Road Test: Audi TT RS Coupé

Four rings, two doors, four-wheel drive, and an in-line 5-cylinder turbocharged engine. The last time you could’ve used those words together would have been in the early nineties when the last of the original Audi Quattro coupé’s rolled off the production line in Ingolstadt, Germany.

Between 1980 and 1991 just 11 452 original, or Ur-Quattro’s were built. However, the Ur-Quattro is still legendary thanks to the eight World Rally Championship titles and countless other victories it notched up in the 80′s.

Audi looks determined to rekindle the Ur-Quattro flame, as shown by the recent unveiling of the Audi Quattro Concept at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. But the first sign of a revival came with the introduction of the Audi TT RS and apart from the classic curves of the TT, the Quattro DNA is certainly present.

As with all Audi ‘S’ and ‘RS’ badged models, the sporty tweaks to the interior are subtle yet effective. ‘TT RS’ badges are emblazoned on the flat bottomed steering wheel, on the rev-counter and embroidered into the leather and alcantara covered sports seats. The ergonomics of the cabin are excellent and a comfortable driving position is achievable thanks to the electronically adjustable seats and height/reach adjustable steering wheel.

Being the range-topper, the TT RS comes standard with a number of luxury and technology items, including heated seats, a Bose sound system, satellite navigation, as well as an on-board computer that displays, amongst other information, oil pressure, lap timer and turbo boost pressure. Available optional equipment includes the Audi Drive Select adjustable suspension system and Recaro bucket seats (as found in the Audi B7 RS4).

The exterior styling of the TT RS isn’t as restrained as the interior. From a distance, the face of the TT RS could be mistaken for the recently discontinued TT S, but once in full view there’s no doubt that this baby RS mean business. The aggressive bodykit adds attitude, but also necessary aerodynamic aid for the pocket-rocket Audi. The front fog lights have been done away with in favour of larger air intakes to the feed the beastly turbocharged in-line 5-cylinder engine and a splitter is incorporated into the bottom of the front bumper to aid downforce and smooth airflow under the car. 18-inch 5-spoke wheels are slotted under the flared wheel arches as standard, but the side profile of our test car was dominated by a set of 19-inch alloys with a titanium-look finish, which complimented the aluminium-look side mirrors common to all S and RS Audis. The TT RS’s defining feature however, is the fixed rear wing, which some may say is a little over-the-top, but which we discovered, is a tribute to the car’s aggressive character.

Key to that aggression is the 2.5-litre turbocharged 5-cylinder lurking under the bonnet. The engine block is made from a vermicular-graphite cast iron that offers high strength and low weight, and which is the same material used in Audi’s diesel engines and those that won the Le Mans 24-Hour. With a compression ratio of 10:1 and boost pressure of 1.2 bar, the 2 480 cc engine produces 250 kW and 450 Nm of torque. Dry-sump lubrication is also an essential part of the TT RS’s engine, allowing it to cope with lateral cornering forces of up to 1.2 g, without being starved of oil.

A set of aluminium pedals provide the means to the TT RS’s excitement. The clutch is is weighty and adds to car’s sporty feel, while the throttle offers snappy response – especially when the ‘Sport’ button is depressed to further sharpen the throttle response and deepen the exhaust note. Working the pedals properly will see the TT RS will leap from a standstill to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds, the same as the Audi R8 4.2 FSI quattro, and on to a limited top speed of 250 km/h. For a little extra money, the factory will remove the top speed limiter and the car will run on to 280 km/h.

Fire up the engine and you’re greeted with one of the sweetest burbles of any production car on the road today. Working our way out of town in rush-hour traffic on a Friday afternoon was a frustrating affair and the car shared our sentiments. The responsive throttle and meaty clutch make stop/start traffic the last place you or the car want to be, but the interior quality and premium nature of the cabin conspire to counter the drivetrain’s desire to rush ahead.

Thankfully the remainder of our test period was spent experiencing the Audi TT RS in the way its engineers intended. From pull-away the RS is remarkably quick, riding a 450 Nm torque curve that is constant all the way from 1 600 r/min to 5 300 r/min. From 5 400 r/min to just below the 7 000 r/min rev limit, the engine’s 250 kW continue to turn the scenery into a blur as each successive gear on the 6-speed manual box is employed with determination by the driver. The sound from both the engine and exhaust is fantastic to say the least, and, from the cabin, the 5-cylinder’s growl shares a similarity with that of the R8′s bigger V10. Hear for yourself…

When it comes time to scrub off speed for the corners, the TT’s black-painted, RS branded brake callipers bite into 370 mm vented disc brakes in front and 310 mm units at the back. RS sports suspension holds the car 10 mm lower to the ground than the standard TT. Stiffly sprung, the suspension doesn’t entertain body roll and together with the quattro all-wheel drive system, gives the TT RS huge levels of grip. Although 30-years old this year, the quattro system has evolved to the point where power can now be distributed between the front and rear wheels by up to 100%, according to where the system senses the most grip is required. The result is that the 255/35 R19 tyres almost never let go, unless you’re deliberately crude with the throttle, in which case you can provoke mild understeer both on and off the throttle.

Steering is accurate and the TT darts around mountain passes like a squirrel in a tree. Its evocative sound track and focused driving experience – from the weighty clutch and short throw gearbox to the sleek two-door bodyshell – mean the pocket-rocket Audi is a thrilling car to drive.

It’s not perfect though. Fuel consumption averaged 12.1 l/100km over the 950-kilometers we spent with the car – the majority of the time being driven at pace, but not an unrealistic indication of what to expect in real-world conditions. Although the sports suspension offers tenacious handling, after a couple of hundred kilometers behind the wheel, it does tend to feel a little uncompromising. Then of course there’s the price tag, R707 500 to be exact and that’s before you add those optional 19-inch alloys or Recaro sports seats.

You could call it an expensive but exclusive TT (only 200 units are coming to SA), or a fair deal when compared in performance terms with rivals like the BMW M3 Coupé, Lotus Evora, Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG and Porsche Cayman S. Either way though, the TT RS is hugely entertaining and delivers discernible Quattro heritage.

We like…

• 5-cylinder sound track.
• True sports car tactility via the chunky steering wheel, short-throw gear shift and substantial clutch.

We would like…

• Slightly quicker steering.
• Electronically height adjustable headlights – they were set a bit low.

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