Audi TT RS 2.5 Coupe

[EXTRACT]#EANF# What‘s it? The TT RS is that the brawniest TT yet, and the very first time Audi has applied the RS treatment towards the TT. Available in coupe or roadster form, the TT RS gets an all-new 2. 5-litre turbo charged five-cylinder engine producing 335bhp. Drive is sent to all four wheels, via a six-speed manual transmission. Audi are working to beef up their S-Tronic twin-clutch gearbox to handle the 332 lb ft of torque, but currently the TT RS is manual only. To ensure there isn‘t any mistaking this £42, 985 TT with anything coming from the cheaper end of the value range the RS gets a choice of attention seeking body modifications. What’s it like? Loud. At least It‘s using the ‘S’ button depressed. This changes the throttle map and opens the exhaust baffles to inform the planet that there’s something stronger when compared to a four-pot lurking beneath the bonnet. The five-cylinder arrangement gives a characteristic off-beat thrum under full throttle and also the occasional pop and splutter on downchanges. The surprise here is very how boisterous the engine is to the usually super smooth Audi brand. It could get intrusively bassy when loaded from low revs, but switching 'S' off, trims this back for an acceptable level. Sounding the part is something you need, however the better news could be that the TT RS has got the performance to match : 0-62mph takes just 4. 6sec, and unrestricted It‘ll run to 174mph. To mention it features a strong mid-range is a little bit of an understatement, with that peak torque offered by 1600rpm all of the method to 5300rpm. But equally it isn‘t shy of revving right towards the redline. The only real real downside is unloaded at higher engine speeds, just a little vibration can creep straight into the cabin. That and the very fact the throttle map in 'S' is really a touch abrupt for smooth slow speed progress. Normal is better, but you then loose that soundtrack. In truth the engine dominants the TT RS experience so much in fact that in several ways the remainder of the car struggles to match up. Not that it must be unruly, quite the other actually. Compared to some regular TT the RS' steering, handling and gearbox are improved, with increased feel, precision and weight, however they lack the intensity from the engine. As an example the TT RS never feels anything but a classic Audi 4wd, instead of the infinitely more entertaining rear-biased drive Audi delivered using the R8. The ride (our car had upgraded 19-inch wheels although not the optional magnetic ride adaptive damping ) is at places too firm to the roads in our German test route, which doesn‘t bode well to the TT RS' suitability to our roads. There‘s a chance on standard wheels (18-inch ) with magnetic ride this‘ll be improved, however we can’t provide a definitive answer until we try this type of car inside the UK. Although there aren‘t any metal work changes, new bumpers, larger twin exhausts and also a fixed position wing give an altogether more assertive look. Whether that appeals is entirely subjective, except for what it’s worth, I believe it lacks just a little cohesion. In particular the rear wing that has whiff of aftermarket about this. Thankfully you‘ll be able to specify the standard-retractable unit like a no-cost option. Should I buy one? Tricky one this. On a single hand the TT RS does move the TT range forward, and for people who simply need a faster, louder, sharper TT, the RS delivers this (with a price ). But using the RS badge comes expectation, a minimum of from these quarters, and particularly in light from the brilliance from the last RS4 and R8. Against such successes the TT RS is really a touch disappointing. No question it is very fast, either in an aligned line or cross-country, but engine aside, it isn’t sufficiently compelling, thrilling or rewarding. Jamie Corstorphine EXTRACT#EANF# Audi TT RS 2. 5 Coupe