Audi Previews its TT Clubsport Turbo Technology Concept

2015 Audi TT Clubsport Turbo Concept (Credit: © Audi)

Audi continues teasing us with potential suitors for the TT-RS throne that remains vacant thus far, and the latest it the TT Clubsport Turbo Technology Concept that the company will show of at the Wörthersee gathering from May 13th through the 16th.

Based on a standard TT, this hot concept is widened by 5.5 inches for a more planted stance. Up front is Audi’s signature Singlefame grille and large air intakes to keep things cool under the hood, while also directing air to the carbon-fiber ceramic brakes to keep fade to a minimum. Around back is a manually adjustable rear wing made of carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer. Also made from CFRP are the air inlets, front splitter, the side panels, side sills, and the rear diffuser.

2015 Audi TT Clubsport Turbo Concept (Credit: © Audi)

Inside is a race-focused cockpit that features a high-strength titanium “cage,” lightweight racing seats, four-point racing harnesses, Audi’s virtual cockpit, plenty of CFRP and Alcantara. Coral Orange Alcantara breaks up the black on the seats, air vents, and gear shifter.

While the interior and exterior are great, what really matters with this concept is its drivetrain. It comes with a 2.5-liter TFSI turbocharged five-cylinder engine that makes use of an electrically powered compressor for immediate torque and horsepower at launch. This eliminates nearly every ounce of turbo lag. The electric turbocharger draws its power from a small lithium-ion battery that s charged by a 48-volt electrical sub-system that Audi has been working on.

2015 Audi TT Clubsport Turbo Concept (Credit: © Audi)

This advanced drivetrain puts out an astounding 600 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, and this power travels through a six-speed manual gearbox on its way to all four wheels. The torque peaks between 3,000 and 7,000 rpm, giving the engine a broad sweet spot for acceleration, which results in a 0-to-100 km/h time of just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 192.6 mph.

As with any high-performance TT model, Audi took some time to perfect the model’s suspension too. It features a coil-over system that affords the driver a high level of adjustment for varying conditions and an electric lifting system to prevent front-end damage. At the corners are 9.5-by-20-inch rollers shod in 275/30R20 rubber.

Altogether, this would make an awesome TT-RS, but the chances of seeing anything like this in production form in the near future is highly unlikely. I feel that the electric turbocharger still has a few years of development to go before it is ready for mass consumption, but this is an indication that Audi is taking this technology seriously.