Photo: X-Tomi Design
With lightweight and stiff underpinnings plus powerful turbo engines, small performance cars have never been more exciting than they are today. Mercedes has no less than three of them (AMG versions of A-, CLA- and GLA-Class), all based around the same modular chassis and powered by 2-liter AMG engine. By comparison, Audi's S3 models are less impressive, but the flagship of the MQB range could change all that.
The popular Audi coupe is about to enter its third generation and with it will come on of the most radical small cars ever made, the new TT RS. We're talking purely hypothetically right now, since only the RS3 has begun testing and won't be shown until much later in the year. But all signs point towards a monster of a car.
Recent reports suggest an Euro 6 compliant mill with exactly 367 PS and 450 Nm of torque will be used in the RS3. However, the TT RS could receive even more, about 380 PS. This amount of power would comfortably make it a faster car than both the M135i and A45 AMG.
The new TTS revealed in March by the German automaker is responsible for delivering 310 PS and sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. It's already within 0.1s of the A45 AMG, so imagine what the car could to with about 70 more horsepower. 0 to 100 km/h in about 4.3 seconds should make this a rival even for the R8.
Rendering by X-Tomi Design
How much power?
Some speculative reports have suggest the new RS3 and TT RS will switch to high-powered 2-liter turbo engines with 400 horsepower. However, Audi is known for making incremental and logical steps. That's why a 2.5-liter five-cylinder, loved by quattro fans across the world, is a far better fit.Recent reports suggest an Euro 6 compliant mill with exactly 367 PS and 450 Nm of torque will be used in the RS3. However, the TT RS could receive even more, about 380 PS. This amount of power would comfortably make it a faster car than both the M135i and A45 AMG.
The new TTS revealed in March by the German automaker is responsible for delivering 310 PS and sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. It's already within 0.1s of the A45 AMG, so imagine what the car could to with about 70 more horsepower. 0 to 100 km/h in about 4.3 seconds should make this a rival even for the R8.
What will it look like?
Pretty much just like the regular TTS, except a bit lower and wider. The design of the car has been evolutionary and proportions have remained largely the same as before. RS models will be 10mm lower to the ground and will be kitted out with big wheels and low-profile tires. Larger side air intakes and a honeycomb mesh will give it a more distinguished appearance at the front. Round the back, two very large oval exhaust pipes will channel the perfect 2.5-liter exhaust sound, hopefully unassisted by speaker mounted in the exhaust or inside the cabin. A fixed wing could also be fitted, keeping the car planted all the way to its electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph)>When will it be available?
Production for the regular TT hasn't even started yet and the RS3 will won't be available in showrooms until early 2015. So 2016 looks like a good place to set up camp and wait for the ultimate car based on the MQB platform.Rendering by X-Tomi Design
Google News