Audi TT Clubsport Turbo concept is a 600-hp track monster

2.5-LITER TFSI ENGINE SQUEEZES OUT MASSIVE POWER THANKS TO E-TURBO TECH

Audi and Volkswagen are once again taking their own concept cars to the annual Worthersee tuning festival in the Austrian city of Reifnitz, and the Ingolstadt-based automaker has created nothing short of a track terror for the fans of the marque. The Audi TT Clubsport Turbo concept packs more than just flared fenders and a massive wing -- Audi has managed to squeeze out an astounding 600 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque from the 2.5-liter inline-five TFSI engine.

How did Audi manage to achieve supercar figures from a 2,480cc engine? The company has added an electrically powered turbo compressor that can rev up to its maximum rpm without any perceptible delay and provide boost charge pressure even when there is too little energy left in the exhaust gas for a typical turbocharger to use. This allows it to maintain high charge pressure at all times, and to be able to deliver maximum power at any point.

The TT has also received plenty of aerodynamic improvements.PHOTO BY AUDI

"The electric biturbo signifies a new dimension in driving enjoyment; it boosts sprinting ability and torque and enables high peak power," said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi board member for technical development. "In our TDI engines, we are close to production readiness with this technology. We are now presenting it in a TFSI -- here too, we are the first automaker in the world to do this. For our fans at Wörthersee, we have packaged the electric biturbo in a very sporty show car."

True to the clubsport formula, the TT Clubsport Turbo channels all that power via a six-speed manual transmission. The concept can make the dash to 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds, and has a top speed of 192.6 mph. Helping that 0-62 mph figure is a lightweight body -- Audi put the TT on a diet, resulting in a 3,078-pound dry weight.

The interior also receives attention, gaining a cage made from ultra-high-strength titanium tubes, lightweight race bucket seats, the digital Audi virtual cockpit with steering wheel controls and Alcantara trim.

The TT Clubsport Turbo concept has been widened by just 5.5 inches, but that's enough to allow for a visibly more aggressive stance that also permits resculpted fenders aimed at channeling air to cool the brakes. And, of course, there's the massive wing, made from carbon-fiber reinforced polymer just like all the other aerodynamic improvements on the car. The exterior upgrades are rounded out by the rear diffuser, side sill trims, air inlets and a large splitter up front.

The Worthersee Tour starts on May 13 and runs through May 16. Stay tuned for more quintessentially German concepts from the annual meet.