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19 March 2024

Audi TT RS: noveau niche, but uber cool

In its original form the sleek Audi was based on a VW Golf platform, with designer looks and a punchy 132kW. (SUPPLIED)

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Benjamin says:
Back in 2002, I was lucky enough to drive one of Audi’s early TT models and remember how blown away I was by the unique shape, moody red interior lights and surprising performance from its 1.8 litres.

In its original form the sleek Audi was based on a VW Golf platform, with designer looks and a punchy 132kW.

But beauty can have its downsides and the TT came to be judged by the people who drove it; advertising agency creative types or hair-dressing accountants.

So could today’s TT RS shake this reputation like a well- mixed cocktail? Fast forward eight years and join me for a sip of Audi’s latest and very tasty TT.

The first thing you notice about the TT RS is the lowered stance and menacing 18-inch wheels surrounding 370mm cross-drilled brake discs. In concert with the fixed rear wing and new front splinter they deliver a more masculine appearance than the standard model and a presence that means business.

Leather RS bucket seats provide a fantastic driving position that makes you feel at one with the car without ever being cramped or claustrophobic.

Whether you are me at 6ft 2in, or my 5ft 8in wife, there’s plenty of seat travel and head-room. The steering wheel, while a little on the chunky side, was very easy to use and the flat-bottomed shape showed its practicality when making u-turns or negotiating roundabouts.

Looking to the dashboard, the speed, rpm and other vital dials are nearly identical to those found in the big brother R8 and with a similar elegant appeal.

Combined with the centre digital read-out they deliver at a glance all of the information a driver could need. The satellite navigation was very easy to follow, not to mention use, and kept my wife very happy as I didn’t get lost or take one wrong turn which must be some type of record driving in the UAE.

The controls were simple yet very efficient, with everything in reach and no tacky styling. Other nice touches included a leather padded hand-brake cover where your elbow could comfortably linger between gear-changes and a chromed foot rest that made long drives a doddle.

Starting the TT RS it’s hard not to notice the burbling exhaust which confirms that this is no hairdresser’s car. My attention was then drawn to the six-speed manual gear box. A generation of drivers brought up with automatic transmissions might flinch at the sight of three pedals and a gear stick, but the TT RS transmission is a treat to be savoured.

It took just a few minutes to feel totally at home with the chunky lever and delightful short-shift movement. The mechanical feel of changing gears and blipping the accelerator on down-shifts brought back the excitement and connection that can only be felt when driving a manual car.

Audi has developed a Seven-speed DSG automatic transmission for the TT RS but only entrenched  automatic drivers or those totally lacking in coordination would choose it over the manual.

Easing away from the built-up areas of Dubai I was able to explore the true meaning of RS performance.

Based on Audi’s figures, the TT RS develops 250kW or 340bhp while the standard TT produces a respectable 155kW/211Hp. On power-to-weight alone, the 1450 kilogram RS should be – and is – a road rocket ship.

Audi have been working hard to increase the torque of the TT’s 2.0 & 2.5 litre TFSi motor and I can confirm they have succeeded spectacularly. The RS produces a BMW Z4-destroying 450 Newton Meters; available from a low 1600rpm.

Pulling rapidly away from the lights didn’t demand masses of revs and it handles traffic without complaint.

Out on the highway the Audi is relaxing and incredibly safe; able to accelerate and pass slower traffic while in 6th gear with no need to change down to 5th. I simply loved the acceleration available from almost any gear in the RS – especially 3rd which could transport you to warp speed... beam me up Scotty!

This fantastic recipe is already proving to be great fun and that’s even before you touch the Sport Button. In the TT RS the Sport Button is not just the gimmick that some auto manufactures put into their cars for show. This little button of joy changes the attitude of the car; transforming it from a powerful yet softly- spoken Mike Tyson into a loud, lithe and no-nonsense Muhammad Ali.

