fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
When you hear a turbocharged inline five, there’s nothing else that sounds quite like it. When Stuart showed up at our fifteen52 x ModAuto meet a while back, everyone turned their head to look at his stunning 8J Audi TT-RS. Growling and rumbling with a distinctive Borla exhaust, there’s no missing this car.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Stuart is a huge gearhead, in addition to the 8J Audi TT-RS, his current stable includes a ’14 VW CC R-Line that’s lowered on 3-Piece HRE Performance Wheels and a 99 VW Eurovan Camper (with lots of Camper guy type mods). If that wasn’t enough to tell you that he’s a VW fan, his previous car was a VW Golf MK III GTI/TDI that was slammed on BBS RS wheels, among many other Euro and other hot hatch type cars, including even a EK Honda Civic hatch with a JDM Integra GSR swap back in 2002, when such things were all the rage (but as with all cars that don’t pass smog, it was very hard to keep). Stuart even runs a youtube channel at http://wheeliecoolvideos.com of the various car events he attends and such, which brings us to the TT-RS you see today.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
This is a 2012 TT-RS in Suzuka Gray with 45k much-enjoyed miles on the car, and though it was a TT-RS to begin with, sporting an angry turbo 2.5L inline five under the hood, Stuart didn’t exactly leave things stock. Giving the car the drop that makes it look as good as it does while retaining the use of the factory MAGRIDE system is a set of MSS Height Adjustable Springs, meaning that while the car is lowered, hitting the Sport Button still works.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
While the ECU is totally stock, the car has been given a lot more growl by first upgrading the TT Exhaust with a Borla ATAK Cat-Back Exhaust system for Audi TT-RS, paired with a decatted OEM downpipe to give the car that signature turbo growl. Stuart tells us that he loves his Borla exhaust because it not only offers an amazing, ear-pleasing sound, but also because it doesn’t drone.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
It’s no secret the factory Audi TT Mk II intake system is designed to dampen intake noise, both stifling the motor’s breathing ability and eliminating that awesome turbo spool sound you bought a frigging TT-RS to enjoy in the first place. Helping the car breathe is a CTS Turbo Cold Air Intake system in place of the factory 8J Audi TT intake, giving the car a lot more turbo noise, that “Blow Off Valve” pshh sound we all love and of course, a bit more power. Up front the lower lip spoiler has been wrapped in gloss black vinyl to give the car more of an aggressive look while keying into the other black accents in the front end’s design.
As you can see, the effect of that simple piece of vinyl creates a more aggressive look, and even pairs nicely with the factory carbon fiber power fold mirrors.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Looking closely at the rear of the car, not only does it sport a black powdercoated (and now discontinued) aluminum diffuser from Borla, creating some real aerodynamic benefits, and to help further the look is a MTM Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser, finishing off the RS look of the car. It’s only natural that the MTM Carbon Fiber piece design blends right in and looks like it belongs there, seeing as MTM is the OEM supplier of the TT-RS’ factory carbon fiber mirrors. What’s more, the four fins of the MTM diffuser line up perfectly with the fins of the Borla lower rear diffuser.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Further enhancing the handling ability of the TT-RS Suspension are 034 Motorsport Track Density Strut Mounts, which improves your feel for both the road and sharpens the feel of the steering. In addition, a set of 034 Rear Trailing Arm Bushings help make the rear end feel much more connected.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
To totally eliminate any hint of understeer, Stuart has also fitted an H&R Rear Sway Bar for Audi TT Mk II to sharpen up the car’s line mid-corner.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Just barely visible in this shot is the Aluminum Shift Knob from an Audi A1, a model not sold here. The aluminum factory shift knob has an R8 sort of feel to it and enhances the sporty aesthetic of the Audi TT interior and looks totally at home amongst the alcantara and leather.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
With the mods it has, you’d have to imagine the car accelerates even faster, which means you need more stopping power. The Audi TT Brakes have been upgraded for the increased demand of the added power with a set of Porterfield R4-S brake pads front and rear. The trick with upgrading the brakes is choosing a pad that still works well on the street without making compromises like living with excessive brake dust or horrific nails-on-chalkboard-screeching when coming to a stop. The R4-S is a hybrid compound that suits both aggressive driving and street cruising well, Stuart tells us they’re both easy on his rotors and most importantly, they don’t SQUEAK.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
The rear spoiler uprights and rear lower lip spoiler have been painted gloss black to complete the black/carbon/white RS theme the car has going on.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
While the car used to roll on a set of Forgestar CF5 19×9 ET42 wheels for Audi from right here at ModBargains, he upgraded a few months ago to a set of extremely rare Forged Monoblock wheels from fifteen52.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
What he went with is simply stunning – a set of fifteen52 Forged Turbomac wheels for Audi, in brushed finish, which was then hit with a dark tinted powdercoat, creating the stunning look you see here. As you’d expect of a quattro, it’s a square fitment of 18×9 ET38 both front and rear.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
The tires are 245/40-18 BF Goodrich Rivals both front and rear, which despite their 200 treadwear rating, have lasted well for Stuart and work well on the car. This TT-RS is a car that gets driven hard and often, so they’ve been pushed to their limits and have performed well both on the street and on tracks, both in the wet and dry.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Really, there’s only so much we can say about the build, so at this point we’ll let the car speak for itself. Check out the rest of the gratuitous photo gallery below.
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
fifteen52 Forged Turbomac Brushed w/Tinted Clear 18×9 ET38 / 18×9 ET38
245/40-18 / 245/40-18 BFG Rival Tires on MSS Height Adjustable Springs (with OE MAGRIDE)
Thanks for joining us – thanks to Stuart for sharing his build with us, we hope you enjoyed the photos as much as we enjoyed shooting them.
Interested in modifying any aspect of your 8J Audi TT or TT-RS? We invite you to consult our team of Modification Experts. Each member of our team owns and modifies their own personal vehicles and have years of firsthand experience building modified cars – give them a call at 714-582-3330, chat live at ModBargains.com or just stop by the ModAuto showroom (which is also our install facility) in La Habra, CA on Lambert Rd at Harbor Blvd Monday thru Saturday, 8am – 5pm PST.
Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next time!
Story & Photos by Nick Gregson