AIMS: Audi to debut automatic TT RS special edition

ALONGSIDE one of just five Audi R8 GT coupes in the country and the Australian debut of the new A6 sedan, Audi’s stand at the Melbourne show will also feature a limited-edition car from Ingolstadt’s RS hot-shop in the form of the $139,990 TT RS S-Tronic.

Audi will also announce pricing for the A6 at the show, where the brand’s entire model line-up will be on display.

The first 45 TT RS coupes sold in Australia fitted with the newly available seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission will come with $8460 worth of extras at no extra cost.

In addition to the standard specification, the coupe gains a black exterior styling package, metallic paint, titanium-finished 19-inch five-spoke ‘Rotor’ design alloy wheels, sports exhaust, adaptive headlights, Bose sound system, extended leather interior package and an LED interior lighting upgrade.

Audi Australia corporate communications executive Sean Poppitt told GoAuto that the 45 limited-edition TT RS coupes will be “unique to Australia” in specification.

Top and middle: Audi A6. Bottom: Audi R8 GT coupe.

Fitted with the automatic transmission – now available as a no-cost option – the 250kW/450Nm 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine can propel the hottest TT to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, shaving four tenths off the time achieved by the six-speed manual version.

The governed 250km/h top speed remains the same but fuel consumption improves seven per cent to 8.5L/100km. CO2 emissions drop from 214g/km in the manual car to 197g/km – not bad for a high-performance car.

Audi says this is due to the transmission’s tall seventh gear, which allows the engine to trickle along at low revs when during highway cruising.

The transmission has only become available now because at the time of launch, the TT RS produced too much power and torque for existing Volkswagen Group transverse dual-clutch gearboxes to handle.

Mr Poppitt said that the special editions will be on sale alongside the standard manual and automatic TT RS variants until they are sold out.

Both automatic and manual variants of the special edition are priced at $139,900 plus on-road costs – representing a $3000 price increase for the manual.