International Engine of the Year jury members felt that the 2.5-liter engine in the TT RS is: “Torque, power, a beautiful sound – this engine has it all. This is five-cylinder architecture at its best”.

This powerful five-cylinder engine is also surprisingly frugal, requiring an average of just 30.7 mpg in the Coupé, while the Roadster needs only 29.73 mpg.

The engine’s low weight of only 183 kilograms (403.45 lb) is also a top figure. It helps keep the total weight of the TT RS low and also offers significant advantages for the distribution of axle loads and thus for the car’s handling.

Developed by quattro GmbH, the Audi TT RS was launched in the summer of 2009. The Coupé can sprint from zero to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds and from zero to 124 mph in 15.9 seconds. It has an optional top speed 174 mph.

This is the sixth category win in a row at the International Engine of the Year Awards for Audi TFSI technology. For the last five years, the Audi 2.0-liter TFSI engine has won the award in the 1.8 to 2.0-liter category. FSI direct gasoline injection and turbocharging are two of Audi’s core technologies.

Fuel consumption and emission data:
Audi TT RS
Fuel consumption, combined: 30.7-29.73 l/100 km
CO2 emissions, combined: 214-221 g/km

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Without a doubt the most anticipated of these three vehicles is the Audi R4, set to be the Audi R8 younger brother the Audi R4 will be positioned below the Audi TT. Like the Audi TT and the R8, the R4 will have coupe and roadster (Spyder) versions with engines ranging from an 180bhp 1.4 TFSI to a 170bhp 2.0 TDI. Pricing is yet to be officially announced but rumours are that the Audi R4 will be priced around £20.000 and the coolest featured so far will be the programmable navigation system from your iPhone.

The Audi A2 is returning to the Audi range and talks are that will be powered by an electric motor only. Features will include multimedia solutions like in the Audi A1, navigation system on par with Audi A8, like the Audi R4 the A2 is set to arrive in 2013.

Also in the works is a more sportive version of the Audi A1, the Audi S1. Will the Audi RS1 follow suit? We’ll have to wait and see. Unlike the Audi A2, no electric version has been announced for the A1 but a hybrid version will soon be available, also in the works are a Sportback and a convertible Audi A1.

To sum things Audi also announced that the Audi TT next generation is coming in 2014.

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Audi drivers can expect to pay considerably less to insure their cars than owners of equivalent models from the German premium sector brands, according to data sourced from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) group ratings database.

Managed by the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham on behalf of the ABI and Lloyds Syndicates, the insurance group ratings database has been updated monthly with new car insurance rating data since the 1980s, and includes all trim levels, variants, body styles and engine types. This data has been used to calculate average insurance group ratings for Audi models and their equivalents wherever applicable from German premium sector competitors. In virtually every range, Audi models post considerably lower average ratings than competitors, meaning that owners will generally pay lower insurance premiums.

These ratings are defined using a system which allocates penalty points to each vehicle based on a number of factors, including the purchase price, the cost of key parts and the ease, and cost, of repair following an independent crash test undertaken by the Research Council for Automobile Repairs (RCAR).

The higher the outright purchase price or parts and labour charges, and the more costly and labour intensive the crash repair, the higher the points tally, and consequently the higher the insurance group rating.

Crucial security performance
Security performance is of course also a critical factor in determining each rating, and four British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards and three What Car? Magazine Security Awards for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ attest to Audi expertise in this area. Held by Audi for four consecutive years since 2006, the top BIVSA award for ‘Best Overall Manufacturer’ highlights the fact that the brand offers more ranges in which every variant has achieved the maximum five star rating for ‘theft of’ security and of at least four stars for ‘theft from’ security than any other entrant.

Award-winning security protection is achieved right across the Audi range through features including Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser technology with interior ultrasonic protection and anti-tow sensors, Thatcham Category 4 locking wheel bolts and extensive covert and overt marked parts.

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The Audi TT Coupe and the Audi TT Roadster are now more attractive than ever with their dynamic new design, enhanced performance and off course exemplary efficiency.

LED daytime running lights are now standard on entry level Audi TTs as well as chrome-ringed fog lamps and a glossier black front grille. At the rear, the face lifted TT also has new taillight reflectors and a wider rear diffuser panel.

