There's more than just a flat mountain and some gnarly waves in Cape Town. Venture away from the city centre along either national highway to the tune of 50km, and driving nirvana begins. Franschhoek Pass, Helshoogte and the Rooi Els roads – these three were selected to test the mettle of the new TT RS, not just because they are easily sewn together and burned through within an hour but also because they represent perhaps the finest collection of heavily cambered twisties the Cape has to offer.

We spend six hours revelling in them. Blame our photographer. It’s as if a racing circuit was crafted in the air above it then dropped to rest precariously along the beautiful, albeit treacherous topography. Hairpins, carousels, chicanes, crests and bends that tighten up then blossom into straights. Attack them with anything this side of a Chery QQ and a smile is all yours when you emerge at the end of your trip.

But the main event is not the landscape, nor the wonderful blacktop. And this is no Chinese hatch, because Audi’s TT RS means business. Rev it up from idle and the telltale turbo aspirated five-cylinder engine note spools to a crescendo. At the peak of the rev limiter, jump off the throttle and a glorious whipcrack whooshes through the cabin as the revs fall reluctantly back down to 800rpm. All ready for business then. This was going to be a long day and begins with a winding uphill onto the first ‘stage’.

AT THE JUMP-OFF

Still life. The TT RS shatters it. The Franschhoek Pass is all but empty, with a slight onset of mist truncating the horizon. All that’s visible between the tall trees is grey. You’d almost call it serene, were it not for the sound of a hard charging coupe, its bright blue paintwork fiercely animated with the silhouettes of passing foliage. Chaos ensues as five cylinders pound out 250kW through four driven 18 inch alloy hoops. The exhaust note is raspy, off beat and enhanced with the sci-fi soundtrack of the turbo, trumpeting via a performance exhaust system and filling the cabin with a deep induction roar.