Audi TT-RS headed to Geneva Motor Show
by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Nov 29th 2008 at 11:51AM 
Audi-philes have even more reason to rejoice now that news comes in of an imminent TT-RS launch next March at the Geneva Motor Show. The standard-fare TT offers plenty of punch, and the TT-S spices things up a bit with a high-pressure version of Audi/VW's 2.0L forced-induction four banger. Sometimes, way too much is, ya know... just enough, and for speed freaks, Audi has apparently green-lighted an ultra-hot version as well. The RS will bring the vaunted inline-five engine configuration back under the hood of an Audi, and it's a turbocharged unit derived from the mill that normally sees duty in Jettas and Golfs. If that doesn't sound like a good enough bloodline, think of it as half of Lamborghini's V10. With as much as 340 ponies corraled through a six-speed gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, expect the TT-RS to be hottest four-ringer this side of an R8.
[Source: Car and Driver]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Pat 12:29PM (11/29/2008)
I love the 2.5 engine in my 2008 Rabbit, I am stationed in Germany, and run the piss out of it on the autobahn, the dealer that services it, told me that it will outlast the 1.4 FSI by many KM.,also there are less things to go wrong with it and burns regular gas. All it needs is a better exhaust. Glad to see further developed for Audi
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Pat 1:27PM (11/29/2008)
I ment the 1.4 TSI not FSI
zamafir 12:49PM (11/29/2008)
That's very odd that a german dealer would make that comment as VW doesn't sell any cars in Germany/Europe with that engine - how would he know? conjecture I guess.
That said, it's nice to see audi returning to their roots with the straight five and nicer to see a TT which hits sixty in under 4.5 seconds, or faster than the forth coming V8 equipped Z4M, lighter, and more fuel efficient. Maybe it'll help convince BMW to get back to their primary focus again.
Val 5:52PM (11/29/2008)
There is no 2.5 liter engine sold in a golf in Europe... There is the 2.0 and then the 3.2 VR6 in the R32. Did you bring your rabot from America?
Pat 5:34AM (11/30/2008)
The car was bought thru the NATO or Military car sales in Germany, the car is US specs. and is built in Germany and has never left Germany. Europeans cannot buy this model.
Mobius_1 12:29PM (11/29/2008)
WANT!
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Pat 1:07PM (11/29/2008)
The Rabbit was bought thru the military sales program here in Germany, the car has to be serviced by the VW dealer IN Germany, (Rittersbacher in Germersheim) so the mechanics would be able to compare them. Also While the car was serviced I drove the TSI, and thought to be overkill for the 170 hp. (needs premium fuel) it porduces and the five sounded better.
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zamafir 2:18PM (11/29/2008)
Sure, I understand the dealer will be servicing it, I'm just curious how he would be aware of longterm reliability when the 2.5 is fairly new and only available in Germany on US spec cars imported, in insignificantly small numbers. I don't disagree, it's a tractor engine, very simple, shouldn't have any issues relating to a super or turbo charger as it has none, it just seems odd he'd comment given, again, the utter lack of 2.5s in the country.
gigolo 5:37AM (12/01/2008)
Yo, Pat...the 2.5liter, inline 5 and the Rabbit are produced ONLY in Mexico. I am amazed that you went through the process to import a "US Spec" Rabbit in Europe where there isn't any, and where the dealers will have a hard time servicing it as there is no european car in VW using that engine/transmision.
Also, again amazed to see you praising the asthmatic 2.5l just because it uses "normal" instead of "Premium" as for the 1.4TSI. For your info, in Germany there is no difference in normal vs premium gas price, they cost the same, heck, Shell does not even offer normal gasoline at their stations.
Also, the 1.4, 122PS TSI will whoop your Rabbit ass, both in performance and mileage, not to mention the 1,.4 140PS versions.
Oh, how can you run the piss out of a car build for the 75-90mph traffic conditions? 160-170km/h, on autobahn, is not runing with the front pack mate.
Dream on...
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Other Man 2:48PM (1/31/2009)
Getting the 2.5T in the Golf for an STi-competitor would be interesting.
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