The late Ferdinand Piech may have ruled with an iron fist, but he ensured things got done. During his tenure as CEO of the Volkswagen Group from 1993 to 2002, some of the company’s most ambitious engineering projects were approved, culminating in the development of the Bugatti Veyron. He left behind a complex legacy that included expensive efforts like the Volkswagen Phaeton, and visionary projects like the XL1.
Even before taking the helm of the automotive giant, Piëch played a pivotal role in the development of many iconic cars. As head of development at Porsche and later AudiHe was heavily involved in projects such as the legendary 917 and Quattro racing cars. His drive to explore new ideas continued until the end of his drive, and this TT lookalike serves as a prime example.
Despite its familiar silhouette, it’s not really a tourist trophy. Filmed by Rare_cars_deutschlandThe unique version took about eight months to complete and resulted from the merging of the original TT chassis with the first generation RS4 Avant. Essentially, the B5 RS4 was wrapped in an 8N generation TT body. Now you’re probably wondering why.
At the turn of the 20th century, Audi was toying with the idea of placing a sports car above the ground TT. The R8 didn’t exist yet, as the Lamborghini Gallardo’s sister model wasn’t even previewed until the 2003 Le Mans Quattro concept before entering production in 2006. To test the waters, Audi engineers combined the underpinnings of the RS4 Avant with a compact TT chassis. And by underpinnings, we mean just about everything: axles, engine, rear differential, wheels, transmission, and more.
Photo by: Collectible Cars Deutschland
To make the swap a success, engineers shortened the body by 6.7 inches (170 mm) in front of the fuel tank to match the TT’s wheelbase and maintain its dimensions. Under the hood is the RS4’s 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6, making this prototype the only TT ever to use a true V-6, considering the first two generations were based on VR-6s. Side note: The VW Group didn’t do this Stop making VR-6 engines Until late 2024.
Notably, the V-6 was mounted longitudinally, unlike the transverse layout of regular TTs. The drivetrain also switched from a Haldex differential to a more rear-biased Torsen system borrowed from the Torsen system RS4. With 375 hp and 325 lb-ft (440 Nm) of torque routed to all four wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, the TT Coupe RS4 delivered serious performance.
Unsurprisingly, performance was strong. This was, after all, more RS4 than TT. It sprinted to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds and reached a top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h). The platform swap did add some mass, bringing the car’s curb weight to 3,417 pounds (1,550 kg), although the later VR-6-powered TT, launched in 2003, was only slightly lighter.
In a 2013 interview with the now-defunct Constancy website Stephan Riel, former product head of quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport), described the TT Coupe RS4 as “incredibly fun to drive” and said it was “outperforming the TT Coupe RS4”. 911 At that time.” The car was tested extensively, covering approximately 12,500 miles (20,000 km).
As the Piëch era came to a close, the idea of releasing a production version proved too expensive to justify. The Volkswagen Group finally achieved its goal of building a supercar above the TT with the R8, twinned with the Gallardo. Both the TT and R8 have since been discontinued, but Audi plans to return to the sports car segment with a production version of the TT. Concept c In 2027. And this time, all-electric.
