Photo: CarPix
Just as we were telling you not too long ago, the manual gearbox is going extinct, especially on high-performance cars. The latest car to throw its name in the ‘auto only’ box is the upcoming Audi TT RS.
According to Car and Driver, the next version of the high-performance coupe will not be available with a manual gearbox but only an automatic 7-speed unit. This has been taken in with a lot of grief, especially in the Audi communities.
It’s also a stark contrast compared to the old model. For example, in the US you could only buy manual versions of the Audi TT RS while Europe offered both choices (a 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic).
Well, at least we’re getting a revised version of the seven-speed dual-clutch that is supposed to be faster and more refined at the same time. According to the VW Group, the DQ500 is also more reliable and shared with the RS3 Sportback.
Under the bonnet of the new car, that will be rivaling the likes of the upcoming BMW M2 and CLA45 AMG lies the same 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder turbocharged plant from the RS3, but it’s expected to have more power than the hatch that is rated at 367 HP. Rumor has it, the output will be closer to 400 HP.
Couple that with the standard quattro all-wheel drive system and the new 7-speed gearbox and you get a pretty fast car, by any account. Let’s hope there will be a manual on the table after all, at least in select markets. If you remember, the US market got the old TT RS only in manual guise after a petition was started and signed by 11,500 people in just one month.
It’s also a stark contrast compared to the old model. For example, in the US you could only buy manual versions of the Audi TT RS while Europe offered both choices (a 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic).
Well, at least we’re getting a revised version of the seven-speed dual-clutch that is supposed to be faster and more refined at the same time. According to the VW Group, the DQ500 is also more reliable and shared with the RS3 Sportback.
Under the bonnet of the new car, that will be rivaling the likes of the upcoming BMW M2 and CLA45 AMG lies the same 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder turbocharged plant from the RS3, but it’s expected to have more power than the hatch that is rated at 367 HP. Rumor has it, the output will be closer to 400 HP.
Couple that with the standard quattro all-wheel drive system and the new 7-speed gearbox and you get a pretty fast car, by any account. Let’s hope there will be a manual on the table after all, at least in select markets. If you remember, the US market got the old TT RS only in manual guise after a petition was started and signed by 11,500 people in just one month.
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