ZOLDER, BELGIUM // Not so very long ago, had you wanted to squeeze more than two horsepower out of every cubic inch of your road-going car, you would have had to embark on some pretty drastic measures. Not only might you have had to slap on a super-size-me turbocharger to achieve that incredible specific horsepower, but you would almost certainly have had to shell out for some mondo- expensive Carrillo connecting rods lest you want to frag the bottom end of the engine. Ditto for the crankshaft, which might have seen a substitution for a forged item to deal with the increased revs. You might have even had to replace the cylinder studs, because all of that increased combustion pressure might have literally lifted the poor cylinder off its moorings and melted the head gasket. Even with all that, there's every chance that the engine would have grenaded the first time you revved it past 6,500 rpm in anger.
Now, all that you have to do is mosey on down to your friendly neighbourhood Audi dealer, cut him a cheque for around ?55,000 (Dh281,500) and you can walk off with a brand-new 2010 Audi TT RS. Not only does it boast a whopping 340 horsepower from its tiny, little 2.5L (152 cubic inches) engine, but it does so with the promise of everyday drivability, Audi even has the audacity to offer such a hot rod with its standard new car powertrain warranty.
To get that much horsepower from such a small engine, Audi's engineers had to seriously tweak the turbo boost. Where so many turbocharged engines max out at about eight pounds per square inch of boost, the little Audi runs a dragster-like 18 psi. Normally this would require a super-low compression ratio (and the attendant "turbo lag" at low rpm) to prevent detonation, but the RS enjoys both direct fuel injection and a huge air-to-air intercooler, both of which makes all that turbo boost liveable despite the RS's 10:1 compression ratio. The end result is a four-wheel-drive Audi with an engine not much bigger than a Jetta's being able to scoot to 100 kilometres an hour in just 4.6 seconds, well in Boxster S territory
That's pretty amazing stuff for such a small engine. But once you punch the little Audi past 2,500 rpm, it seems to gain a few cylinders and a few litres in displacement. On the German autobahn between Cologne and Koblenz, the RS catapulted quite rapidly to 250kph before gradually eking out a 270kph top-end (removing the governor that typically limits Audis to 250kph is an available option). This is definitely not your typical girlie Audi TT.
Indeed, with a V8-like 447Nm available as low as 1,600 rpm, the TT RS is a veritable torque monster. Like so many turbocharged engines, however, the RS's 2.5L shuts down quite early. Though it's redlined at 6,800 rpm, those maximum 340 horses arrive at a relatively low 5,400 rpm. And though the power doesn't drop off dramatically above 6,000, the higher rpm serve little purpose other than over-rev ability on the racetrack. On the street, no matter how fast you're hooning about, keeping the tach between 3,000 and 5,500 rpm sees the TT RS at its happiest. It's a little like surfing the crest of very powerful wave; keep the 2.5L in its mid-range sweet spot and it's all smooth, linear acceleration, but rev it higher and it gets rough and far less happy. Getting the most of the RS means short-shifting the six-speed manual box long before the five-cylinder starts making uncomfortable thrashing noises.
Unlike TTs of past, the RS's chassis is also up to the job of handling all this performance. Certainly, the coupe version's combined aluminium and steel framework is stiff enough to handle the new found turn of speed. But what really makes the new TT stand out is Audi's optional hi-tech magnetic ride suspension. Essentially, magnetic ride consists of shock absorbers with damping fluid containing tiny magnetic particles. Applying an electrical current to the dampers changes the microscopic particles alignment and, therefore, the fluid's viscosity. If the particles align parallel to the flow of the shock's damper oil, there's less resistance and a more comfortable ride; if they align perpendicular to the flow of the oil, there's more resistance and firmer suspension. The system is one of the most sophisticated and quickest reacting adjustable suspensions available (similar to those on top-end Cadillacs and Corvettes) and has a wider range of damping than most adjustable suspensions.
It certainly helps invigorate the TT's handling. Flung through low-speed hairpins at racing speeds, the RS will still push the front end, though far less than on more pedestrian models. The TT's quattro all-wheel-drive system definitely demands a slow-in, fast-out approach to switchbacks. But the RS comes into its own through high-speed sweepers. Thanks to some optional 255/35R19 sport radials, grip through Zolder's remaining fourth and fifth gear turns was remarkable, and the magnetic ride system in its firmest setting virtually eliminates roll. You also have to credit the hi-tech suspension system for the TT RS's phenomenal (for such a small car) high-speed stability during out forays to 270kph on the autobahn. That it does so without unduly punishing more delicate behinds is the icing on the cake.
Said posteriors had better be diminutive if you opt for the available Sport seats. The TT has always been a car for the small frame, but the RS's sport seats are the tightest I have ever experienced. As deeply bolstered as any Recaro race seat, the RS's front buckets are barely wide enough for my overly exercised, skinny, white butt. If your Levis are any wider than a 34 regular, you may have trouble fitting into the RS. On the other hand, all that generous side bolstering was welcome when we were tossing the RS to and fro on Belgium's famed Zolder circuit. Of course, the TT's rear perches are best reserved for the legless, both figuratively or literally.
The rest of the interior is standard Audi fare; that is to say a combination of excellent build quality with the finest quality leather and trim bits. Unlike other Audis, the centre dashboard is not festooned with a plethora of buttons. As befits the RS's pure sports car intent, the switchgear is far more basic than standard Audi fare. Even the TT's navigation system is relatively easy to use. Less noteworthy, though, is Audi's use of a Bose audio system in the RS. This is the top echelon of TT-dom and deserves the Bang & Olufsen equipment that other top-of-the-range Audis boast. Bose has been riding its once storied name for quite some time and has been simply passed by as a premium audio supplier.
Certainly, the rest of the car reeks of the best of Audi. The company's success at endurance racing has to be credited for its ability to make what should be a highly-strung and short-lived go-kart feel so sophisticated. It certainly doesn't feel like the effeminate TTs of yore. There is no date yet on when the TT RS will come to the UAE, and Audi Middle East does not have a set price for it yet. motoring@thenational.ae
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
HAJJAN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Abu%20Bakr%20Shawky%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3EStarring%3A%20Omar%20Alatawi%2C%20Tulin%20Essam%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al-Hasawi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
Stage 4
1. Dylan Groenewegen (NED) Jumbo-Visma 04:16:13
2. Gaviria (COL) UAE Team Emirates
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) Bora-Hansgrohe
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
General Classification:
1. Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 16:46:15
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 0:01:35
4. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5. Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
%3Cp%3EThe%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20-%20Abu%20Dhabi%E2%80%99s%20Arabic%20Language%20Centre%20will%20mark%20International%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Day%20at%20the%20Bologna%20Children's%20Book%20Fair%20with%20the%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Translation%20Conference.%20Prolific%20Emirati%20author%20Noora%20Al%20Shammari%2C%20who%20has%20written%20eight%20books%20that%20%20feature%20in%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Education's%20curriculum%2C%20will%20appear%20in%20a%20session%20on%20Wednesday%20to%20discuss%20the%20challenges%20women%20face%20in%20getting%20their%20works%20translated.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE%20SPECS
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Company profile
Name: Fruitful Day
Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie
Based: Dubai, UAE
Founded: 2015
Number of employees: 30
Sector: F&B
Funding so far: Dh3 million
Future funding plans: None at present
Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
