have put together one of the best 1/4 mile drag races ever - they even called it the "Super Drag Race." We have to agree with them, especially after taking a look at the cars involved in the show: Corvette Z06, Chevrolet Camaro SS, Shelby GT500, Lotus Exige, Audi TT-RS, and Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet.
What followed after the cars’ presentation is beyond any imagination. We can all describe it in just one word: FUN!
Even with a collection of cars such as these, as winner had to be chosen, and it looks like it was a Chevrolet Corvette tuned by Lingenfelter with a time of 12.138 seconds. At the opposite end of the spectrum - the losing side - was the Lotus Exige with a time of 13.797 seconds.
If anyone knows of a better video than this, please let us know!
German tuner MTM actually built this TT-RS program for the Audi TT-RS back in 2010, but what we didn’t know was that their Taiwan division, aptly called MTM Taiwan, also worked on their own program.
The comprehensive list of modifications done on the German sports car is pretty impressive, especially the performance upgrade that includes a plethora of new components and tune-ups.
The objective for this project was to give the TT-RS a significant uptick in power and MTM Taiwan achieved that by installing a new turbocharger, tweaking the ECU unit, and adding spark plugs, air catalysts, and a competition air filter. In addition, MTM also installed a Haldex ECU (Generation 4) controller that enables the sports car to transfer torque faster to the rear wheels while also allowing the driver to select drive modes (race, street, and sport).
With all these upgrades in tow, MTM Taiwan was successful in giving the TT-RS’ turbocharged 2.5-liter engine a sick output of 472 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 63.7 kgm (461 lb-ft) of torque at 4,100 rpm, up from 340 HP and 330 lb.-ft. of torque. The new output also nets a 0-62 mph time of just 3.4 seconds, which is a full 1.2 seconds faster than the standard model.
With the added power on the car, MTM took the steps to improve the TT-RS’ braking system with four-piston calipers with 376mm cross-drilled rotors. Aerodynamically, the project includes a new diffuser, an MTM carbon rear spoiler, and a new set of 20" MTM bimoto-forged alloy wheels.
We see a ton of automotive videos in a day’s work, but some just grab you by the neck and slap you around a little. One type of video that rattles our cage a little bit are ridiculous comparisons. One example of strange comparisons was the Ford Focus ST vs. WRX/GTI/Mazdaspeed 3/M3, as throwing the M3 in there was like some annoying dude at a party name-dropping just to sound cool.
Now, when auto manufacturers start comparing their production cars to race cars, that is really aggravating. Rarely, if ever, does a production model car share anything but basic exterior styling with its racing brethren, so comparison is just ridiculous. Now, to take a new car that is cool in itself and compare it to one of the most important, yet unrelated, racing cars in an automaker’s history is just idiocy.
That said, however, Audi managed to compare the 90 Quattro race car – likely one of the most importance race cars to don the four rings – to the TT RS, which is one of the baddest compact coupes on the market. These two cars share absolutely nothing, except that they both have five cylinders. However, Audi did it in such an awesome way that you totally forget the lunacy of comparing the two and just get caught up in the video.
Have a look at the above video and you’ll see exactly what we mean. We’ve gotta give it to Audi’s production team for this video, as it definitely got us all amped up, despite the fact they are comparing a 700+ horsepower racecar to 360-horsepower compact coupe.
Alabama-based tuning company APR has made a nice reputation for being one of the best Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen tuners in the States. For their latest offering, they’ve created an ECU upgrade for the all-new Audi TT RS.
While the TT-RS already sports a pretty impressive 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers 340 horsepower and 332 lb/ft of torque. Feeling the need to increase the Audi sports coupe’s power, APR prepared the Stage 1 ECU modification pack that significantly raises the TT-RS’ power to a sweet 414 horsepower and 430 lb/ft of torque.
Best of all, APR is only charging $899 for the program, which, according to them, is the “the best power per dollar modification for the new 2.5 TFSI.”
Taking the Audi TT-RS, a car that we have high regard for, and giving it a performance boost is the kind of program that a lot of people can enjoy - and afford. And judging by the way APR is packaging the program, we won’t be surprised if we see a more powerful program sometime soon.
