The Audi TT has gained bit of a reputation as a “hairdresser’s” car, as it never quite had the performance you’d expect from a two-seat coupe. Well, you now can kiss that stereotype goodbye.
Ahead of the model’s debut at the New York International Auto Show, Audi announced Tuesday the 2018 TT RS will be the most powerful iteration of the TT yet.
The RS will produce 400 horsepower and 354 foot-pounds of torque from a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine, allowing it to accelerate to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. The hottest TT that Audi currently offers is the TTS, which puts out 292 horsepower, 280 foot-pounds of torque and takes a full second longer than the RS to reach 60 mph.
Audi said the TT RS will have comfort, automatic, dynamic and individual driving modes that alter the car’s steering and throttle responses, shift points as well as damper stiffness. In addition, the coupe’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system is tuned such that it can send all 400 horses to the rear wheels.
To match the RS’ new performance, Audi updated its interior, making it look like a miniature version of the R8’s cockpit. The TT RS gets a 3-D digital dashboard, as well as a flat-bottom steering wheel that has paddle shifters on the back to control the new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
In case people can’t tell your car is no ordinary TT from the specially tuned Audi valvelift system exhaust, it has an aggressive front splitter and grille as well as a rear wing. In addition, the TT RS also has massive 19-inch five-spoke wheels.
Audi said the 2018 TT RS will launch this spring, with a starting price of $64,900.
All photos via Audi
