MTM tunes up the KTM X-Bow and Audi TTS

Click either image for a high-res gallery of MTM's creations

MTM tunes all things Audi, so it didn't take long for the firm to tweak the KTM X-Bow (with its VAG-sourced inline-four) and the all-new Audi TTS. Of the two, the X-Bow gets the milder tuning (if that's possible), with the 2.0-liter TFSI four-pot getting a boost in output from 240 to 318 horsepower. Torque rises accordingly, with 310 lb-ft on tap, sent through a modified six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels. Four-piston Brembos with 305 mm discs are nestled within 18-inch wheels coated in Nokain Hakkapeliita-4 rubber sized 245/40. Although MTM doesn't cite a revised 0-60 mph time, it claims a top speed of 156 mph (one mph more than stock).

For those who are looking for a more friendly daily driver but aren't willing to wait around for the TTRS, the MTM-tuned TTS boasts 380 hp and 364 lb-ft of torque from an upgraded turbocharger that huffs 22.5 psi of boost into the 2.0-liter's four cylinders. A new intake and exhaust manifold is fitted, along with eight-piston Brembos clamping onto 380mm discs, with 20-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 (245/30) tires. A 330 hp version is also available, starting at €63,103 ($85k USD), while the full-bore 380 hp package will set you back €73,715 (a cool $99k USD).

Gallery: KTM XBow by MTM

Gallery: Audi TT-S by MTM

MTM tunes up the KTM X-Bow and Audi TTS originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Audi TT RS Roadster Spy Photos

The Audi TT RS Roadster was caught by the spy photographers during some winter tests, and it looks hot! It should go on sale starting from 2009, with a 2.5L petrol engine.

Tags: AudiTT,2009 New Audi TT VS, 2000 2001 2002 Audi TT - TTS, 2003 2004 2005 Audi TT, 2006 2007 2008 Audi TT, Audi TT Quattro, Audi TT Turbo, AudiTTRoadster, AudiTTRS, AudiRS

Audi TT-S

The first generation TT offered two choices: coupe and convertible. And while that technically counts as two different versions, an enthusiast who actually plans on driving the car knows that that’s really just one choice of car. Audi has loosed the variation machine on this second generation TT, however, doubling the possible selections, with coupe and convertible joined by TT-S and TT-RS flavors.

The TT-S is next on the catwalk, and shots have surfaced showing off the grille and goods, mainly in the form of a more brutish face boasting a serious chin spoiler, quad pipes out the rear, and the inclusion of LEDs under the headlamps. The 2-seater will get a 270-hp heart, with 258 lb-ft ready to churn. It will hold the road with — and hopefully turn in better because of — a stiffer suspension.

The RS-badged TT is claimed to get a 5-cylinder turbo with 308 horsepower. Make no mistake, we are card carrying fans of souped up Audi. But the TT 3.2 quattro with S-tronic has a base MSRP of $42,900, with the Roadster another $3,000 skyward. By the time Audi adds the premiums for the S and RS, the car will be playing around in Boxster/Cayman territory. We just hope the driving experience proves that’s where the car belongs.

Audi TT RS debuts

With the R8 supercar, German automaker Audi demonstrated to the world that it is capable of producing the most capable performance sportscars on the road. But the gap between the R8 and its kid brother, the TT, remained as wide as the supercar's track. At this year's Geneva Motor Show, however, Audi closed that gap considerably with the new TT RS.

Packing a turbocharged, direct-injection inline-five with 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, the TT RS is capable of hitting 60 in a scant 4.6 seconds, and will be available in both coupe and convertible body styles. Unfortunately the hot TT won't be making it to the North American market, so those on the Western shore of the Atlantic will just have to admire from afar, like with the images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Geneva 2009: Audi TT RS

2010 Audi TT RS is ready for its closeup

Audi TT RS Coupe and Roadster - Click above for a high-res gallery

Audi has released a plethora of new beautiful photographs of the Audi TT RS Coupe and Roadster, and it just makes us want them to change their mind about bringing the car to the United States even more. After all, what's not to love? The 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder puts out 340 horsepower and 332 lb-ft torque running through a six-speed manual transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.

It also comes with other goodies like a stiffer suspension, five-spoke 18-inch wheels, more aggressive exterior styling, Alcantara /leather sports seats, and more. Why wouldn't we want a TT that has all that? More details on the car can be found in the press release after the jump, and dozens of new high-res images are available in the gallery below.

Gallery: Audi TT RS and Roadster

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GM marketing boss Mark LaNeve apparently unaware that diesel is now cheaper than gas 2009

Over the last several years, we've heard a lot of excuses from many auto executives as to why their companies aren't offering diesel engines in their American market cars. Yesterday, General Motors' Mark LaNeve, the company's vice president of sales and marketing, made an appearance on C-SPAN's Washington Journal. The final question of the segment came from a viewer wondering why GM has failed to offer U.S. consumers the chance to buy some of the high-mileage diesel cars it offers in Europe.

It would appear that LaNeve might have done better to take a pass on the question. Instead of talking about the cost of making those diesels meet U.S. emissions regulations or the difficulty in helping Americans overcome the misconceptions about the fuel, he claimed that no one has successfully cracked the diesel passenger nut in the U.S. (which based on VW's May sales appears to be wrong). More startlingly, LaNeve went on to claim that diesel is $1.25 a gallon more expensive than gasoline. According to the Energy Information Agency, the national average for diesel this week is $2.35 / gallon while regular gas is $2.52 or $0.17 more than diesel. Admittedly, the fact that diesel is now cheaper than 87 octane gas is a recent development (a trend that nobody is sure how long it will last), but – going on national television and quoting outdated fuel prices as a reason for your bankrupt company's business decisions... well, that doesn't strike us as a terribly hot idea.

You can hear the question and response at 20:30 into the video replay over at C-SPAN.