2018 Audi TT RS

AN Audi TT RS?

My ears pricked up like the family dog’s at walk time.

An RS suffix on any Audi makes it special car and this is no different. If you’re a dreamer of things fast that cannot be achieved in life because of cost then pay attention, because the TT RS is about as fast as cars up to three times its price.

Power is up and comes from effectively half of the R8 and Lamborghini Huracan’s V10.

The 2.5litre motor, being a five-pot turbo, has a different note that can be very addictive. The TT RS’ audible pleasures are mainly exhaust note, barking and shrilling simultaneously as it revs through its Germanic symphony, interestingly void of most induction noise due to a massive airbox damping the draw of air.

It barks and crackles as it fires then settles to assume its role as Jason Bourne, simply and visually just a man, but when pushed, transforms into a weapon.

Being famously placed ahead of the front wheels, Audi has improved chassis dynamics by dropping motor weight by 26kg.

This helps the underlying understeer issue held for almost 20 years. The car still pushes a little in the front end but the grip level and speedy electronics settle and right it in an instant, providing more driving input and less computer interference.

The stats are impressive but not as much as the delivery of them to ground.

The 480Nm is delivered linearly to the lighter chassis from 1700 -5850rpm and can take the car to 100km/h in 3.7seconds. That’s seriously quick.

Being turbocharged this is an impressive feat and in Dynamic drive mode you become aware how little work the turbo is doing at regular road pace by watching the boost meter. It has four drive modes.

From 5850 – 7000rpm you’re exposed to all 294kW coupled with 16psi of boost and most likely endangering vehicle confiscation in any of the seven forward gears.

On road the TT has a delightful heaviness to the steering, giving it an extremely settled feel along with road composure.

In traffic it settles the driver into simply pointing direction as it effortlessly delivers without feeling edgy or ready to break loose.

This gives you time to note the impressive integrated internal ergonomics for the ventilation and on board computer functions all delivered through the binnacle. This leaves a nice clean dashboard rarely seen these days, with the info system and reverse camera neatly slotted into the Virtual Cockpit cluster.

The seats are very attractively cross stitched and supportive with heating and electric adjustability for hold and firm comfort.

The rear seats could have been left out as this is 95per cent a two seater. More plausible would be provisions for front harness restraints given the g-forces the TT RS can produce.

Audi has designed this car to decongest traffic. If you look and see space ahead, you simply open the tap and you’ re there. Similarly if you need to slow or negotiate a bend.

There is a vast amount of ability in every department and the TT RS is worthy of its $138,000 price when suited among European peers.

Road surface imperfections, soaked up through the 255/30/20 wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sports can be heard and felt more here than in Germany.

Verdict: Audi’s TT RS is for the hard core enthusiast to appreciate.

Its power, grip, brakes, ride, interior and exterior are exceptional.

Audi TT RS, priced from $137,611