I came to refer to it as “mighty mite.” With almost 400 horsepower distributed to all four wheels and only 1,500 kilos to move, the low and small Audi TT, in RS guise, is an astonishingly quick vehicle.
It will accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds and passing performance is otherworldly.
The TT has been a mainstay in the Audi lineup for more than 20 years. A “halo” vehicle of sorts, its unique design emphasized Audi’s sense of style.
The TT moniker comes from the company’s relationship with the famous Isle of Mann Tourist Trophy (TT) races. DKW, represented by the second ring in the Audi logo, enjoyed success at the British race in the 1930s.
Audi Sport GmbH, a private subsidiary, creates high performance Audis adorning them with the RS (from RennSport, German for Racing Sport) badge. These upgrades include not only significantly more power, but also appropriate upgrades to the brakes, steering and suspension.
The third-generation TT was unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in 2014 and has been available here since the 2016 model year. Based on the older VW group MQB platform, it is getting long in the tooth and the company has announced the current generation will be the last.
But will it?
Audi CEO Bram Schot told investors in May that, in order to free funds for development of a range of electric vehicles, the company had to cancel some future plans, including the TT and R8. At the company’s annual meeting he indicated the TT would be replaced by an electric vehicle. A few weeks later, growing weary of the “whining” about the demise of the TT, he said “I am a person of flesh and blood and I also like beautiful things. Of course there will be a successor.”
The most likely candidate will be electric, based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB platform, developed for a wide range of electric vehicles. The TTE perhaps?
Whatever form it takes, the writing is on the wall for the TT as we know it. And what a way to go.
This diminutive two-door has received a number of small updates for the 2019 model year. The RS has a matte-black honeycomb grill. The wide lip spoiler beneath is flanked by two more black grills to feed air to the intercoolers. At the other end, a wide spoiler is affixed to the tailgate and a pair of large round exhaust outlets jut from each corner. What you don’t see are the components (including brakes and rear differential) that have been beefed up to cope with the prodigious torque and silly speeds this vehicle is capable of.
Yet, the TT, even in RS guise, is a sleeper, giving little hint of its amazing dynamic abilities. It sits 40 mm closer to the ground than other TTs, and wears massive 20-inch wheels. Despite the stance, big spoiler, paint-can-sized exhaust outlets and several coats of Turbo Blue paint, it looks rather tame.
That notion is quickly dispelled the minute you fire up the engine. The unique sound from those big pipes can only be attributed to the TT’s 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine. Combined with the wickedly-fast shifts from the seven-speed, dual-clutch, automatic transmission and the grip afforded by the sophisticated all-wheel-drive system and big high-performance tires, the result is neck-snapping acceleration.
Think about this. Each tire of a 400-horsepower, two-wheel-drive vehicle has to cope with 200 horsepower. The result is wheel spin or more recently, electronic intervention in the form of traction control. The TT is able to distribute that power to four tires — 100 horses each. All grip, no slip and awesome acceleration.
As befits its size and nature, the TT RS is right at home tackling the twisties with verve. Body roll is all but non-existent. The fat, low-profile performance tires grip like glue and the Quattro system allows maximum use of power on the way out of the turn.
On the other side of the coin is a degree of convenience allowed by a large cargo area readily accessed through a big hatch. Other sports cars with anywhere near this degree of performance offer very little storage space.
The TT also boasts a pair of rear seats, but putting anyone in them could be thought of as punishment. Up or folded down they provide even more carrying capacity.
The RS comes with quilted leather upholstery, a beautifully designed interior with exceptional fit and finish, and Audi’s slick MultiMedia Interface and wide screen instead of a traditional instrument panel.
The virtual cockpit-like display can be configured in a multitude of ways. There is a console-mounted control to choose from comfort, auto, dynamic or individual modes, adjusting shifts, throttle response, exhaust sound and steering accordingly. Because of the combination of pot holes, frost heaves and the stiff ride thanks to extremely low-profile tires, I was forced to revert to comfort mode quite often.
The Audi TT, in RS guise, is one of the world’s best-kept performance secrets. If you can shop in this price range, get one while you can.
The specs
- Model: 2019 Audi TT RS coupe
- Engine: turbocharged 2.5-litre in-line five-cylinder, 394 horsepower, 354 lb.-ft. of torque, premium fuel recommended
- Transmission: seven-speed automatic
- NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): 13.5 / 9.0
- Length: 4,201 mm
- Width: 1,966 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,505 mm
- Weight: 1,500 kg
- Price: $73,600 base, $82,740 as tested, including freight
- Options on test vehicle: Sport exhaust, $850; Carbon fibre inlays, $900; 20-inch, seven-spoke wheels, $900; Technology package, (Audi side assist, 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system) $1,550; Black optics package (black exterior mirror housings, front blade, rear diffuser and base of fixed spoiler), $750
