Audi TT RS: Super Coupe

Motoring Channel Staff - 23/February/2009

Geneva, Switzerland – The Audi TT RS is go!

Details and photos of the compact German sports car have hit the world wide web ahead of the official Geneva Motor Show launch, and the car is shaping up to be a giant killer. 

When we road tested the second generation Audi TT in mid-2007, it was described as "responsive and dexterous".

The author of the road test, Feann Torr, commented that "It's almost like the car wants to go fast. All the time."

If that's how the entry-level 2.0-litre turbo Audi TT feels on the road (which scored a strong four out of five wombats) imagine what the new Audi TT RS will be like to drive with 450Nm of torque!

Now, finally, the TT has an engine to match its chassis.

Powered by a new 5-cylinder turbo petrol engine, Audi's new TT RS is a stunner.

With a range of performance equipment designed and engineered by quattro GmbH, including new engines, brakes, suspension and aerodynamic exterior upgrades, it could end up being one of the stars of the 2009 Geneva Motor Show.

With the halls of the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, the Audi TT RS's biggest change will be the engine.

Not since the 1980s has Audi used a 5-cylinder turbocharged engine, and the new 2.5-litre powerplant will be "explosive" according to the German car maker.

This all-new engine outputs around 253 kilowatts (340hp) and 450Nm of torque, which will give the BMW Z4 and Z4 Coupe something to think about.

At present all we know is that the engine is a 5-cylinder pump. 

Audi's parent company, the Volkswagen group, could be recommissioning the 2.5-litre V5, which would easily be able to reach the 450Nm peak with a hefty turbo and some decent intercooling.

Update: Audi has released an official (but short) media statement confirming everything detailed on this page, adding that the TT RS will deliver "explosive acceleration, driving delight, and unrivalled sound". 

This 'unrivalled sound' adds credence to the re-implementation of the 2.5-litre V5 engine.

Audi says that 'a legend is reborn' and that 'powerful five-cylinder gasoline engines have a long legacy at Audi'. 

'All in all, the compact TT RS – with its lightweight and largely aluminum body constructed as per the Audi Space Frame principle – is a driving machine to be reckoned with,' claims Audi

We've also added a few new 'official' photos.

With the TT RS's quattro all-wheel drive setup, the new 2.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine is expected to give the vehicle almost super car levels of acceleration, with a zero to 100km/h sprint of around 4.8 seconds.

The standard transmission will be a 6-speed manual and the car has a limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph). 

However without the electronic speed governor the car's light weight and high torque could theoretically allow for a 300km/h+ top speed. On the racetrack, this vehicle will be a demon.

Uprated suspension and modifications to the stability control system will deliver more aggressive handling for the Audi TT RS, and the car also gets a motor sports-inspired steering wheel.

Like the RS badge on the rear apron, the brake calipers are RS-badged, and with the rotors filling out the 19-inch wheels nicely the high performance coupe will have massive stopping power.

One of the most exciting models to come out of Ingolstadt in 2009 is visually different from its TT siblings. 

Along with the RS badging, there's the de rigeur twin oval exhaust pipes that adorn models like the Audi RS6 and RS4 models.

Larger, sculpted front air intakes improve the car's breathing capacity and look fairly tough, and other front end features include xenon projector beam head lights and LED driving lights.

At the rear of the Audi TT RS, the twin oval exhaust outlets are joined by a fixed rear wing and more aggressive rear diffuser to smooth out the airflow exiting underneath the vehicle.

Both coupe and convertible roadster models will be made available when the car launches in Europe mid-year.

When Audi releases an official media statement, we'll update this page with all the details - including the type of engine.

Will it be an inline 5-cylinder engine or a more exciting and acoustically pleasing V5?

Related Links:
- Audi Sportback Concept (2009)
- Audi R8 V10 5.2 Model (2009)
- Audi A5 (Road Test)
- Audi A5 Cabriolet (2009)
- Audi A7, A8, R8 Roadster (2010)
- Audi A1 Sportback Concept (2008)
- Audi S4 (2009)
- Audi TT Clubsport quattro (2008)
- Audi S3 (Road Test)
- Audi RS 4 (Road Test)
- Audi S8 (Road Test)
- Audi R8 GT3 (2009)
- Audi TT Coupe (Road Test)
- Audi Q5 (2009)