So You Can't Afford The R8? Check Out The Audi TT RS Plus

One of the highlights of the Geneva Motor Show next month is the fastest Audi TT yet. The new TT RS Plus is exactly what it says on the boot lid: a TT RS plus more power, more torque and more speed.

The original TT RS comes with a 2.5-litre, 5 cylinder direct injection petrol with 335bhp and 332 lb ft of torque which gives it a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds, the same as the standard R8, and a limited top speed of 155mph.

That isn't enough for some people, though, so the Plus gets a revised inlet manifold and increased turbocharger boost to deliver 355bhp and 343lb ft of torque meaning the 0-62mph is down to 4.1 seconds with the S-tronic gearbox. That's just 0.2 seconds shy of the R8 V10 and 0.6 seconds faster than a Porsche Cayman R with a PDK gearbox.  There's no electronic limiter with the TT RS Plus which means it can get to a top speed of 174mph.

Changes to the exterior include a redesigned rear spoiler, the same red trimmed 19" alloys as the RS3, carbon fibre wing mirrors and bigger black trimmed exhausts with the only change underneath being slightly firmer suspension. There's also an adaptive suspension system available as an optional extra.

Best of all, if you're a fan of summer then you can get the TT RS in the form of a roadster which is only 0.1 seconds slower to 62mph than the coupe.

UK prices haven't been announced yet but prices for the TT RS coupe in Germany start at €60,650 (which my trusty converter tells me is about £50,845) and €63,650 (£53,235) for the roadster.  That's around half the price of the R8 V10 and almost the same as the Porsche Cayman R. It's also cheaper than the V8 powered Mercedes SLK 55 AMG. Production is expected to start in April.

Other appearances on the Audi stand at Geneva this year include the new RS4 Avant and A3 hatchback.