The Audi TT RS – Something very special

The EFTM Garage is playing host to Audi’s TT RS. It’s wickedly fast, of course, and this particular example is wonderfully green (trust me, it grows on you), but the TT RS is much more than this – it feels ‘special’ and in these crazy times we all need a bit more ‘special’.

It’s not just the performance of the TT RS that makes it ‘special’, although with a 0-100kph sprint being dispatched in 3.7 seconds, it is a seriously rapid little car. 

It’s not just the level of equipment that makes the TT RS ‘special’, although the truly superb heated leather front seats, alcantara clad steering wheel, spectacular LED matrix headlights and optional OLED tail lights go part of the way.

It’s not just the look of the thing, hunched over 20” rims on 30 series Pirelli P Zeros, with optional blackened trim and striking Kyalami green, but it certainly helps. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of all of these elements of the Audi’s design that make this little coupe feel so special. It is expensive, at $148,593 drive away, but, and I don’t often say this, it is worth every cent. 

Speaking of cents, if you’ve got that much to throw around – why not look around?

Just because the TT RS is a brilliant car it doesn’t mean you can’t window shop what else is out there for similar coin. 

What about BMW’s M2 CS? This is a special car in anyone’s language, but it will cost you more than the TT RS and with only 70 coming to Australia you might not be able to find one at any price. To add salt to the wound, while it makes more power than the Audi, it’s slower. 

What if we leave fast ‘special’ and just look for special ‘special’? 

Jaguar’s F-TYPE R is special ‘special’ (and still plenty fast) with the roar of that supercharged 5.0 litre V8 rattling the neighbour’s windows good and proper. 

How about something old ‘special’? A 1983 Ferrari 308 GTSi is all kinds of special. Unfortunately, it’s not in Magnum PI ‘Rosso Scuderia’, but it still looks sweet. Of course, compared to the TT RS it will send you broke in repairs and maintenance, will be slower than a Kia Picanto and will kill you if you crash, but is sure is ‘special’. 

Want more special? Sure, OK. How about the TT’s big brother? For the same dollars as a new TT RS you will be looking at an early first-generation R8. At this price, it is also going to be a V8 one, not the Lamborghini sourced V10. This ‘Jet Blue’ example probably isn’t the best pick from the colour chart, but it’s like new and special, special, special! 

All very nice, very special, and would stand out in the street. But none like this stunner. I’ll take the TT RS thanks!