We first heard about the latest autonomous driving project from Stanford University and the Volkswagen Group a couple of weeks ago. Audi has released some more information on the car, a TT-S coupe that, like its predecessors, Stanley and Junior, has a name: Shelley. Shelley’s being developed to climb Colorado’s Pikes Peak without any driver intervention during the annual hill climb next July.

Audi and Stanford’s Dynamics Design Lab have managed to dramatically reduce the size of the equipment necessary for the car and its control system to detect the surroundings and respond accordingly. That it can all fit into the compact TT’s body while sprouting just a trio of sensors from roof is quite an accomplishment. One of the goals of this year’s effort is to have the car perform the way it would with a professional rally driver at the wheel, including drifting on the gravel. As of its name, “Shelley” refers to the nickname of Michelle Mouton, the most successful female rally driver of all time and the first woman to win at Pikes Peak, a feat she accomplished behind the wheel of the legendary Audi Sport Quattro in 1985.

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Audi

Avus Performance has just whipped the cover off their pumped up Audi TT-RS, a 460 horsepower, matte black self-described “Ur-Quattro” for the new millennium. While it evoking the legendary Quattro Coupe might be a bit of marketing hyperbole, it similarly features a turbocharged inline-five and should perform spectacularly well. Heck, it could probably give the Sport Quattro rally cars a run for their money. We wouldn’t dare compare it to the S1, though. Still, this version of the already-hot TT-RS is positively smoking.

Even in stock form, the turbo-five in the TT-RS puts put out a healthy 340 horses, enough to scoot it from 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds. By the time Avus finishes tinkering with it, however, their uprated TT-RS produces 460 hp and 472 lb/ft. Credit for the 30% horsepower boost comes via turbo and ECU tweaks, along with a new free-flow exhaust system with racing cats. So-equipped, the coupe’s 0-60 time tumbles to just 3.8 seconds and top speed rises to 194 mph. Forget the Ur, that makes it about as quick as the R8 V10 5.2 FSI.

Thankfully, Avus’ makeover isn’t just confined to the engine bay. The tuner adds adjustable coilovers and a set of gloss black 20-inch Sportec Mono wheels wrapped in chunky 255/30-20 Hankook S1 Evo rubber. Said another way, they ought to do a whole lot more than just look pretty. Handling has been improved, yet so has the ride quality thanks to the adjustable suspension, say company officials. That added tweakability should allow one to maximize performance on track days without totally grenading everyday comfort.

The whole package minus the horsepower boost runs about 9,700 Euro (around $14,300). Avus asks that you contact them for specific pricing on the engine mods.

There’s a sizable high-res gallery below and the full press release for your inspection after the jump.

[Source: Avus Performance]

Continue reading Avus Performance tÜRns Audi TT-RS into 460-hp “Neu-Ur-Quattro”

Avus Performance tÜRns Audi TT-RS into 460-hp “Neu-Ur-Quattro” originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2025 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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