Once in Sport mode the throttle response sharpens and, most importantly, the exhaust note changes from muted to mega. Technically, a mechanical flap opens in the exhaust system but to me it was a little window to Wonderland which I loved much more than my wife did. Whenever I was in control and could flood the cabin with glorious noise, the Minister for Silence (my wife) would glare until I relented and returned us to relative silence.

Even the most exuberant driver will be impressed by the levels of grip delivered by the RS. Thanks to the latest version of Audi’s ‘Quattro’ all-wheel drive system, there is nowhere short of a race-circuit where its limits can easily be found.

Even when provoked by a mash of the accelerator at the wrong time or in slower bends the TT RS remained balanced and composed. Only once and when pushing very hard did I experience a hint of understeer but for a majority of drivers this will be a sensation they never discover.

With a glove-like driving position, truck loads of torque, throbbing exhaust note, the wonderful sound of the turbo-building boost and trademark Quattro grip, the new TT RS is simply a recipe for driving nirvana.  This is a cocktail I could drink for a long time to come and if the RS version of this Audi is still considered to be a hairdresser’s car I may have to change my career path.

Natasha says:
Locked inside this Germanic torture-chamber for a day with my lead-footed, lairising husband, my main concern like most wives banished to the passenger side of the vehicle was, of course, the music selection.

In common with many high-end cars the Audi TTRS comes with a 465 watt Bose surround sound system, iPod connection and a secretly tucked away CD/DVD player. Unfortunately the only sound husband wanted as entertainment was the sporty exhaust note and the only ‘talk’ he wanted to hear was the ‘torque’ coming from the RS engine.

As a very comfortable UAE driver, I have to admit like many others I’m partial to the ease (laziness) of the automatic transmission. I, therefore. have to pose the Shakespearian question to anyone looking to purchase an Audi TTRS as their wheels of choice – to clutch or not to clutch? That is the question.

After deciding on the latter, I keyed our destination into the very user-friendly navigation system (my husband could even use it!) and off we went.

The Audi TTRS has fantastic visibility for a car with such sleek angles. I was able to park with ease and check my blind spot; a rare occurrence for most drivers in Dubai, I know. Each way I looked I had a clear view of potential traffic or, as my husband likes to reference it, ‘hazards’.

Unlike the sizeable 4x4s that inhabit so many of our car parks, the TT fits just about anywhere and being such a compact size, almost parallel parks itself.

Space in this car is like a David Copperfield illusion. Normally in a vehicle this small I would feel claustrophobic, but there’s ample room for two above average-height adults. The boot space is just the right fit for my regular grocery shopping, or luggage for a weekend away.

However, this car has no place for back seat passengers. Unless you’re a master yogi then I would not recommend a TTRS as your main set of wheels. Nor would it be viable in the event you have or are planning for the pitter-patter of little feet. So for now the beautiful stitched leather rear seats guard my current most prized possession (pre kids) – my hand bag.

My husband after breaking his own rule about ‘no speaking in the car’ went on to pop quiz me about the six-speed gearbox. Before he could complete the first quiz question, I was already in 3rd and about to change to 4th so my reply was; “I’m already in 4th at 120kmph and I still have two gears to go.”

There is something very organic about driving a stick shift. At first I thought it was going to feel like a chore, in the end I loved the drive and the sound of the turbo winding made me ambitious to click through the gears.

The car’s performance was brilliant in every respect and the responsive brakes dispelled any safety concerns about such a zippy car. The instant I tapped the brake the car responded.

The steering was extremely light when parking or at low speeds and became heavier as I reached highway speeds thanks to Audi’s speed-sensitive system.

In conclusion, for any single professional or couple without noise makers (kids), who wants a stylish performance car the only decision is what colour TTRS do you order?

The Scores:
Him: 3.5/5
+     Power, Handling, Breaks & Sound!
-          Funky shape may not suite all male tastes
Her: 3/5
+      Easy to Drive
-          Expensive for a small car