Audi is preparing to bring out the new generation TT-RS in 2013, but before that happens, the company is sending the current generation out with a more powerful bang. Called the TT-RS Plus, this new model will be offered in both coupe and roadster versions. In Germany, the TT-RS Coupe equipped with a manual transmission will be priced at €60,650 ($80,500 at the current exchange rates) and €62,800 ($83,500 at the current exchange rates) with the seven-speed S tronic . The TT RS Plus Roadster has a list price of €63,500 ($84,500 at the current exchange rates) with the manual transmission and €65,650 ($86,000 at the current exchange rates) with the seven-speed S tronic.
The Audi TT-RS Plus will be the most powerful TT-RS model launched on the market. It is powered by a 2.5 liter five-cylinder turbo engine that delivers a total of 360 HP - an increase of 20 HP over the standard version. As a result, the model will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds with a top speed that has been increased to 173 mph.
UPDATE 03/07/2012: The new Audi TT-RS Plus has made its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show and we have added a series of live images from the show. Enjoy!
Hit the jump to read more about the Audi TT-RS Plus.
Last year’s picks for the coupe of the year raged a war between the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang, but this year things are a bit different. In fact, neither one of these muscle cars made the list, simply because the new Camaro ZL1 isn’t available for purchase just yet.
With the two major muscle cars out of the running, we were still left with a ton of vehicles worthy of some time in the spotlight. Our choices for the top coupes of 2011 are kind of all over the place. From the Audi TT-RS’ return to the States to the Lotus Exige S and its road-going capabilities on the other side of the pond, there’s pretty much a flavor for anybody.
In fact, if we’ve missed one of your favorites, make sure to hit us up.
Hit the jump for our picks for the 2011 Coupe of the Year, in alphabetical order.
Audi of America is celebrating the arrival of the 2012 Audi TT RS with a 4-part video series called the "Ultimate Lap!" The car is being driven by racecar driver, Justin Bell, at the Monticello Raceway in NY.
Part one of the video is called "0-60-0" and displays the Audi’s sprint time. Part 2, called "Slalom," will illustrate the impressive slalom capabilities of the TT-RS. Part 3, "Wet Traction" adds water for an even more impressive driving performance, while part 4 "Apex and Wrap" will show the sports coupe as its taken through a series of corners to test it’s dynamics and stability.
On the American market, the TT-RS is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 360 HP - an extra 20 HP over the European model. It sprints the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds.
Hit the jump for more videos.
The Audi R8 LMS has recently been tweaked to be able to enter in the 24H in Daytona, but that project isn’t the only thing coming out of Audi headquarters. Say the R8 LMS’ price tag of 298,000 euro (about $420,000 at the current rates) is a tad too rich for your bank account, Audi has prepared an answer to your problems with the new TT RS race car. The new Audi racer will set racing teams back at €180,000 or about $250,000 at the current exchange rates, which isn’t exactly a bargain, but it’s cheaper than the R8 LMS.
The Audi TT-RS race car is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo engine mated to a sequential six-speed racing transmission to deliver a total of 380 HP. Paddle shifters allow drivers to fully concentrate on the action on the race track, while the sophisticated racing suspension with a wide range of adjustment options improves the TT-RS’ handling and stability.
"In the TT RS Audi is making the next attractive customer sport race car available to interested teams," says Romolo Liebchen, Head of Audi Sport customer racing. "In line with the products our customers have come to expect of us, the TT RS is another car that has been designed for a wide range of racing conditions and easy handling. The TT RS perfectly mastered the load at the 24-hour race while being able to prove its exceptionally forgiving handling characteristics at the 6-hour race in the unpredictable conditions of constantly changing weather."
The Audi TT-RS is a very successful model on the European market, hence the reason why US customers signed a petition to get that bad boy over to our side of the pond. Now, we have our American version which comes with a $56,850 price tag, but the RS story doesn’t look like it will be ending there.
Audi has announced that the TT-RS is just one of the RS models they plan to bring to the USA. Following the more powerful TT, the US will be getting the RS5, which will then lead to a few more other RS models - the RS6 being the most logical next step.
"We’re now taking the first steps with the TT RS and the RS 5," Audi sales head Peter Schwarzenbauer told Bloomberg. "I could indeed imagine that we’ll continue along that route in the future."
