Audi’s new TT on the way
By Gerry Murphy
There’s a new Audi TT RS is on the way and it will be marketed under the Audi Sport label. At the Beijing Motor Show, Audi presented its Coupé and its Roadster for the first time to the world’s public. Sales in Europe will begin in autumn 2016.
The cars will be fitted with a new aluminium 2.5-litre TFSI five-cylinder engine that delivers a hefty 400 hp, which is 60 hp more than its predecessor. Together with the quattro drive, Audi designers are promising an even sportier driving performance with excellent traction.
The TT RS Coupé accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in eye-watering 3.7 seconds with the Roadster taking 3.9 seconds – this corresponds to the level of a supercar. Audi regulates the top speed at 250 km/h, or at 280 km/h upon request.
It will have a seven-speed S-tronic gearbox, which shifts at lightning speed andAudi’s renowned quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Its multi-plate clutch distributes the power freely between the axles. This is what provides strong grip and immense driving pleasure while wheel-selective torque control makes handling even more agile and safe. Using the Audi drive select system, the driver can influence the quattro drive and other components such as the steering, S-tronic, engine characteristic and exhaust flaps. The four modes available for this are comfort, auto, dynamic, and individual.
Inside the cockpit, controls and the display are focused completely on the driver. All information is displayed on a 12.3-inch screen. The driver can choose from three views, including a special RS screen that highlights the rev counter and provides information on tire pressure, torque, and g force, among other things. The Audi virtual cockpit also displays a shift light which informs the driver that the engine speed limit has been reached. For the first time in the RS portfolio, the RS sport leather steering wheel with shift paddles has two operating satellite buttons for turning the engine on and off, as well as the driving dynamics system known as Audi drive select in addition to multifunction buttons. This means that the driver’s hands stay on the wheel at all times. The driver can influence the exhaust flap control via the sound button on the centre console.
The new TT RS models will be launched on the European and the Irish markets in autumn 2016. Pricing for the Irish market will be announced closer to the launch date.