TT RS ‘Special Vehicle for Launch’

[dxl]

There’s a car I’m looking at which was one of the first MK3 TT RS’s to be registered in the UK. It’s pretty much fully loaded and carries a special code S9T (Special Vehicle for Launch) as an option.

Now after a bit of research, there’s a good chance that this may have been press cars for review, does anyone have more info on this? There’s an almost identical model with a KX66 plate that’s all over YouTube videos when you search for review. It seems KX66 may have been the reg prefix for most of the TT RS models at launch.

Ideally I’d want to avoid a press ex demo car but it seems in good condition and has low mileage @ 5k, two owners Should I be wary or am I’m just being too cautious?

 

[Evil Derboy]

Funny you should mention this. I found the same PR code on an RS5 that was for sale on Autotrader. It was also fully loaded and had many interior decorative elements that are not customers simply cannot spec in the UK.

I used it to come up with the part number for the mats that I wanted. Never occurred to me that this might be a press car but it was being sold by an indie even though it was only a year old.

Thing is a press car isn't problematic in itself. Worst case scenario is that consumable items have been stressed but these should have been replaced. Assume if its a 66 plate it's still under manufacturers warranty?

 

[dxl]

It does indeed have warranty up until the end of October next year so that’s a little reassurance - I guess I can still extend this with Audi?

It was competitively priced to which makes you wonder why! This is the problem when you get a good deal, it puts doubt in your head...

Generally speaking, there’s two trains of thought:

1) It’s be ragged to bits for review so avoid at all costs.

2) They are typically better built as they are reviewed and driving the car hard actually loosens things better for you!

This is all with the assumption that the car I’m looking at is a press car, there’s a slim chance it may not be at all. The car appears (not 100% sure this is accurate) to be registered by Audi UK and moved onto a Audi dealer to sell when it was just under 2k mileage in 2017/18. It was purchased from the dealer with this mileage and now sits at 5k so it does seem very low for a 66 plate...

 

[Evil Derboy]

I’d buy it.

 

[D0C]

All the original KX66 cars were press demos, heavily abused and launched a lot. Personally I would avoid.

You can pick up some 67 plates for not much more. Great car, though. Would highly recommend it.

 

[Terminator x]

What does it have that a "regular" TTRS doesn't?

TX.

 

[dxl]

All the original KX66 cars were press demos, heavily abused and launched a lot. Personally I would avoid.

You can pick up some 67 plates for not much more. Great car, though. Would highly recommend it.

This is exactly what I was concerned about. I guess you never really know. I was hoping that there were a few KX66 models which didn’t get abused by the press...

The only thing it has that regular TT RS’s doesn’t have from what I can see is the limited colour choice seats and internal trim which are cream/charcoal grey.

Other than that, nothing else is unique in that sense. It does have almost £13k worth of the options ticked which is pretty much everything...

 

[luke_m87]

It may be Porsche related, but assume Audi would do similar for RS press cars
https://www.pistonheads.com/news/features/porsche-uk-operations-workshop-ph-meets/38239
I remembered reading this earlier in the year, it sounds like although given a hard time they are also well maintained throughout their working life.

To be honest whats to say any second hand car hasn't been driven to within an inch of it life every time the ignition has been switched on by a previous owner?
I'd say if you think it's a good deal with more then a usual UK spec car, has another years warranty with Audi, you have some peace of mind, but ultimately it's a second hand car it's always a risk.

 

[Terminator x]

Luke I guess it is more likely to have been thrashed vs a one owner and FSH car perhaps as the journo's are not known for testing the highest mpg when out doing reviews! As you say though offset by good maintenance for sure + warranty cover intact for a while yet.

TX.

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