Hit the jump for details on the Audi TT-RS American and the Audi RS5.
Audi finally came to their senses back in September 2010 when they decided that it was time for the TT-RS to make its way back to the States, but their most recent announcement may leave some with less than what they bargained for. Along with the TT-RS’ first appearance on American soil at the Chicago Auto Show, came Audi’s announcement that we will only be getting a limited run of 1,000 units of the vehicle. Audi is obviously playing the supply and demand game since 11,500 fans expressed their enthusiasm over the TT-RS in only one month. No official details were given on the car, but Audi did confirm that it would be $10,000 more expensive than the current TTS, priced at $51,000. Sales for the Audi TT-RS will begin at the end of Summer 2011.
The Audi TT-RS will be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that will deliver an extra 20 HP compared to the European model. With a total of 360 HP, the engine will only be offered with a conventional six-speed manual transmission and will sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. We expect to see a greater top speed compared to the European model.
UPDATE 07/08/2011: Audi has announced prices for the 2012 TT-RS, a model that signifies the return of the RS nameplate to the U.S. The Audi TT RS will be priced at $56,850 (excluding destination charges, taxes, title, options and dealer charges). By comparison, the Audi TT-S version is priced from $50K.
UPDATE 07/27/2011: The first Audi TT-RS sold on the US market has been delivered to Forth Worth Audi dealer in Texas. The first client is veteran race car driver Don Istook. He is one of the more than 11,500 fans to sign the Audi TT RS Facebook petition drive, which helped convince Audi to introduce the 360-hp coupe in the U.S. "Having raced at almost every major track in the U.S. and Canada, I’ve pushed the limits in many cars in my 34 years as a race car driver,” Istook said. “I like my street car to give me some of that thrill. With my new Audi TT RS, I not only get that thrill, but I also get that ’race car’ sound."
More details on the Audi TT-RS American model after the jump.
Audi has just unveiled the special edition TT-RS S-Tronic on the Australian market. This model is equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which is usually priced at $8,460, but is being offered at no extra charge for the limited edition. So, basically, if you were thinking of buying the upgrade and you live in Australia, better make that purchase fast and save yourself the money because there will only be 45 units produced.
For some extra bang to your buck, Audi is also offering the TT-RS S-Tronic with a variety of add-ons, including a black exterior styling package, metallic paint, and 19-inch 5-arm Rotor design wheels in titanium finish. Other additions include a sports exhaust system, adaptive headlights, a BOSE sound system, an extended leather interior package, and an LED interior lighting package.
Under the hood, Audi has placed the usual 2.5-liter five-cylinder equipped with turbocharging and FSI direct injection. This engine will dish out 335 HP between 5,400 and 6,500 rpm and a peak torque of 331 lbs-ft between 1,600 and 5,300 rpm. The engine will be combined with Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive and a high-performance chassis.
The S-Tronic transmission will also allow the driver to choose between two fully automatic shift modes, and a manual mode in which gears are changed using either the shift paddles on the steering wheel or with the selector lever.
You remember all those billboard wars Audi and BMW were into about a year and some change ago? In a constant game of one-upsmanship between the two brands, deciding which one is better shouldn’t be tasked on billboards, commercials, or whatever marketing propaganda they can think of. There’s only one place to settle a rivalry like this and the crew from Motor Sport Magazine found the perfect site to do so: the race track.
Taking a BMW 1M Coupe and an Audi TT RS, Motor Sport Magazine brought in the two German sports coupes for a match-up that die hard fans of the two brands have been waiting for. The tale of the tape suggests a slight advantage in horsepower for the 1M Coupe against the TT RS - 340 ponies to 335 - but the Audi sportster certainly makes up for it thanks to its four-wheel drive system.
So who takes the cake in this battle? It’s relative depending on how you see it, really. Motor Sport Magazine actually didn’t race the two fender-to-fender against each other, but the video still makes for good viewing simply because you are able watch these two sports cars in their natural habitat.
Just recently, Audi announced that the TT-RS would also be offered on the US market, and the fact that it is going to deliver 20hp more than the European version was just music to our ears. Now we’re hearing rumors about a TT-RS version getting that same 20hp boost up to 360hp for the European market. What the hell?! And here we thought we were special....
