Audi TT RS
Sometimes performance models aren't about outright performance. Sometimes it isn't the 0-100 time. It isn't about the ability to leave black stripes on a piece of lonely tarmac. Now Audi do make a firebreathing, rip-snorting, barechested, tarmac chewing model or two. If one installs the quattro system, it tends to mean that the power goes down with all four wheels in a controllable way. Pull-offs happen uneventfully, rather than rear wheel drive tailwagging showmanship or front wheel drive torque steering noisiness. Quattro just tames it. That is in all but their R8 and RS models. Insert your own bog down anecdote or two here.
The DSG double clutch gearbox tends to cause similarly taming effects. Unable to drop the clutch, pull-offs smooth down, removing most performance drama. Combining the two technologies on the Audi 2.0T quattro S-tronic should double the effect, and create a nice lobotomised environment? No. It doesn't. It creates something rare. High performance with no fuss. Quick in the dry and wet. 60% bias to the rear wheels, giving a better feel. In models of recent years Audi has come to understand this segment. The segment has always been dominated by the BMW 3 series.
dominated by the BMW 3 series. The Mercedes Benz C-class models have become progressively less business like and more sporty to match the 3 series. BMW lost it's sportiness to some extent in an evolutionary process which seemed determined to win the hearts of Merc drivers. Take the change from cockpit-like driver oriented facias to the minimalist interiors of the last few 3 series. Judging by the recent nuances in BMW models of late, this seems to be a policy BMW is reversing. The point I am trying to get to is that this segment has lacked an executive saloon focused more around performance and the driver than creature comfort. Audi in the A4 has pulled this off best in my opinion. Back to that performance. 0-100 in 6,5 seconds is not demon like, but certainly no slouch. For a little perspective that is around about the performance of the first M3! 155KW and 350Nm will do this for you. All with a very reasonable 7.4l claimed fuel consumption which seemed about right while testing.
The chassis with Audi's now ubiquitous adjustable suspension, with it's 3 modes, comfort, sport and auto, allows the lack of drama under-pinning this model to continue. The system on auto or sport tautens everything up. Admittedly the throttle and steering, in my opinion, imperceptibly. Three settings seems sufficient, BMW and the like prefer more nuances, but lets face it three or four should do it. There are after all only a few settings required: Miss Daisy in back.
Fast but no skill required. And of course my favourite, driving along with a bit of opposite lock dialled in to counter the delicious oversteer. The latter is, I believe, the mode Sport should be. Sadly it is not so. Just a few degrees of over-steery fun and the nanny brings things under control. That or you need to switch the system off completely, and then of course you risk your last words being “look ma, no safety net.” Porsche led the way and BMW and others are following. Allow some severe sideways action to be enjoyed and only kick in traction control when things are risking getting completely out of hand. No need to switch things completely off to have a little fun.
A pity Audi doesn't do this here. But that isn't the point of this model. This is the fast one for the buyer who has no aspirations at track time, who will never showboat, but wants a car to help him get places fast. Very fast when necessary. Power with control. And a nice sporty place to be. No over the top body kit or excess power to drain the fuel tank or shred the tyres. If that sounds like you, then this is probably the best 3 series out there. Sorry BMW.
