Audi - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Review: the new 349bhp Audi S5 Coupe - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

The new Audi S5 Coupe. Come on now, get excited. It’s got a turbocharged V6, all-wheel drive, eight gears and 349bhp. It’ll do 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. That’s about what a Ferrari F355 takes to do the same dash, if you’re fond of duffing up old supercars.

How would I ever tell this is an Audi S5?

Versus a regular A5? Four exhaust pipes, two silver door mirrors, and that full-width grille section in the bumper. Forgot the badges. All the cool people spec the car without those…

Inside, you get S-spec seats, which are usefully comfortable, supportive, and adjustable (we still want to sit lower though, please Audi), and a more dished steering wheel. Spec the Virtual Cockpit screen and you can configure a central rev counter and feel like an R8 driver. Until you start driving, at least.

You really liked the S4. Do you like the S5?

Since you mention the Audi S4, it’s worth hinging this review around what the S5 does better or worse than its four-door mate. First off, you can feel the centre of gravity is lower in fast direction changes. The S4’s good at that stuff – it’s just that the lower, lighter S5 (60kg lighter than the old car, of which 14kg has come from the new engine) is a mite more agile.

On the other hand, from memory the S4 felt more rear-driven. Audi specs its test cars with the optional sport differential, which actively chucks more torque at the outside rear wheel when cornering (the everyday split is 40% to the front, 60% to the rear), and in the S4, I really sensed it working its magic, giving the car a really neutral feel as it hunkered down and powered away from bends.

The S5 doesn’t do that so much. Perhaps it’s the slightly less rearward weight distribution, or perhaps it found more purchase on soaking Portuguese roads than the S4 did on soaked German ones. But it wasn’t as playful, and getting more optimistic with the entry speed just invokes uber understeer.

That’s strange…

You’d imagine it’d be the other way around, wouldn’t you? The two-door is the sporty one, and the saloon (and infinitely cooler wagon- sorry, Avant), is more sensible. But not on this first impression, at least.

The powertrain’s seriously effective, but perhaps so smooth as to be a bit unmemorable. You’ve got to appreciate how accessible, how plug-in-and-play Audi has made 350bhp, in all weathers, on all roads, but it’s at the expense of any real excitement in flipping the paddles or revving out the V6. An AMG C43 has a fizzier, more characterful motor – and a slightly less clever automatic gearbox.

Nope, the Benz is a lot firmer when you dial up the suspension, and generally louder. It’s bigger inside and has inferior materials, should that matter to you.

It feels like Audi has deliberately upped the S5’s GT credentials (it’s very quiet, very supple, and just plain easy – plain, even – to drive) and rowed back its aggression. Which makes sense, given that the new RS5 will replace its singing V8 with another turbocharged V6, and it’d be terribly awkward if it were outshone by its cheaper twin…

source: http://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/a5/first-drive-0

by Ollie Kew

htttp://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - The Jaguar F-Type R Coupe Is A Spectacle For Everyone - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

In terms of automotive beauties, the Jaguar F-Type will most likely go down as one of the most gorgeous cars ever to grace our lowly asphalt. It’s the car that put Jaguar back on the radar for many of us, and I’m sure it’s classed up many a desktop wallpaper, too. 

We all have our hero cars, and this one was mine. As soon as I adjusted the seat to as high as it could go, I was all about experiencing the scorching acceleration and the angry, crackling exhaust.

Well, you know what they say about heroes: something something, you should never meet yours, something.

Of all the cars I was most anxious to test when I started this gig, the F-Type topped that list. And because I’m superficial and shallow, it really just came down the looks. The low stance, the pointy little rear and the clean fastback are just the beginning. It’s not a small car, but it still looks compact, somehow. Stocky. Those upward-slanting quad exhaust tailpipes probably have something to do with that.

Photo Credit: Kristen Lee

Smooth lines flow together, broken up neatly in places where your eye needs a break. Underneath the A-pillar, for instance: it seems like that stark and vertical straight line of the door hinge is too aggressive at first, but it works well as a pivot for the two halves of the car.

I’m usually not one for LED running lights, either, but the ones the R Coupe wears, like bold streaks of eyeliner, work. I wasn’t fooling myself into imagining coiled muscles beneath the sleek, silver paint.

