At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show that runs from March 5th to 15th, Audi pulled the covers off the most potent version of the TT, the RS which revives the spirit of the Audi quattro coupes of the 1980s with its 340-horsepower five-cylinder turbocharged engine. Available to order in Europe -but unfortunately, not in the States- in Coupe and Roadster forms from late March, Audi's new high performance sports cars will reach their first customers this summer.
The modern-day successor to the 200HP-plus quattro coupes of the Eighties gets a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine derived from the U.S.-market Jetta that develops 340-horsepower and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque. Power is channeled to all four wheels through a close ratio six-speed manual gearbox.
In the case of the Coupe, which weighs in at 1,450 kilograms (3,197 pounds), the power-to-weight ratio is 4.3 kilograms per HP while the Roadster that weighs in at 1,510 kilograms (3,329 pounds) is 4.4 kilograms per HP.
The TT RS Coupe sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62mph) in 4.6 seconds while the Roadster needs a tenth of a second longer (4.7 sec). In both cases the top speed is limited electronically at 250 km/h or 155 but Audi does offer buyers the option to increase it to 280 km/h or 174mph.
The standard TT's aluminum McPherson strut front and four-link rear suspension has been retuned while at an extra cost the basic sports chassis can also be equipped with Audi's magnetic ride adaptive damping system. Braking power is provided by sizeable ventilated disc brakes with black four-piston aluminum calipers and diameters of 370mm at the front and 310mm at the rear.
With the exception of a few details such as the high-gloss black single grille with a frame in matt aluminum look and the fixed rear wing and, the RS does not differ much from the TTS models. Inside, the sports interior is finished exclusively in black, with brushed aluminium inlays and aluminium footrests and pedals, Silk Nappa leather sports seats and a thickly-rimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel.
For those looking for maximum differentiation, Audi offers 19-inch or 20-inch wheels, bucket seats with folding backrests and even Ibis White or Phantom black painted interior inlays at extra cost.
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