It’s been a while since we heard from the upcoming TT RS, or seen one for that matter. YouTube user ‘Gumbal’ claims to have spotted what is believed to be a test mule for the next TT RS showing its might on the Green Hell under the guise of a TT S body.
The Audi TT may have lost its retro, Auto-Union and NSU-style cues along the way, but it made up in the sheer grunt and power it acquired. The first generation TT was unlike anything seen on the road until then. Its looks were inspired from Audi’s rich racing history and the name TT was a throwback to the days when NSU (one of the car manufacturers that merged into the company now known as Audi) was racing the infamous Isle of Man TT event.
The Coupe and Roadster versions came with a 1.8-litre, inline-four, 20-valve, turbocharged engine (that boasted between 148 and 222 horses), or with a top-notch 3.2-litre VR6, which developed 247 hp. Of course, nowadays a plain 2.0-litre TDI variant shoots out 184 horses and 380 Nm (280.27 lb-ft) of torque, while the current top-of-the range TT makes an outstanding 305 hp and….well, 380 Nm (280.27 lb-ft) of torque from a 2.0-litre TFSI powerplant.
So, as you can see, 16-years of continuous development paid off. Sure, the latest model has lost some retro panache and looks like a generic spaceship from Halo, but the TT RS could become the new ‘Ring leader.
We’re not sure what engine will lie in its bowels, but unless Audi goes for their new 2.0L four-pot shown in the TT Concept back in 2014, they should use the same 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder unit found on the previous generation, although we’re hoping for a 400+ hp output. Still, the odds are that the powerplant will certainly develop more than the 362 hp and 465Nm (343 lb-ft) variant found on the RS3.