The R Coupe has the viciously supercharged 5.0-liter V8 nestled in its hood. It’s a brute of an engine that provides a similar feeling of momentum to falling to the earth because you just jumped out of a perfectly good airplane. Only you’re accelerating forwards, not downwards.

Every word on the lips of anyone who talks about the F-Type, every word ever written about it will mention the sound, and the simple reason for that is because you simply cannot ignore it.

Jaguar claims that the R Coupe will hit 60 in just 3.9 seconds, aided by an AWD system that helps the car sink its claws good and hard into the pavement and put all 550 of its horsepowers to use.

And my god will you know when it’s using the power because the thing is just earth shattering to listen to. Every word on the lips of anyone who talks about the F-Type, every word ever written about it will mention the sound, and the simple reason for that is because you simply cannot ignore it.

Any competitive 911 or Corvette is loud, but not this type of purposely loud. Those beautiful bastards at Jaguar created what they call a “controlled misfire.” And the most beautiful bastard there, Andrew Lowis, the Gasoline Calibration Manager for the car, explained: “Usually you’d cut the fuel to the cylinders, when the driver lifts off the accelerator. We are delaying the point when we do that and igniting later than we might in normal circumstances. It produces a controlled misfire.”

Hearing that filthy exhaust note detonate from the tailpipes every time you push the throttle will send some pretty stupid thoughts through your head. Thoughts like, Hey, I’ve never done 100 mph down this road before, or I wonder if I can set off that car alarm occupy a more-than-okay part of your brain, but good judgment has to kick in somewhere. (For the record, it’s incredibly easy to do both of those things in this car).

Hammer on that throttle if you dare, and the car leaves behind a smear of rubber on the road and a grin on your face. 60 flashes by before your brain catches up. 120 becomes a reality in between heartbeats. And soon, too soon, it’s time to come back down.

So stomp on the other pedal and those massive carbon ceramic brakes—a $12,000 option—bite ferociously into the speed and drags it down almost as quickly as it went up.

The driving experience goes back to its chillingly normal state and it’s a very strange feeling, because seconds ago this car was a creature hell bent on drawing blood. Though, I’m not imagining it: the thing feels more alert, alive and awake than most other grand tourers.

Part of that comes from the excellent ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox. Upshifts, of course, are fast and snappy, but downshifts also come immediately and smoothly. A dual-clutch ‘box simply isn’t necessary in the R Coupe because it does perfectly well with what it’s got.

Objectively, the F-Type R Coupe has everything going for it that makes it worthy of being someone’s Favorite Car. It has the dazzling beauty, the wracked vocal chords and the lusty power.

Subjectively, with your ass planted in a sculpted chair behind the windshield, some of the hype gets filtered out.

I only needed to spend one weekend with the R Coupe for the little tendrils of guilt to start worming around in my brain. I felt guilty that I was annoyed by how tight the cabin was, that I felt inconvenienced by the tiny trunk, that the noise was starting to grate on my nerves?

This was my favorite car. I wasn’t supposed to be having such mutinous thoughts about it.

I’m sure readers everywhere are spitting in outrage at this, but before you grab your pitchforks, hear me out:

I love the R Coupe’s looks and sound as much as anyone does, but that’s not really something you experience while sitting in it. Not really. On the outside, it’s all about drama and bravado. Of flared fenders, powerful haunches and pure theater. And the driving experience is lovely because it’s a fantastic GT car.

The F-Type R Coupe is a car For Everyone Else. It’s for wowing your neighbors when it’s in the driveway. It’s for stopping foot traffic on big, sweeping city avenues. It’s for sealing the deal with your date.

Only a tour in the R Coupe sounds like the opposite of grand to me. The cabin is tiny and suffocating. The seats don’t recline much. You can’t see shit out of it, especially when that rear spoiler deploys. The trunk space is laughably small.

And where are you going to fully use the 550 HP except on a racetrack or some kind of closed course? I suppose it’s nice to know that you have it, but I’m of the opinion that 300 HP or so is plenty adequate for the average American citizen.

