Senses working overtime

It seems an odd number to get excited about. Partly because five is indeed an odd number. But the reappearance of Audi’s famed five-cylinder engine, which powered the Quattro to a million rally wins in the early 1980s is certainly cause for celebration. Although the real reason to punch the air in adolescent delight is the fact that it has been put inside the all-new Audi TT RS Coupe and its topless twin, the Roadster. While the engine might be a thing of beauty to people who like to stare at camshafts all day, the real eye-candy is in the form a two-door, spoiler-fitted, air-intake-laden coupe. It’s compact, punchy and is whiter than a Saudi Land Cruiser full of men going to a wedding. In Riyadh.

The number five keeps reappearing throughout. The wheels come with a five-spoke, matt-aluminium design, it reaches 100kph in a lick under 5 seconds, it has a 2.5-litre engine and reaches a top speed of 250kph. Purists need to be reassured, though, that it definitely doesn’t fit five people – this is strictly 2+2, and even then there should be a caveat reading “2 very small children”. Also, there is nothing quintessential – a word that comes from the “fifth essence”, if you didn’t know – about the horsepower, which is a beefy 340bhp, or the all-wheel (still four) drive system or the six-speed manual transmission.

Behind the wheel, it compares favourably with any Porsche in a similar price bracket, such as the Boxter, particularly on winding roads – oh, for ten minutes on the winding roads from Nebo to the Dead Sea – and fifth-gear corners. If you opt for the Sport package, your rear end, much the car’s, is 10mm closer to tarmac. And although it won’t win many eco-awards, at 25mpg, a Lamborghini’s speed advantage evaporates in the gas station on any trip over 200km.

The best feature, though, is a small switch on the central console that activates a small flap in the exhaust to – yes, really – ramp up the engine tone. Audi even calls it a five-cylinder symphony. Can we get a job in their press department, please?


Silver celebration
25 years in the history of the Quattro
Capacity: 2,110
Bhp: 470
0-100: 3.1 seconds

If this car were a girl
Rihanna
Cute, compact, but with a real attitude, this little stunner may have the corporate sheen of a middle-class whiteness on the outside, but inside she’s all beautiful and black, baby. Handle with care and you’ll have the ride of your life.