But it is under the bonnet where Audi made major changes to the Audi TT range. Replacing the old 197bhp 2.0-litre TFSI model and the 3.2-litre V6 with a more powerful and healthy 208bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine capable of delivering impressive 258lb of torque between 1600 and 4200rpm.

Other engines will continue to be offered which is the case of the 158bhp 1.8-litre TFSI engine and its bigger sister the 168bhp 2.0-litre TDI, as will the 268bhp found on the Audi TT S and the 335bhp powering the Audi TT RS.

Want your new Audi TT to sprint from 0-62mph in just 5.6 sec? Order it with 208bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, the twin-clutch “S tronic” gearbox and Quattro all-wheel-drive, add that to the introduction of the Sport mode that can be equipped on cars fitted with magnetic ride control and experience the thrills of a sharper throttle response, decreased level of power assistance for its steering and enhanced sportiness of its exhaust. Warning recommended for experienced drivers only!

Audi TT S & Audi TT RS Updates

Both Audi TT S body styles combine enthralling sportiness with cultivated comfort, be it the Audi TTS Coupe or the Audi TT S Roadster.  Its 2 litre TFSI with the large turbocharger and many additional modifications pumps out 200 kW and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of torque, the latter from 2,500 to 5,000 rpm. It accelerates the TT S Coupe with the optional S tronic from zero to 62.14 mph in 5.2 seconds, up to a governed top speed of 155.34 mph. With the S tronic, the Coupé consumes an average of 36.6mpg.

The TT S comes standard with the Audi magnetic ride adaptive shock absorber technology, the Sport button and a high-performance brake system. Visual cues to its identity are provided by the 18-inch wheels with size 245/40 tyres and a new grille combined with chrome air inlets. A new colour combination – spectral silver/black – is available for the interior.

The dynamic spearhead of the TT model series is the TT RS, which is likewise available as a Coupe or a Roadster. Its turbocharged, inline 5-cylinder engine draws 250 kW of power from 2.5 litres of displacement. 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque are available between 1,600 and 5,300 rpm. It nevertheless averages just 30mpg.

The TT RS Coupe rockets from 0 to 62.14 mph in 4.6 seconds; Quattro GmbH will raise the top speed from 155.34 to 173.98 mph upon request. A sound flap in the exhaust system further intensifies the distinctive five-cylinder sound. A manual 6 speed transmission with a sportily narrow gearing currently delivers the power to the Quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Starting this autumn, Audi will also offer the option of the TT RS with a newly developed version of the S tronic that can handle the tremendous torque of the powerful 5 cylinder engine. The compact layout of the seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission makes it suitable for transverse mounting in combination with the Quattro all-wheel drive system.

The TT RS Coupe with the S tronic launches itself from zero to 62.14 mph in 4.4 seconds. The TT RS Roadster requires 0.1 seconds more for this discipline – a bat of an eye less than with the manual transmission. Distinctive design details, 18-inch wheels and an extremely powerful brake system are standard with the TT RS.

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Up until now the auto industry has never seen an award with a judging team of only women. Over the past year, eight female motoring writers from around the world have tested 21 cars from the short list.

These awards had four main categories: Women’s World Family Car of the Year, World Sports Car of the Year, World Economy Car of the Year and World Luxury Car of the Year.

The judging criterion was nice and simple: judges are asked to vote according to the criteria women utilise when buying a car. Thus safety, value-for-money, aesthetic appearance, storage space, child–friendliness, ease-of-driving, colour, sex appeal and environmental footprint are all categories the judges will be analysing.

Audi had two models listed among the 21 selected vehicles. The Audi A6 was competing in the luxury car category where it came second while the Audi TTS was named Women’s World Sports Car of the Year after beating some high calibre competitors.

Certificates will be awarded to individual category winners and to the supreme winner early in 2010. The certificates have been designed by Bob Child of graphic design company Peartree Studios in Colerne, Somerset, England.

First one comes from Wards magazine and wardsauto.com, for the fourth consecutive year. Audi’s 2.0 TFSI turbocharged engine came first on Ward’s 10 Best Engines, considered by many as the “Oscars” of automotive engine awards.