No, this is because the F-Type R Coupe is a car For Everyone Else. It’s for wowing your neighbors when it’s in the driveway. It’s for stopping foot traffic on big, sweeping city avenues. It’s for sealing the deal with your date. It’s for driving away from your wedding. It is beautiful—heartbreakingly so, for nearly everyone who lays eyes on it—but not for you.

For you it is an indulgence: a car that requires you to have something else in your garage that meets all the normal requirements for cars so you can enjoy it when life takes a nonexistent back seat.

The F-Type R Coupe is still one of my favorite cars. That much hasn’t changed, and it will stay that way. But now I can also say that I wouldn’t be able to live with one, either. For me, it is a grand spectacle that is best enjoyed from the orchestra section, third row, middle seat.

source: http://jalopnik.com/the-jaguar-f-type-r-coupe-is-a-spectacle-for-everyone-b-1783677469

by Kristen Lee

http://www.boscheuropean.com

BMW - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2016 BMW M5 Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition announced with 600 horsepower - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

The current BMW M5's time is running out as development continues on the new 2018 model, but that isn't stopping the German automaker from churning out a few special editions. The latest is the 2016 BMW M5 Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition model.

Limited to only 50 units and only available for the U.S. market, the Pure Metal Silver Limited Edition M5 will likely be the only one at your local Cars & Coffee gathering, should you be one of the few to acquire one.

As with any M car, power is more than ample with 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque sent to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch transmission. That's 40 more horses and 16 pound-feet more torque than the standard M5's output from the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8.

BMW says the extra power comes from increased boost pressure, as well as some other unlisted modifications.

BMW claims a 0-60 mph sprint of just 3.9 seconds for the uprated M5.

The Competition Package comes standard on this limited edition, but now also includes 20-inch alloy wheels.

As you might expect from its name, the Silver edition is painted in a color called Pure Metal Silver. The interior is wrapped in leather with contrasting stitching and aluminum trim. The Pure Metal Silver M5 badge is affixed gently inside, just so passengers will know this is a limited edition model.

If the Silver edition seems familiar, it should. It has the same output and many of the same tweaks--aside from paint color--as the 30 Jahre M5, also known as the 30th Anniversary Edition M5.

 source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1105128_2016-bmw-m5-pure-metal-silver-limited-edition-announced-with-600-horsepower

by Joel Feder

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Range Rover - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Coupe spy shots - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Image S.Bladauf/SB-Medien

Land Rover is set to emulate BMW’s niche-oriented lead with the introduction of a new sloped-roof SUV tipped to be called a Range Rover Sport Coupe.

Land Rover already has the Range Rover Evoque Coupe in its lineup, but confirmed by our latest spy shots the British automaker plans to add a second of the coupe-like SUVs.

Code-named L560, the vehicle looks to be even more on-road oriented than the already decidedly urban Range Rover Sport.

Although the look is not far off of the more conventional Range Rover Sport, we can see that the roof sits much lower. This would certainly eliminate the chance of third-row seats as is available as an option on the Sport.

Underpinning the vehicle is thought to be the aluminum-intensive platform of theJaguar F-Pace, although the new Land Rover is slightly longer than its Jaguar counterpart. The larger size is necessary as the vehicle is designed to bridge the wide gap between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport in Land Rover’s luxury-oriented lineup.

According to our photographer, the engineers were benchmarking the vehicle with a BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

In the powertrain department, we could see a 4-cylinder option on offer though a 6-cylinder, possibly a new inline unit, will likely be the standard option here in the United States. There’s also talk of the vehicle eventually offering an electric option using a powertrain Jaguar Land Rover is developing for a future Jaguar electric SUVbased either on the F-Pace or an upcoming smaller high-riding model. An electric motor may be a necessity for Land Rover to comply with strict emissions rules coming into force.

We should know more soon as the so-called Range Rover Sport Coupe is expected to debut as early as next year, which would likely make it a 2018 model. Stay tuned for updates as development continues.

source:http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1103104_2018-land-rover-range-rover-sport-coupe-spy-shots

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Disguised as a senior, rally driver Petter Solberg pranks people in a Mercedes-AMG - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Perhaps once his rallying days are over Norway’s Petter Solberg could start up a career in comedy.

He’s certainly good at it as you’ll discover in this video.

