2016 Audi TT RS review, test drive

What is it?

The RS suffix to the name makes it amply clear that this is the fire-breathing version of Audi’s junior sportscar. Headline numbers include 400hp and a 0-100kph time of just 3.7 seconds! So, this is a serious, serious car. It looks so too. If the sexy Catalunya Red doesn’t get you, the RS bits will. Though the basic shape is the same, the hexagonal grille is all black here, the front bumper has vast airdams and there’s a nifty spoiler at the rear too. 20-inch rims (19-inchers are standard) and a 10mm-lowered ride height help complete the transformation from girl next door to ramp- scorching supermodel.

There’s enough new inside the cabin too to tell you this is no ordinary version of the TT. The steering wheel is from the R8, replete with buttons for the starter and Drive Select system. There are exquisitely finished sports seats that can be adjusted for bolstering and also lots of carbonfibre- and body-coloured detailing elsewhere. What carries on into the TT RS is the brilliant Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation that was put to full use to display our sat-nav route in high-res clarity on the drive event in Spain. Other TT hallmarks like excellent visibility and a genuinely user-friendly cabin also helped us keep our focus on the serious job of driving.