Many of my car enthusiast friends are fans of Volkswagen and Audi, and while driving the Audi TT RS their interest was a bit of a surprise to me: virtually every car pal insisted on hearing about it. Yeah, bro.
It's also unique, not in terms of just performance, but in pedigree. Quattro GmbH, Audi's in-house performance division, designed and engineered the TT RS. This is the same division responsible for the R8 models, as well as the recent RS4, the upcoming RS5 and the beautiful but unobtainable RS6.
Performance
The RS is unique in the TT line in that it's not powered by some four-cylinder variant. No, instead quattro GmbH specified a unique 2.5-litre inline five cylinder engine, with of course, a requisite turbocharger, and all in produces 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. With smart tuning, that torque is delivered flat—rather than in a curve—across most of the engine's operating range. Yes, this is the most powerful engine ever placed in a TT.
The RS is available with a seven-speed S tronic dual clutch gearbox or a traditional six-speed manual transmission. As a fan of technology, I was delighted to drive the S tronic version with its lightning-quick shifts.
In normal driving, the RS rewards the driver with a satisfying bark on upshifts, letting other traffic know this is an all-out performance machine. Under full throttle, though, the RS is a snorting, fire-breathing TT. With the S tronic, shifts up and down are faster than any human being could execute.
Acceleration numbers are in the 4.6 second range for the 0-to-100 run. On the open roads of Germany, I had no trouble comfortably driving over 200 km/h and, at those speeds, the special aerodynamic bits of the RS help make it very stable. Top speed is limited to 250, with an available 280 km/h limiter for those willing to tempt fate.
The brakes are made up of massive, racing-style, two-piece rotors and multi-piston calipers and are ideal for spirited or on-track driving.
The available Audi magnetic ride system - similar to that found on the R8 - offers virtually real-time suspension adjustment to maximize comfort or handling, depending on driving conditions and the demands of the driver. Handling is the best of any TT and, no surprise, tuning was done on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife.
Starting life as a TT, however, does have its drawbacks. The TT's layout, by design, favours putting most of the car's weight over the front axle. In day-to-day driving, it'll go unnoticed, but during spirited driving, the RS may not be as lively and steerable like its main German rival, the BMW M3.
Ergonomics/Comfort/Quality
Fans of the TT understand that the cockpit isn't the roomiest, but still passable for day-to-day driving. In the RS, some additional interior volume is taken up by the big, broad and bolstered sports seats. What you lose in space is a fair trade-off for these comfortable and highly supportive buckets.
The rest of the interior is standard TT fare, with a highly designed interior and finely finished touch points. The back seats are for small children only and they're best used when folded flat for additional cargo capacity.
Functionality/Usability
Really, there's just one reason to buy a TT RS. It's not to take your kids to hockey practice. It's not to impress valets. It's not to cruise to the mall. It's to go fast and be stylish about it.
The RS is really best suited as a second or third car, a highly designed, high-performance machine without compromise, which is perfect for spirited weekend drives or the occasional track day. There is a decent size trunk for weekend jaunts.
Conclusion
Pricing has yet to be announced, but with a fully equipped, 265 horsepower TTS priced at just over $64,000 and given all the RS-specific technology, expect the 340 hp RS to cost between $75,000 and $80,000 when it arrives in Canadian showrooms.
When friends asked what I thought about the RS, I described it as the ultimate expression of the TT. It's unquestionably an Audi with a unique aggressive look, and that is backed up by serious performance. Yeah, bro.
