Are you bummed out about not being able to buy Audi's five-cylinder TT RS here in the States? Well, you may be in luck because the Ingolstadt-based automaker is "seriously rethinking" its original plan not to import the flagship version of its TT series in North America.
And mind you, this isn't one of those unsubstantiated rumors that are floated on the net one day, and denied the next. The German firm's U.S. division has just rolled out a special website asking buyers to express their personal interest in the car by signing a petition. The move comes only days after Audi announced plans to sell the hot RS5 Coupe in the USA starting from early 2012.
To refresh your memory, the TT RS is a product of Audi's Quattro GmbH division, which is responsible for the German automaker's high-performance models including the RS6 and R8 supercar.
In Europe, you can have it in either coupe or roadster flavors. Whatever body style you choose, power will come from a 2.5-litre inline-five that's loosely based on the design of the five-cylinder unit found in the US-market VW Jetta and Golf. The engineering folks over from Audi's Quattro GmbH division modified the engine by adding direct-fuel-injection technology, an intercooler, and a turbocharger.
The result is an output of 340-horsepower at 5,400 rpm and a peak torque of 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) available between 1,600 and 5,300 rpm. A standard 6-speed manual gearbox sends power to all four wheels through Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.
The turbocharged-five moves the TT RS from 0 to 62 mph (100km/h) in 4.6 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. However, in Europe, buyers have the option of removing the electronic limit allowing the car to go up to 280 km/h or 174mph.
Link: Audi TT RS Petition
