Premium German automakers are no strangers to charging you with brand tax. This goes double for the more exclusive, limited-edition models like AMG’s Black Series or Porsche’s special 911 models. Now, Audi is attempting to go a similar route with the most powerful version of its compact sports car, the TT. The Audi TT RS Iconic Edition will be the final version of the German pocket rocket, and Audi thinks that this is enough to justify a hefty price tag. The problem is, as good as the TT RS is as a platform, it is a desperate attempt to capitalize on the heritage of another Audi model.
Purely Aesthetic Changes
If you were expecting performance upgrades from the Audi TT RS Iconic Edition, you will be disappointed. With this last iteration of the German coupe, Audi takes the normal TT RS and slaps on a more aggressive body kit. It includes a more aggressive front fascia with a new front splitter, redesigned air ducts, and canards. On the side, there are side-skirt extensions, and at the rear, there are additional aerodynamic elements to the RS-specific diffuser. Last, but not least, there is a tall, carbon-fiber rear wing. The new body kit of the TT RS Iconic Edition has been aerodynamically optimized In a wind tunnel to improve the car’s performance. The only available color for this version is Nardo Grey, which is already a popular choice.
It wouldn’t be a proper limited-edition model without some interior changes. The TT RS Iconic Edition features a darker interior to go with the almost Batmobile-like exterior vibe. The TT RS' interior benefits from vast use of Alcantara, Jet Grey leather with Calendula Yellow contrasting accents, and honeycomb stitching on the RS seats. A Calendula Yellow 12 o’clock marker gives the hand-stitched, Alcantara steering wheel race car vibe while a Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with 3D sound and ambient lighting give the interior a cozier feel.
This is not the first time Audi has tryed to charge a lot for a “final edition” model. Last year, the brand introduced the TT RS Heritage Edition, which gave you even less. It got you five different exterior/interior color combinations, some color contrasting bits on the outside, 20-inch wheels, bespoke embroidery, and the engine’s firing order printed on the rear quarter window, above the “Quattro” logo.
The Inline-five Engine Gets Retired Without Update
The Audi TT RS is one of the few and last models of the brand to feature the 2.5-liter, turbocharged, inline-five engine. The same engine can still be found in the 2023 Audi RS3, where it puts out an identical output of 400 horsepower (299 kilowatts) at 5,850 to 7,000 RPM, and 354 pound-feet (480 Nm) at 1,700 to 5,850 RPM. Thanks to Quattro all-wheel drive, a seven-speed DSG automatic, and a relatively low curb weight of 3,197 pounds (1,450 kg), the TT RS rockets from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, and on to a top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h).
The Price and Problem of the TT RS Iconic Edition
Exclusivity and heritage always come at a price, especially when a model is near the end of its production cycle. The regular Audi TT RS Iconic Edition starts at $73,200. The Heritage edition, which is limited to 50 units, will set you back $82,495. If you want one of the 100 Audi TT RS Iconic Edition cars, you’ll have to prepare $105,000. Yes, the interior is better and the body kit has been refined in a wind tunnel, but it’s still the regular car underneath.
Things get worse when you consider the Porsche 911 (992) Carrera’s starting price of $106,100. Yes, it is a base model and not a limited edition, but it’s more in every way. Moreover, even the base Carrera can sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.7 seconds and go beyond the 186 mph (300 km/h) barrier, as tested by AutoTopNL. If it is exclusivity you are after, I would go for the range-topping Cayman GT4, which costs about the same and is the more visceral sports car when compared to the Audi.
The biggest problem is that the Audi TT RS Iconic Edition is trying to capitalize on the success of the legendary rally legend that is the Audi Quattro. The 1980s rally-bred sports car, in one form or another, boasts a total of 23 race victories with pilots like Hannu Mikkola, Michèle Mouton, and Walter Röhrl behind the wheel. Needless to say, those are big shoes to fill, which is why an Audi TT RS with a body kit and an absurdly-inflated price will never be as collectible as its WRC-winning forbearer nor have the heritage of a 911 or edge of the Cayman GT4.
The TT RS, in itself, is a very capable platform, but you’d be better off spending your money elsewhere. With this, the Audi TT RS dies for the 2022 year, with the rest of the TT lineup following in 2023, only to be replaced by a hybrid model. We just hoped for a more epic finale for the turbocharged, inline-five pocket rocket instead of a half-assed attempt to charge obscene amounts of money.