...<font color="003366"> 1. Dynamically, the new car is an order of magnitude better than ANY individual-modded first gen car.

2. The 3.2 250 is a responsive as hell with DSG, sorry, S-Tronic. Throttle crispness and shift character/quality are a significant step beyond the first generation version of the same drivetrain.

3. With an extra 52HP more than the hottest ever to leave the factory, magnetic ride and a lightened (<i>i.e.</i> decontented) interior, the 302 is more fun to drive than an M4 coupe. Far more mechanical feeling than the Bimmer, too. That last point was a BIG surprise.

More stuff tomorrow 'bout this same time. I gotta get some sleep, it's a quarter 'til midnight here.</font>

and that the subculture among us who appreciate Audi for performance and style (not necessarily luxury) might be able to order a 'lighterweight' car from the factory without an extensive modification program. The factory does some truly impressive work (my best memory of that is winning the 2004 TT-East autocross with a stock 250 [okay it had 245's on it] against a broad spectrum of modded 225s. Can you tell me (via email if you'd like) whose ear at Audi of America I should bend to see if we can't get at least one high performace version of the TT packaged without so much luxury focus? Thanks much.

Damn bells and whistles.

The A5 with 302 hp is designed to trump the 335i.

code number

i am totally for it and tihnk it would be awesome, but historically speaking, BMW's have always been faster than audis.

care how good it is , ugly is ugly and I just could not have it. That said will the red interior be available with blue exterior??

Thanks.

keep em coming.. Oh and I see the "real beast" was very fun to play with. Agreed that is going to be one serious machine for the frog eyed folk.. :)

<center><img src="http://www.fourtitude.com/news/uploads/Audi_News/001__scaled_600_055.jpg"></center><p>you could, (and i will) speculate that 300HP engine could be the one lifted off of the Roadjet concept. I think the Roadjet is a very interesting concept that shows alot of clues of upcoming models even though the concept itself may seem "boring" or just plan ugly. It makes sense too me as Audi could use the top of the line TT engine and share it was for the upcoming b8 a4 which would compete well with the new 3 series. I do think RS version is plnned but historically speaking, RS versions are usually towards the end of a models production run and i wouldnt hold out for it on the MKII. A 2.0T making 300hp would be a dream for most people, and a bigger wet dream for those tuners out there, but id suspect a 3.2T for other models down the road. Right now a 300HP, 7 speed DSG sounds just fine! oh and at 3200lbs, it should be awesome no doubt.

but is it transverse or longitudinal? DSG depends on that.

It's the same engine as the 3.1 fsi that's in the A4 3.2

Just a further development of the engine. I don't think it will fit in the TT engine bay, even if they rotate it 90 degrees.

Jerry D

if they can shoe-horn a V8 in an a4, i guess why not try on the 3.2? speculation is a bitch.

Some specs about the 3.6 FSI transverse engine:

- The 3.6 FSI is not that much heavier than the 3.2, from which it's based.

- It's capable of being tuned to, oh, say around 300 bhp without exhibiting much high-rev strain.

- However, it has had some issues with being fit into the A3's engine bay for the forthcoming S variant.

So I'm not saying it will be the engine for the high performance TT.

Just throwing out some info.

That's all.

Really.

A 3.2 FSI would embody the following properties:

- Easier integration into TT and A3 engine bay than 3.6.

- Ability to achieve 300 bhp, but only after considerably more re-engineering than it would take to get, say, a 3.6 FSI, up to the same power output.

We'll find out soon enough....

a man can dream...