Audi rolls out more special editions

AUDI has followed up the TT RS S Tronic special edition – an exclusive-to-Australia variant limited to 45 examples that debuted at the Melbourne motor show in July – with Oz-only limited editions of its RS5 coupe and R8 supercar, both of which get extra standard kit.

On sale now, the new specials have small allocations of just 25 for the RS5 and 10 for the R8, with the latter sold as a Carbon Edition package available across Coupe and Spyder versions of the supercar with either the 4.2-litre V8 or the 5.2-litre V10 engine.

The RS5 limited edition will be available only in Ibis White, Phantom Black or Suzuka Grey and gets titanium finished 20-inch alloys wheels with five-spoke 'rotor' design complemented by a black exterior styling package comprising gloss-black grille and exhaust tips plus matte-black window frames.

Also part of the package are a sports exhaust, panoramic glass roof, Bang & Olufsen sound system upgrade, memory function for the electronically-adjustable driver's seat and folding exterior mirrors with dimming function.

Those extras, valued at $13,610, are offered at no extra cost over the RS5's $175,300 sticker price but “uncompromising” customers will also be able to specify special one-piece racing style RS bucket seats at a discounted rate.

New to the RS5 options list and available on the limited edition is a $4750 sports suspension package featuring single-tube gas-filled shock absobers, coil springs and Dynamic Ride Control, which Audi says improves handling by mechanically reducing pitch and yaw movements “without any lag” while offering operation modes comfort, dynamic or automatic operation modes.

Left: R8 Coupe Carbon Edition and TT RS Limited Edition.

The RS5's hand-built 4.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 revs to 8500rpm and delivers peak power of 331kW with 430Nm of torque that is channelled to the road through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive system.

The standing-start sprint to 100km/h is over in a claimed 4.6 seconds on the way to an electronically-limited 250km/h (optionally extendable to 280km/h) and a rear spoiler automatically extends at speeds above 120km/h.

As its name suggests, the R8 Carbon Edition package comprises carbon-fibre accoutrements including the font spoiler, rear diffuser, 'side blade' air scoops, door mirror housings and (illuminated) door sills.

It also includes titanium-finished 19-inch alloy wheels with five twin spokes and a black exterior styling package, adding up to $38,100 of additional value in return for a $10,900 premium over the cost of the base car, priced from $271,500.

Colour choices reflect those of the special edition RS5 but also include Daytona Grey.

As GoAuto reported before the Melbourne show, the $139,900 limited-run TTRS S-Tronic 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.

The extras amount to a claimed $8460 worth of kit for no extra cost and the special edition – available in the same colours as the RS5 special – will be available alongside the standard manual and automatic TT RS variants until they are sold out.

Customers buying a standard TT RS will now be able to specify the seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission as a no-cost option, effectively increasing the price of the manual car by $3000.

However most customers are likely to specify the self-shifter, which enables the hot TT to accelerate to 100km/h in 4.3 seconds, shaving four tenths off the time achieved by the six-speed manual version and beating its RS5 big brother.

Meanwhile fuel consumption improves seven per cent to 8.5L/100km. CO2 emissions drop from 214g/km in the manual car to 197g/km due to the tall seventh ratio that allows the engine to run at lower revs while cruising.

The transmission has only recently become available because at the time of launch, the 250kW/450Nm 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in the TT RS produced too much power and torque for existing Volkswagen Group transverse dual-clutch gearboxes to handle.

Audi Australia's year is going well, with 10,104 sales to the end of August representing a nine per cent increase over last year. Arch rival BMW, although 5.6 per cent down, is 1070 units ahead while Mercedes-Benz heads up the German luxury triumvirate with 13,610 sales (down 4.4 per cent).

Audi limited edition range pricing:
TT RS (a)	$139,000
RS5 Coupe (a)	$175,300
R8 Carbon coupe 4.2	$282,400
R8 Carbon coupe 4.2 (a)	$298,400
R8 Carbon coupe V10	$362,200
R8 Carbon coupe V10 (a)	$378,300
R8 Spyder Carbon V10	$391,100
R8 Spyder Carbon V10 (a)	$407,200