Solberg disguises himself as a senior and then calls roadside assist in his new car, in this case a Mercedes-AMG C63 Wagon. Once a mechanic shows up, Solberg, pretending there’s something odd with the rear of the car, proceeds to drive in manner that suggests he may have forgotten his meds.

Along the way he drops some hilarious lines such as, “Please remove your shoes” and “Are you the owner of this parking lot, young man?”

The best part is the contrast in reactions from the unwitting passengers. It includes everything from anger to fear to joy.

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1104998_disguised-as-a-senior-rally-driver-petter-solberg-pranks-people-in-a-mercedes-amg

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Aston Martin - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Seven Quick Facts About Aston Martin's Bonkers New Hypercar - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Aston Martin has lifted the sheet on a prototype concept-y version of its upcoming magically street-legal AM-RB 001 hypercar, and EVO Magazine has some fun facts for us to drool over.

The grey parts are Adrian Newey design, the green (or lighter-grey) parts are from Aston designers Marek Reichman and David King

The only active aero on the car is the thin blade at the back

The car will feature choice hybridization, some of which will act as the reverse gear because the car is only fitted with forward gear ratios

It should be faster than a Formula 1 car

The brakes will be F1-style full-carbon brakes

You can like beer and fast food and still sit in it comfortably

The seating will be F1 style though, meaning your legs will rest above your hip point—almost like you’re laying down

The specs of the hypercar are still a secret, but it’s aiming for a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio, over 1,000 horsepower and it will cost somewhere between three and four million dollars

source: http://jalopnik.com/seven-quick-facts-about-aston-martins-bonkers-new-hyper-1783246080

by  Justin T. Westbrook

http://www.boscheuropean.com 

Jaguar - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Jaguar offering F-Type SVR rides around the Nürburgring - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

With Jaguar's announcement that it will offer rides in its new F-Type SVR, Germany's famed Nürburgring is becoming even more of an amusement park for car enthusiasts. And that's all right with us.

The British automaker says visitors to the track can sign up for a 30 minute program offered on weekends through October that includes a spirited ride (not drive) around the complete Nordschleife in the passenger seat of a new F-Type SVR. On-board cameras mounted inside the car will record the experience for passengers to take home.

Passengers will suit up and be issued a helmet and a HANS device for safety since this is not designed to be a mere light jaunt around one of the most demanding racetracks in the world. It is, however, a track that Jaguar knows well since it has operated a development facility nearby since 2003. The company has also run a 'Ring Taxi service in the past.

The F-Type SVR itself was largely developed at the 'Ring. Jaguar calls the 575-horsepower version of the stunning F-Type a genuine supercar, and it has fitted the particular car set to be used in the passenger experience with a roll cage and Recaro racing seats with harnesses.

The experience runs €295 (approximately $333) and can only be booked at the website: www.nuerburgring-shop.de/fahraction/co-pilot-fahrten.html.

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1104604_jaguar-offering-f-type-svr-rides-around-the-nrburgring

by Andrew Ganz

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Audi - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Watch the Audi R8 safety car drift at Le Mans - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

During a rainy practice session ahead of this weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans, an Audi R8 safety car dramatically sped around the track but was caught on camera in the midst of an epic, apparently unintentional, drift.

The R8 was said to be piloted by Yannick Dalmas, a four-time Le Mans champion, but reports have so far not confirmed just who was behind the wheel. From the video, the R8's drift doesn't look to have been on purpose, especially with how aggressively the driver saved the supercar from sliding off the wet race track.

Rain is often a theme at Le Mans, but this week has seen nearly torrential downpours. The safety car was out patrolling the track during a red flag.

Porsche driver Mark Webber even appears to have appreciated the R8's epic drift in the rain. All R8s have Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system, but slippery conditions, high speed, poor light, and tires probably not best suited for standing water no doubt caused the driver to slightly lose control.

Dalmas, if he was indeed behind the R8's wheel, has an impressive resume. His most recent class win was in 1999, when he piloted a BMW V12 LMR to victory in the LMP class.

