Car Throttle

Us Brits are the biggest Audi TT customers. We buy more of these unique coupes and roadsters than anywhere else in the world and this week Audi announced you can order a brand new one for £24,070, £3,070 less than than the previous basic TT and £1,250 less than the basic roadster. Back in the late nineties/early noughties basic versions of new mainstream cars were usually rubbish. Any car nut could tell you had the basic version of the car you own because it had big plastic black bumpers, you had to stick your key in the door to open it and you had to use all your energy up to wind down the window. CD players were an optional luxury back then! Nowadays it's

Last September, Audi confirmed that the TT-RS would be be sold in the United States. That came after much hand-wringing over its arrival by enthusiasts here in North America. The car was introduced after a petition campaign started by Audi that resulted in 11,500 "expressions of interest." The TT-RS marks the most expensive Audi TT yet, and also the fastest. It has been officially priced at $56,850, before destination, taxes and the myriad litany of other fees we get stuck with when buying a new car. 0-60 arrives in just 4.1 seconds, thanks to a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder under the hood that makes 360 horsepower and 343 pound feet of torque. Audi says peak torque comes between 1,650 and 5,400 rpm for "power on

I've always liked Subaru's attitude towards performance measurements. While BMW and Audi will brag about their 0-60 metrics, or how many lateral G's of acceleration their cars can pull on a perfect skidpad, Subaru is all about their racing record.  And within a month, two different Subarus - driven by two brothers, no less - have both laid down new lap records on two of the toughest race courses on planet earth. I'm talking about the Isle of Man, and the Mount Washington Hill Climb.  The Isle of Man hosts a yearly motorcycle race that dates back to 1904, although the current course used for the race (the Mountain Course) has been in use since 1911.  This twisting, winding intricate piece of road spans almost 38

The (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nevada is just around the corner Every year tuners and manufacturers meet to show of their latest and greatest (and sometimes wackiest) custom creations. This a premier place for aftermarket products and tuners to debut their wares. Manufacturers are in on the game too with companies such as General Motors and Ford consistently making big appearances. Audi has never attended the show previously. However, with the brand's footprint in the United States growing, this year is different. Audi's presence at the show will center around three things: the aftermarket, with new "Audi After Sales products and technology," a demonstration of the Audi Autonomous TTS Pikes Peak and a custom Audi R8 Spyder by STaSIS Engineering. We think it is great that Audi is making an

Audi has great momentum in the marketplace, and has broken sales records in a difficult economic climate. Sales and improvements in image have come from both a stellar mainstream lineup as well as image building performance vehicles. Now there is set to be a few more additions to that arsenal. The RS5 high performance variant of the A5 has already been confirmed. Another performance model highly sought after by enthusiasts here has been the TT-RS. Last month, Audi started an online "petition" regarding the TT-RS. In the petition, Audi asked for expressions of interest in the TT-RS should it make the trip to United States shores. The fact that Audi opened the question up publicly indicated that the brand was already seriously contemplating the idea, if

Audi has found itself with an increasing focus on performance as it has garnered steam in the United States. The brand is experiencing record profits and sales here and around the globe. The R8 halo performance model showed off a bolder Audi and other models like the A7 Sportback and RS5 have continued that. The TT-RS is one European model that American enthusiasts have drooled over. It is the hottest TT yet, packing 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, along with significant upgrades to suspension and braking. But it hasn't been available in the U.S - not yet at least. Audi has launched a "petition" marketing campaign that aims to build anticipation for the TT-RS model. Head over to the website www.ttrspetition.com and you can sign up with your

Apologies to third-wave Ska/Punk band Streetlight Manifesto for the title paraphrasal, but it seemed appropriate. I was driving around with a long-time friend of mine in North Raleigh when we came across what has to be the best night-time photoshoot location anywhere.  I can't say exactly what it is, except that it's a service bay at a local Audi dealer.  Oh, crap - I gave it away.  The lighting here was too cool to pass up, so we arranged the cars and did a little miniature photo shoot.  My friend's snazzy suit is entirely unrelated - he was headed back into Raleigh after a party, but it really seemed to fit the feel of the shot.  These images were shot with my Sony point-and-shoot as usual,

Its no secret that those of us at CarThrottle are big Audi fans. The two-doors (of course) are our favorites. Other than the R8 for its budget supercar qualities, the A5 and TT would have to be our two favorites, and they have the advantage of being more attainable. Last year, the Audi A5 got the brand's 2.0-liter TSFI four-cylinder instead of the 3.2L six. That dropped the price by $4,700, to $36,000. The TT is getting that same engine for 2011, making 211 horsepower. That is an increase of 11 horsepower from the 2010 model, but the big news is the increase in torque - by some 51 pound feet, to 258. From there on out, the changes get a lot smaller - per usual for a mild freshening. Details

The five cylinder finally returns to the Audi lineup after an extended absence this year, under the hood of the hottest TT ever. The TT-RS is the pinnacle of Audi's small sportscar lineup, and it's packing the firepower to back up it's aggressive appearance.  With a 2.5L direct-injected turbocharged I5 and 340bhp, the TT-RS coupe will rocket to 60mph in 4.6 seconds thanks to Quattro four-wheel grip. Audi just released another batch of high-resolution pictures of the TT-RS, and I figure any reason at all is good enough to feature the TT-RS whenever possible. Although there's no word yet on whether Audi's going to import the hottest TT to the horsepower-hungry States, we can always keep our collective fingers crossed.  I mean, I'll never be able to

The satisfaction to be derived from driving down a twisty, curvy road cannot be understated. If you're a car person (and I'm assuming you are, since you're reading this) you have probably done just that before, and for no other reason than it's fun.  But you must keep something in mind - not all the good roads necessarily have pavement.  Because while flying down the blacktop balancing adhesion with inertia is fun, it can be more fun with less inertia - and less adhesion! Oh yes, dirt roads: Here's my good friend Patrick at the wheel, trying his hand at some low-adhesion driving.  This particular 70° corner was perfect for getting the Haldex all-wheel-drive to shuffle some torque to the back end.  See below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kntjvnmGUGA