A leaked internal Audi document - the Ersatz Teile Katalog Audi (ETKA) to be exact - revealed details about this new TT-RS Plus version. In addition to the the extra 20 HP, it will also get a 7-speed automatic transmission and carbon fiber parts like the ones used in the R8 GT. With the extra horse power and the weight reduction, this model will become the fastest TT-RS on the market. The document also suggests that this new version will be added in May 2011.
So our joy was short-lived. Hopefully we will be able to over-joyed when we hear it’s coming to America!
The Audi TT-RS will soon be headed to US shores and what’s better is that tuners are coming up with all kinds of packages for the luxury sports car that we will soon be able to take advantage of as well. The latest package comes from O.CT Company and takes the German sports car to a higher power with some handling improvements and an aesthetic upgrade.
While in its standard version, the Audi TT-RS develops a total of 340 HP and 450 NM of torque out of its turbocharged 2.5-liter engine, but O.CT has taken that power to a total of 420 HP and 570 Nm. In order to get this 80hp bump, the tuner opted for changing the hardware components in conjunction with the reprogramming of the vehicle’s electronics. The conversion kit used includes a stainless steel exhaust system including silencer and rear silencer with control valve, a charge air cooler kit, and a revised management of the TFSI engine.
For the exterior, the package adds forged 20-inch 5 twin-spoke alloy rims that only weigh 13.8 kg. There is also a new KW coilover suspension V3 that provides "agility in (almost!) any situation."
The makeover by O.CT Company is good, but we prefer the 472 HP engine update provided by MTM in their Audi TTRS Clubsport solely for the higher power output. If it was based on looks, then the O.CT package would win hands down.
Do you remember the Audi RS6 Clubsport package MTM revealed last year? It was 730hp of sheer awesomeness, and now MTM is bringing out that same package for the Audi TT-RS. The power output may not be as extensive as the RS6, but the exterior modifications will absolutely turn some heads.
The Audi TT-RS will be revealed when the Geneva Motor Show opens its doors this week, so MTM gave away very little in terms of TT-RS package details. The Clubsport package is their biggest upgrade for the TT-RS and it received a 472 HP engine update. This update was accomplished with a modification of the control unit, an MTM turbo charger, and a new MTM exhaust system. With this upgrade, the TTRS Clubsport will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 198 mph.
For the exterior the tuner is offering the same black-orange-white paint combination with racing elements and a new set of 20" Bimoto wheels.
More details will be revealed when the Audi TTRS Clubsport is revealed this week at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show!
Fifth Gear mainstays Tiff Needell and Jason Plato found a good way to get some burn on a Porsche Boxster S, an Audi TT-RS, and a Nissan 370Z. The problem was, there were three sports cars ready to be tested, but only two drivers to drive them.
Fortunately for the two, they found another man to become the third driver. You might recognize his name, too: Ben Collins.
All together, Tiff, JP, and Ben took some time on the track to test the three aforementioned sports cars in a series of three tests – an agility test, a drift test, and a hot lap - to determine which car would run supreme over the others. Being the most senior of the trio, Tiff scored first dibs, picking the TT-RS for his ride. Picking next was JP, who opted for the Boxster S, leaving the man formerly known as the Stig to ‘settle’ for the 370Z.
Hit the jump to see the test results.
Over the course of its life, the Audi TT-RS has been the subject of a number of aftermarket modifications and for good reason too because as the most powerful version of the TT line, it’s a definite magnet for tuning companies to try and put their own touch on the car.
We’ve seen a number of these tuning firms release their takes in the past few months and this time, another one has stepped into the limelight to present their modded version of the Audi TT-RS.
Hailing from Ingelheim near Mainz, Germany is Senner Tuning AG, which just revealed their new program for the TT-RS. Similar to most of its competitors, Senner Tuning’s work on the Audi sports car involves upgrades on both the appearance and performance aspects of the car. Though Senner Tuning’s work was a little dialed down compared to its competitors, it worked out pretty well for them because as far as we’re concerned, it’s not stale that it becomes redundant yet it’s also not overbearing to the point that it becomes a little outrageous.
Details after the jump