When the Audi TT debuted in 1998, it turned more heads than a screwdriver and fast became the automotive darling of the creative set. The problem was, in terms of raw performance, the TT could not keep pace with its immediate rivals.

With the audacious RS, all wrongs have been righted and this stylish coupe is, at last, equally compelling from a visceral standpoint. The acceleration is thrilling, the exhaust note is downright nasty and the cornering grip emanating from the all-wheel-drive system is prodigious. The bottom line: The racy RS is what the TT should have been all along.

2012 Audi TT RS: Specifications

Price as tested - $74,350
Vehicle type - All-wheel-drive sports coupe
Engine - 2.5-litre turbocharged 5-cylinder
Power/torque - 360 hp/343 lb-ft
Transmission - 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption - 12.3 city / 8.1 highway (L/100 km)
0-100 km/h - 4.3 seconds

 

+ The Zero2OneHundred Review is a snapshot of the latest, greatest and not-so-greatest vehicles powering down our fair highways and byways. The vehicles will be varied, but all the reviews will share a common denominator—a word count that starts at 0 and finishes at 100