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1104541_watch-the-audi-r8-safety-car-drift-at-le-mans

by Andrew Ganz

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Mercedes-AMG GT R sounds glorious tearing up the Goodwood Hill - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

You may be saying to yourself that you've heard enough about the new Mercedes-AMG GT R. You've seen plenty of shots of its flat-green Green Hell Magno paint.  You know all the specs of the 577-horsepower monster mill packed under the hood. It's been AMG GT R overload. The problem is, we're not quite done just yet. You see Mercedes-AMG brought the car out to the Goodwood Festival of Speed and unleashed it to do what it does best.

As you can see in this video, there's a bit of noise and a good deal of opposite lock involved in the run up Lord March's driveway. We wish the video editor would have cut the music back or just simply left it out. That exhaust noise is a better song than anything you could otherwise pair with the clip.

The AMG engineers are doing tremendous things when it comes to creating visceral aural excitement. It's especially surprising considering that the noise has to squeeze its way out from a pair of turbochargers. While turbos are great for making power, they typically sap a bit of the audio fun. That's not the case here.

We look forward to hearing the first examples that hit the road and then stop at their local aftermarket exhaust shop for an upgrade. The SLS AMG and AMG GT race cars are some of the greatest sounding modern GT machines. Now it appears that it's possible to get quite close to that level of aural stimulation, but with a road-going car. Well done, AMG!

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1104815_mercedes-amg-gt-r-sounds-glorious-tearing-up-the-goodwood-hill

by Jeff Glucker

http://www.boscheuropean.com

BMW - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - BMW 6 Series to morph into new Porsche 911 rival - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

BMW is out testing a version of its i8 plug-in hybrid sporting a few modifications on the surrounding streets of its technical center in Munich, Germany.

The modifications include a vented panel replacing the rear windshield as well as lowered suspension and a set of AP Racing brakes.

It’s possible the car is an early prototype for an updated version of the i8 expected to be introduced for the 2018 model year.

With its underwhelming performance coupled with low fuel prices, the i8 hasn’t shone as the technological flagship BMW had hoped it would. There’s also the issue of Acura’s new NSX which features a more advanced, more powerful hybrid system.

The updated model should address some of the i8’s shortcomings. We hear that its powertrain, which integrates a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine and electricmotor, will be tweaked to deliver more than the current 420-horsepower rating.

Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

And along with the extra power, we can expect various chassis mods, higher battery capacity (current i8 has a 15-mile electric range) and possibly even wireless inductive charging system. From this prototype, we can see that the chassis mods will include lowered suspension and uprated brakes.

BMW has also confirmed that an i8 convertible is in the works. The arrival of the open-top car will likely coincide with the update. This could explain the makeshift panel fitted to the tester; it may be in place to hide some re-jigging of the rear section to accommodate an eventual retractable roof.  

Stay tuned for updates as development continues.

source: http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1104219_2018-bmw-i8-spy-shots

by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Range Rover - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Range Rover thieves targeting Greenwich millionaires - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

There’s a “Range Rover ring” of thieves targeting the hedge funders and other wealthy residents of Greenwich, Conn.

The latest victims of the alleged Range Rover crime wave are designer Tommy Hilfiger and his wife, Dee Ocleppo — whose luxe SUV was stolen by masked thieves in the early hours of Wednesday.

Hilfiger said the masked villains broke into his estate and made off with his wife’s $130,000 black Range Rover Autobiography.

He told Page Six: “The keys were left in the car overnight, but it was parked on our driveway and our home is gated. It was missing in the morning, so we looked on the security camera and saw a couple of masked robbers come onto our property and take the car at around 4:05 a.m.

“Looking at the cameras, they went directly for the Range Rover. There was an Escalade SUV in the driveway, which they ignored, and other cars locked in the garage. The two men were wearing what looked like ski masks and gloves, and one had a hoodie.”

Hilfiger said the masked men next targeted one of his neighbors in the tony town. “They went to my neighbor’s house next and took their Range Rover, a new model, which has a tracking device, so the police are hoping to be able to track down the thieves.

“The police told us there is a Range Rover ring operating in the area. A few years ago they were taking Porsches.”

He added, “This definitely took us by surprise. It’s very idyllic and peaceful here. Our house is already heavily alarmed, but after this, we’ll definitely be beefing up security. Fortunately, we are OK. We are just glad the masked men didn’t attempt to enter the house.”

