As a final flourish on its Geneva presentation, Audi unveiled a track-focused version of the new TT which Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development rightly described as "an extreme driving machine for the motorsports enthusiasts among our customers." Cranking up the adrenalin index on every level, this race-bred package matches its edgier appearance with stunning performance thanks to a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 414 horsepower.
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Bolder, badder bodywork is the first tip to the potential that lies within this one-step-beyond exercise that tantalizingly hints at what we also might expect to see in a future street-centered TT RS model. Finished in Crystal White, the Quattro Sport Concept boasts more aggressive fascia treatments set off by an extended front splitter and custom rear diffuser, both made of lightweight CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic). Other unique and decidedly functional enhancements include prominent side sills, a large fixed rear wing and significantly wider fender flares, the better to house a custom 20-inch wheel/tire package that wraps performance rubber around lightweight center-lock alloys.
In keeping with its stated purpose, the cabin of the Quattro Sport Concept is an intentionally Spartan realm that dispenses with a number of amenities to help trim curb weight to 2,963 pounds. Fully driver-focused, it retains the standard TT’s new modular cockpit with a 12.3-inch reconfigurable main display but features a pair of racing buckets, 4-point racing harnesses and a flat-bottom steering wheel.
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While based on the firm’s sophisticated EA888 engine, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder TFSI in the Quattro Sport Concept has been internally massaged and fitted with a higher-boost turbocharger that allows it to crank out a massive 414 horsepower (that’s 420 PS ponies, in case you’re wondering about the car’s "420" door graphic) and 332 lb-ft of torque which is on hand from 2,400 to 6,300 rpm. That motive force gets sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission paired with an enhanced version of Audi’s Quattro system, a combination that can send the Sport Concept from 0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds. To fully realize that potential, the chassis of this intense Audi one-off benefits from a similar upgrading regimen, gaining tauter tuning, a lower ride height and performance-optimized traction/stability controls.
More Cool Concepts with Real-World Potential…
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