Audi TT RS - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

ike84 · 01-08-2022, 04:52 PM

I know this is sacrilege for asking, but has anyone every driven an Audi TT RS?

They were direct competitors (and came in 2nd place on paper) to the cayman but I'm curious more about the feel compared to a 986. I have a feeling they're quite different but I wanted to ask.

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tonythetiger · 01-08-2022, 05:28 PM

Ive driven it, it’s a potent car. Extremely quick and without comparison to the base tt, because of the added HP. Others might feel differently, but my opinion is more engine than the platform supports, and the turbo curve made it unnatural for me to really get into it around tight twisty turns. Straight line launches were very impressive, but you had to keep it on the pipe in turns to feel pull without dangerous power surges.
This is the same thing I found with my SL600, only it was more pronounced with the Audi. (The 600 is also a heavy sled, much more HP and 12 cylinders…so)
It’s a cool car, but the cayman has more polish and was more drivable for me. IMHO, the cayman is about the most exciting car I’ve ever driven. You could really dial in and rip through turns in the cayman with confidence while it felt like the TT power curve would get you in trouble.
The base TT is a fun, modest sports car, and while underpowered…almost perfect for what it is. Don’t forget the layout, mid-engines rule. Manual is a must for both.
What do others have to say?

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ike84 · 01-09-2022, 04:14 AM

Thanks Tony!

Your description sounds a lot like the 930 Widowmaker lol.

I figured that the cayman would be a much better dialed in package. My main inteterst stems from the fact that the TT RS is AWD, a feature that was not incorporated into Porsches for many more years, and the fact that I may be moving soon to a much more snow-laden part of the country.

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MrBen · 01-09-2022, 05:14 AM

I wouldn't drive any of these options in the snow even with winter tires. Tall narrow tires and lots of weight rule the snow. I use a caddie SRX 4 in the winter. Its better than my 2500HD IMO. The wide tire high power to weight ratio sports car sits in the barn all winter. I don't even like driving the boxster in the rain.

Seal1968 · 01-09-2022, 05:38 AM

The TT is a nimble little car...gotta get the TT RS or TTS so you can have the HP.

I see plenty of these driving in the snow here in Ontario...AWD with some Blizzaks, lots of fun.

My A4 is a snow beast, and she's lowered.

ike84 · 01-09-2022, 02:41 PM

In my snow driving experience, the importance lies in weight distribution and awd. This is why a 2500 (or my 3500) isn't ideal unless you load 1000 lbs of ballast in the bed - those back wheels don't do anything without the weight. Ride height is important, but now we're talking about getting out of a ditch rather than staying out of the ditch to start with.

If caddy made the cts v in 4wd I would go for that in a heart beat. A manual 6 spd mated to a supercharged V8? No brainer!

I've looked at quite a few Audis. I love the fact that they put the lambo V10 in the s6's for a while, albeit a neutered version. I'm just not crazy about the styling of those cars.

I know it's crazy but I've somehow started to gravitate to an 06-08 flying spur. Super heavy, AWD, and there is something magical in my mind about the twin turbo w12 that rockets that sled to 60 faster than our cars lol.

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mikefocke · 01-09-2022, 02:49 PM

There was the 4s for 4 driven wheels. eBay has em going back to 1996

ike84 · 01-09-2022, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefocke

There was the 4s for 4 driven wheels. eBay has em going back to 1996

I never realized that's what that badge meant. Thanks!

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joliver3 · 01-10-2022, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikefocke

There was the 4s for 4 driven wheels. eBay has em going back to 1996

The first 911 Carrera 4 was on the 964 platform in '89 or '90.

husker boxster · 01-10-2022, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ike84

I may be moving soon to a much more snow-laden part of the country.

While we don't get a lot of snow in fly over country, my CSS gets around fine with a set of Blizzaks. Great on ice, great on snow < 4".

Sveach756 · 01-10-2022, 06:20 PM

Was dead set on buying one in 2014-2015. I drove one and it didn’t offer enough feedback for me, coming from a e36 M3. Buying one was going to a stretch and I knew it was a matter of time before I’d deep dive into a suspension build. Ended up in my 996 turbo which then got a full suspension build lol. I still would love a TTRS as a fun daily. Those RS engines are so amazing.

SCCA_AX · 01-11-2022, 06:12 AM

The party piece of the TT-RS (both gens) is that I5 motor, particularly the sound. The half-a-V10 tone is super unique and cool.

At the end of the day, it's the fanciest of all Golfs - it's a fwd based platform with awd added on. So it's understeer biased and nose heavy. Great for going quickly on unfamiliar roads with minimal fear of things going pear shaped, as the fronts give up first in most situations. Not as great if you enjoy the finer points of a balanced chassis at the limit. Different strokes and all that.

GTI / A3 / TT are closely related
Golf R / S3 / TTS are closely related
RS3 / TT-RS are closely related, there's no I5 VW equivalent

The TT variants are the sportiest; lightest weight, smallest, with the most aluminum bits in the suspension. The Audi sedans are bigger / heavier, and the VWs are the practical ones with some of the luxury removed.

With a decent set of snow tires it would crush winter until the ground clearance runs out. But the same applies to most things awd, ultimate power means nothing when you can only put 40hp max to the ground. At least it's not going to try to turn around on you like a 911, heavy ends like to go first.

Personally, I think the 1st gen TT-RS is pretty blue chip value wise as it's a manual. The recently departed one is a slightly better car, and still plenty rare, but DCT only. If you're just going to commute and drive it into the ground, I'd save the cash and downgrade to the TTS/S3/Golf R, whichever one fits your lifestyle and taste best.

Boxsterbilly · 01-12-2022, 11:12 AM

I drove a 2018 RS3 and at 0-60 in 3.5 sec it would obliterate my 986 in acceleration. Plus it sounds insane and every cop for miles around would hear it ! Fun ,but I much prefer my boxster…

ike84 · 01-12-2022, 04:55 PM

Thanks guys, those are all really great insights. It doesn't sound like there's much value in trying to find one for a test drive. On paper, VAG's higher end performance stuff looks great but it doesn't seem to me like the execution is quite as fine as would be hoped for.

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