Prominent residents of Greenwich include hedge fund billionaires like Steven Cohen, Ray Dalio and Paul Tudor Jones, as well as Sears owner Eddie Lampert.

Greenwich police did not comment on Thursday, but local reports have detailed a series of thefts of luxury SUVs in the hedgie haven.

source: http://pagesix.com/2016/06/30/range-rover-thieves-targeting-greenwich-millionaires/

by Emily Smith

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar, Mercedes, Range Rover, Aston Martin - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Happy 4th of July - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

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Jaguar - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - JAGUAR F-PACE TACKLES GOODWOOD COURSE ON TWO WHEELS - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Stunt Driver Terry Grant returns to pilot the performance crossover

During the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K., stunt driver Terry Grant and theJaguar F-Pace joined forces once again to make a dramatic entrance. The F-Pace made its Goodwood debut on two wheels, with professional freestyle motorcycle stunt rider Lee Bowers along for the ride.

Last year, the Jaguar F-Pace set the record for the world’s biggest loop-the-loop with Grant behind the wheel. The F-Pace completed the nearly 30-foot loop in just 3 seconds, going upside down with no issue. This year, Jaguar’s performance crossover takes on theGoodwood hill on two wheels. During the drive up the demanding course, Bowers climbed out the passenger window, stood on the side of the F-Pace, and waved to the cheering crowd before climbing back inside to cross the finish line.

“When Jaguar gave me the opportunity to reunite with the F-Pace used to break the world’s largest loop record, I couldn’t say no. It’s light, stiff aluminum body and precise controls make it the perfect wheelie vehicle, and it was great to have Lee Bowers along for company-even if he did climb out halfway through our run,” said Grant in a release.

To prepare for the event, Grant headed to Santa Pod Raceway in Northamptonshire days before the official event to get in enough planning and practice to navigate the performance crossover on two wheels.

source; http://www.motortrend.com/news/jaguar-f-pace-tackles-goodwood-course-two-wheels/

Jaguar

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Audi - Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Supercar-crushing Audi TT RS shown off at Goodwood - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

The new Audi TT gets 394bhp RS Coupe and Roadster versions with astonishing performance figures

Audi has taken the wraps off the fastest and most powerful version of the TT RS ever, and shown the car off at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Both coupe and roadster versions of the range-topping sportscar were revealed simultaneously for the first time at events in Beijing and London before UK motorists got a chance to see the car in the flesh at Goodwood. Audi has fired the TT RS into supercar territory with a thumping jump in power and speed, and it's due on on sale in the autumn.

In coupe form, the RS will cover 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds – nearly as fast as an R8 – and hit 174mph flat out. The heavier roadster covers the same benchmark sprint in 3.9 seconds. 

Power from the reworked 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo has been upped from 335bhp to 394bhp and it now uses both direct and indirect fuel injection, along with variable valve timing. With its 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, Audi insists it has retained the engine’s unique deep, enthusiastic, rich sound while improving its performance, reducing its fuel consumption and lowering its weight. 

The unique-sounding engine is just 50 centimetres long and adopting an aluminium crankcase has helped it slash 26kg from the weight of its predecessor, while delivering more power. An even faster Plus version of the new car could be on the cards, too.

A huge diffuser is built into the rear bodywork with two elliptical tailpipes. The vast wing can be deleted at no extra cost if you prefer a more understated look. The TT RS will also introduce Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) as an option for the tail-lamps.

Dominating the front end is a hexagon-filled single-frame grille, flanked by optional Matrix LED headlights, while inside, the RS follows the regular TT. Taking pride of place is the 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit, and it’s complemented by lightweight sports seats.

Under the skin, the TT RS retains the electronic differential, with suspension lowered by 10mm. It will use a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and enormous 370mm disc brakes. There is an optional RS Sports suspension system, which delivers adaptive magnetic control damping to govern its steel springs. 

A set of lighter, forged alloy wheels and carbon-ceramic brakes are optional. The Roadster – which is 90kg heavier than the coupe – features a folding fabric roof which can be lowered electrically in 10 seconds at speeds of up to 31mph.

source: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/tt/95304/supercar-crushing-audi-tt-rs-shown-off-at-goodwood

by John Mcllroy

http://www.boscheuropean.com