- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru
Audi TT RS. Awesome little fellow
The Audi TT RS is a sports all-wheel drive coupe (2+2 layout) or roadster (2-seater) manufactured since 2009. In 2021, Israeli buyers can purchase the second generation car after the 2019 restyling.
Do you wonder why the generation count starts from the second one? The reason is that the TT RS is the most powerful modification of the TT coupe. The charged RS was launched from the second generation of the base TT model (2009-2014).
The second generation
The TT RS was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The car was developed by quattro GmbH, a subsidiary of Audi. The TT RS is the first compact sports car in Audi’s history. It was immediately offered to customers in two versions: a coupe or a roadster. The first TT RS was powered by an all-new 2.5-liter turbocharged Inline-5 petrol engine. This 183 kg unit produced 340 hp at 5,400-6,700 rpm, as well as a torque of 450 Nm in a wide range from 1,600-5,300 rpm.
The first Audi TT RS acquired a new 6-speed manual transmission with short ratios and, like all RS models, was only available with the Audi quattro all-wheel drive. It used a specially adapted multiple-disc clutch version of the latest generation by Haldex Traction. Plus, there were other improvements that successfully allowed the transmission to deal with the increased torque from a 5-cylinder turbocharged engine.
The TT RS is the first compact sports car in Audi’s history.
The model had low ground clearance, an Audi Magnetic Ride option (electronically controlled shock absorbers) and sports wheels with 245/45 ZR18 tires (optionally 19-inch or even 20-inch). The car featured a rear spoiler, dark interior design and Alcantara or leather sports seats. There was such an interesting feature as the ‘Sport’ button, which sharpened the throttle response and amplified the exhaust sound, as well as a three-mode Electronic Stability Program (ESP).
The first TT RS coupe needed only 4.5 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h (4.7 seconds for a roadster), and the top speed was electronically limited to 250 km/h. Since 2010, the TT-RS has been available with the 7-speed S tronic transmission. Since 2012, the TT RS plus has been produced with a 355 hp engine, capable of developing the first 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds (with a manual transmission) or 4.1 seconds (with the S tronic).
The third generation
It has been produced from 2016 to the present day in coupe and roadster bodies, and was restyled in 2019 (as of 2021). The new Audi TT RS is built on the MQB platform and comes with a 2.5-liter turbocharged TFSI 5-cylinder direct fuel injection engine. It generates an output of 400 hp and a torque of 480 Nm in a wide range from 1,700 to 5,850 rpm. The car is still equipped with quattro all-wheel drive as standard, but the manual transmission is a thing of the past: the only transmission is the 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.
The adaptive sports suspension is equipped with shock absorbers with Magnetic Ride technology, and its characteristics change in accordance with the commands of the Audi drive select dynamic control system. The safety of TT RS cars is ensured by the most advanced systems. The basic trim level includes not only a full set of active systems (anti-locking system, ESP, etc.), but also a lane departure warning system. The list of other equipment also includes an electromechanical parking brake and two-stage ESP shutdown, parking assist, traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitoring system, and much more.
2019 restyling
In 2019, all Audi TTs, including RS, underwent a scheduled restyling. It was not very significant, since the manufacturer was happy with its creation. The powertrains and dynamics are the same: acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h occurs in 3.7 seconds for the coupe and 3.9 seconds for the open version. Slight changes have touched only the exterior. Thus, the car features the enlarged side air intakes in the front bumper, upgraded rear design and new wheel disks. The new Audi TT RS is available in 8 body colors.