The award honours the engine’s excellence, taking in consideration a series of factors like efficiency and technological innovations. Audi AG’s new generation of 2.0-litre TFSI turbocharged 4 cylinder engines had little trouble in winning this years awards thanks to small but highly effective innovations including an optimised turbocharger; variable exhaust-valve-lift technology; revised electronic controls; a lower compression ratio (9.6:1 vs. 10.3:1) and refined internal components.

Meanwhile, down under in Australia Audi celebrate a triple triumph at the 2009 Australian Best Car Awards. The Audi Q5 3.0 TDI was named “Best Luxury 4WD” while the Audi TTs TFSI won for the second in the “Best Luxury Sports Car” category and the trifecta was completed with the Audi A6 Sedan 3.0 TFSI Quattro claiming the title of Best Luxury Car.

The TT Coupé and Roadster bodies weigh 206 kg and 251 kg respectively while the TT “family” also features an additional innovation. To ideally balance the axle loads between the front and back, Audi developed an innovative hybrid construction for its compact sports cars: Most of the body is made of aluminium, but steel is used in the rear.

Depending on the model, the kerb weight of the TT has been reduced by between 20 and 90 kg compared to the previous model which had an all-steel body. At the same time, the static torsional rigidity of the Coupé increased by 50 percent and that of the Roadster by an even more impressive 100 per cent.

The ASF provides the foundation for precise handling and a high level of passive safety. A lighter car has to dissipate less kinetic energy and is also does less damage to others involved in an accident. The lightweight design combines chassis responsiveness and efficiency in typical Audi fashion.

Once again Audi innovates in the promotion of a new model. Marking the launch of the new Audi TT RS and to celebrate the unique sound of its five-cylinder engine, Audi teamed up with Leftfield’s Neil Barnes and acclaimed producer Nic Rapaccioli to create an exclusive two minute track entitled Die Funf Zylinder (The Five Cylinder).

The track was created using only sounds made by the Audi TT RS. First engineers recorded a multitude of samples to capture sounds that mirror effects and instruments found in electronic music while sounds of the TT RS engine running at different speeds created the melodic tunes of the track. The idea came from the agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), Audi UK’s advertising partner since 1982.

Peter Duffy, Audi UK Head of Marketing said,

“Audi is all about innovation through advanced technology. The opportunity to create content that is Vorsprung durch Technik in itself is something we’re very excited about.”

You can find an excerpt from the track at www.audi.co.uk/ttrs, while a full version can be purchased via the ITunes store.

In Germany, Audi won nine awards in the Sport Auto Readers Choice Contest organised by the automotive magazine Sport Auto. The Audi RS6 once again, led the way and it was voted the best vehicle in its class, while the Audi S3,  A3 2.0 TDI, TT Roadster 2.0 TFSI, TT RS Roadster and Audi R8 were voted second in their respective categories and to wrap things up the A4 3.0 TDI Quattro, the A4 3.2 FSI Quattro and the Audi S4 grabbed three outstanding third places.

Meanwhile in the UK, Audi’s range won for the fourth consecutive year the British Insurance Vehicle Security Awards held last week at the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham, Berkshire. For those of not familiar with Thatcham, they are one of Europe’s leading authorities in the field of vehicle security; its experts have been assessing the theft protection standards of vehicles for over ten years.

Audi not only won the Manufacturer do the Year Award but also achieved three categories wins, the A4 range was votes most secure in compact executive class, while the S8 was awarded in the performance car class and the newly launched Audi A5 Cabriolet won the open-top class.

All these awards are the rewards for a company that is always trying to improve the safety and driving experience of its customers.

To prove Audi’s success in Germany, the Audi A4 Salon is the top selling premium salon, its big brother the Audi A6 also reigns in its segment while the Audi TT was crowned Germany’s best selling sports car and on top of all that, does a 13th consecutive year record growth say anything?

To mark this special birthday, Audi prepared an Events Calendar to celebrate its 100th anniversary with events spread out throughout the year.

To praise Audi’s 100th anniversary we prepared a collection of new wallpapers with some classic models from Audi and the extinguished Auto Union, right now you can download the wallpaper of the 1939 Auto Union Type D, also available is the Audi Q5 Custom Concept wallpaper and many more, visit our Audi Downloads page and choose your favourite Audi Model.

From now till the big day on the 16th of July, the exact date Audi will turn 100 years old, we’ll be uploading more wallpapers for you to download, so stay tuned here at Audi Nationwide’s Blog for more.