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When it comes to the indecipherable alphabet soup of modern-day vehicle naming conventions, a few model designators are generally true: X is for SUV, R is for racy, S is for sporty, and RS is for Audis that have been tuned and tweaked beyond all boundaries of reason. The newest entrant to this exclusive club is the Audi TT RS, a 400-hp version of the small, sleek, and stylish TT sports car. This model comes with a hyperactive turbocharged inline-five-cylinder engine, a lightning-fast seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, and Quattro all-wheel drive that together deliver brain-scrambling off-the-line acceleration and similarly gratifying passing runs. Its hatchback body means that there’s plenty of room for cargo, especially when the useless rear seats are folded flat for maximum efficiency. Although the TT RS accelerates like a Roman candle and sticks to the road as if its tires were dipped in Gorilla Glue, other cars in this class—such as the Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport and Porsche 718 Cayman S—are more communicative, sharper-handling, or both. But the TT RS brings raw power and some likable rough edges to the otherwise somewhat dispassionate TT model lineup. It’s the TT for the wannabe racing driver. READ MORE ››
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