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Next Audi TT RS comes in 2016, manual transmission doesn't

This line comes from our review of the 2012 Audi TT RS: "Did we mention that the 2012 TT RS is only available with a manual transmission?" When we review the next-generation TT RS, expected to launch next year, we'll have to rewrite that line as: "Did we mention that the TT RS is not available with a manual transmission?" That's the word from Car and Driver, which has heard that the superheated little coupe will only come with the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox found in the Euro-market RS3 Sportback. The first generation came with a dual-clutch and a manual transmission in Europe, but the unit for our market required the laying on of hands to get from one cog to another. If we don't get another, the blow will be all the more painful because Audi's manual transmissions are so good. Our assessment summed up the last one thus, "With a short, precise throw and excellent action, the transmission is a mechanical work of art." Good news? Volkswagen says the installed DQ500 dual-clutch is faster, more refined, and more reliable. As well, power from the reworked 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder should rise from 360 horsepower to "around 400." You'll just be asked to keep your hands off of it. The first-gen car only came here after a successful Facebook petition gathered more than 11,000 signatures in a month, we wish Audi had given us a chance to weigh in on this, too. Although we will probably get it later next year as a 2017 model, we could see it at the Frankfurt Motor Show in two months. Related Video:

Bathurst 12-hour gallery is GT3 heaven [w/video]

The 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour race was run this weekend at the Mt. Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, Australia. Race photographer Joel Strickland sent us a huge batch of photos, all of which make us salivate for the switch to GT3 rules in the United SportsCar Championship; the top seven finishers at Bathurst were of seven different makes: Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3, Audi R8-LMS Ultra, Aston Martin Vantage GT3, Bentley Continental GT3, Mercedes SLS AMG GT3, Ferrari F458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It was a sweet victory for the No. 35 car driven by the NISMO Athlete Global Team after it crashed in Saturday qualifying, and then was only in third place on the penultimate lap. The three-man driving team included two GT Academy winners, one of whom, Florian Strauss, has only been a professional race car driver for 18 months. It's the first time the GT-R has won at Panorama since the original R32 "Godzilla" took back-to-back wins in 1991 and 1992. Second place went to the No. 15 Phoenix Racing Audi R8-LMS Ultra, 2.4 seconds behind the winners, third to the Craft Bamboo Racing Aston Martin Vantage not even half a second behind the Audi. The Bentley Motorsport team, in its first Bathurst 12-Hour with two cars, had its No. 10 Continental GT3 in the lead until the penultimate lap and in second place until the final corner, but crossed the line in fourth after some rubbin'-is-racin' action from chasers. And if pictures aren't enough, as of writing you can still watch the live stream of the entire race at the Bathurst 12-Hour site. Or, if you don't have the time, at least be sure to check out the last five minutes, below. Enjoy. Featured Gallery 2015 Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12-Hour View 118 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2015 Joel Strickland / AOL Motorsports Aston Martin Audi Bentley Nissan Coupe Racing Vehicles Videos aston martin vantage gt3

Audi UK in hot water over dealer safety claims

Car salesmen don't exactly have a reputation for being in the most truthful profession, and it appears that several Audi showrooms in the UK are playing into that stereotype. A BBC investigation found that multiple dealers told buyers that the company's models scored well in Euro NCAP crash tests. No big deal, right? The problem was that the vehicles were never actually evaluated.
The report began after an R8 buyer sent in a tip that his UK dealer claimed the sports car had received top Euro NCAP scores. However, it has never been tested by the organization. The BBC called 10 dealers inquiring about the A5 (pictured above), which also wasn't assessed. Nine said the coupe had been checked out, and six claimed it had a five-star rating - the best available.
Euro NCAP is funded by governments and motoring bodies, like the ADAC in Germany and the FIA. According to its website, the organization selects some of the most popular new models each year to crash test, and, the BBC claims, automakers can also pay to evaluate their cars. The last Audi tested was the A3 in 2012. The A6, Q3, A1, A4 and Q5 have also been tested since 2009, and they all received five-star ratings. However, the A5, A7, A8 and R8 have not been tested.