Stuck at home while my house is being painted. A bit cooped up (ha!) so did a quick run through of the fun coupes in my saved file and hoping to complete this before the fumes get to me. As I write CarMax has 1,679 cars nationwide officially listed as “coupes”. I could easily get wrapped around the axle finding Camaros, Corvettes, Mustangs, M3’s, Infiniti Q60’s that fit the bill but there are just so many of them. So I’m going with these three Audi TT’s, and this weekend perhaps a 1 of 1,418 model worthy of it’s own page. If you can guess what it is you win.
This 2012 Audi TT RS has been available for quite some time. The little coupe has a 2.5 liter five cylinder turbo pumping 360 hp. Car and Driver calls it a “mini-R8”. The dual clutch version tested in Europe sprinted to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, and later the US model six-speed manual transmission TT RS hit it in 4.0 seconds flat – disappointing only in comparison to the dual clutch – still faster than my 911 was! Top speed was limited to 174 mph. The first gen RS only came to the US in manual mode. Only 641 were imported in 2012, and about the same for 2013 before the car was discontinued. The TT RS was reintroduced to the US market from 2018-2022, when it ended again. Even with the second generation, annually only a few hundred of the TT models were sold as RS. A unicorn.
Car and Driver panned the TT RS for highway drone, but otherwise loved the almost 1g of AWD lateral grip and rip snorting performance once past the turbo lag. The only other criticism? “The TT RS is so competent,” we reported, “so coldly immune to human clumsiness as to diminish the role of the driver.” I tried on a regular TT once, and while getting in and out was as challenging as any low slung car once inside I was surprised how roomy the cockpit was for my 6’4″ 225 lb frame.
The 2012 Audi TT RS sold new for almost $60,000. For a ten year old car with 71,000 miles it’s still a bit high priced. But it’s a bit unique with only a dozen or more for sale across the country. As with other older European cars, MaxCare is only available for 48 months and capped at 125,000 miles. I’d buy it, and enjoy this mini-R8 for 13,500 miles a year – plenty of space for a daily driver! Find this one owner, accident free Audi here in Garland, Texas.
Stock # 21055355 VIN # TRUB3AFK9C1901418
The Audi TT RS returned to the US market in 2018, and here’s a not cheap 2020 model selling for $72,998 – about what it sold for new. Horsepower increased to 394, and 0-60 mph for the seven speed dual clutch was 3.6 seconds. Interesting in the Top Speed review the test driver wished for the manual transmission car, presumably just for fun.
The 2020 Audi TT RS is the same drive train as the Audi RS3 (at the bottom – another bonus), with the latter offering seating for four and a useful trunk. Your call on sports car vs sedan, but the RS3’s at CarMax are a good $9-$20,000 cheaper. This car has less than 7,000 miles and is surprisingly a two owner car. Find it here in Henderson, Nevada just outside of Las Vegas. I’m thinking since it’s still under new car manufacturer warranty I might gamble and pass on MaxCare.
Stock # 21788799 VIN # WUAASAFV4L1900666
If all that horsepower isn’t for you and you want to save some Euro, this 2011 Audi TTS Prestige has been on the lots for some time. It’s visually the loudest and for sure will get folks’ attention. Underneath it’s the same as a Volkswagen Golf R Mk6 of the same era, with a 2.0 liter turbo four cylinder rated at 265 hp, but it looks way cooler. Sold for about $50,000 new and it’s not cheap at $27,998 now. Just screams fun. Or Halloween.
The Audi TTS has AWD and a dual clutch transmission, and at 3,100 pounds will scoot to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. As fast as anything in this coupe group. As fast as my 911 was and the S600, too! The mileage is a bit high for my taste at 62,000, and as an 11 year old European car MaxCare stops out at 125,000 miles and only 48 months – you can still squeeze 15,000 miles a year out of this orange. My hunch is it’s faster than a vanilla TT but more civilized as a daily driver. It is a two accident car, if that matters to you. I never know with an old car how much that does. Find it here in Ontario, California just northeast of Los Angeles.
No real commentary on the RS3, other than to say this one is the newest at Carmax as a 2019 with 4,000 miles and priced at $62,998 – but CarMax also has a 2018 with 52,000 miles for “only” $50,998. I really like the RS3 as a modest sleeper sedan. This one is here in Oxnard, California on the Ventura highway.
Stock # 21765773 VIN # WUABWGFF4KA907636
The TT RS with dual clutch and AWD is the hot ticket out of this group. Ran in a rally with one on/around Tail of the Dragon last fall. The TT was tough to beat due to its grip and power.
But for $73k I’d choose a lightly used 718 Cayman S with PDK, sport chrono and a APR tune. You’d have 1 g of grip and 420 hp at the crank (plus the beauty of a Porsche). The TT body style is dated and the RS is a little too boy racer for me.
Agree on all counts. The same thing that keeps me
That went too soon. Agree on all counts. I can’t fit in cars with no back seat – even pseudo back seats needed to recline the front seat and get some hip/leg room. Boxsters, Caymans, Corvettes…none work.
Its so useful knowing you’re 6″4. All those TTs look interesting (and 2 weeks ago there’re 3 TT-RS available), but I know for sure I won’t be able to fit there comfortably, even with small rear seats.
Test driving a 2018 X5 M50i that I’m returning right now because the seat bottom bolsters are narrow and uncomfortable. Turns out a known problem on BMW forums.
I can’t decide if the “loud” TT is the color of a school bus or a Creamsicle—and yet somehow, it’s my favorite of the bunch. My automotive tastes must be getting a bit avant-garde in my dotage…!