Audi, Nissan Reveal New TT And Micra One-Make Racers: Video

Audi and Nissan may only be ‘direct rivals’ in one arena - the giant-slaying GT-R and the exotic R8 - but both have now made a pair of new track weapons available to privateer racers.

Starring in their own one-make series, each will focus again on wildly different ends of the spectrum: the powerful new TT Coupe, and Nissan’s super affordable Micra hatch.

Audi’s track-only take on the new TT Coupe will race next year in the Audi Sport TT Cup, to be run alongside Europe’s DTM touring car series.

Audi’s quattro arm will field 24 cars, with 18 made available to (approved) all-comers, while the the remaining six will go to a rotating cast of guest drivers.

The tweaked TT racer weighs in at just 1125kg, with power provided by a 228kW/400Nm+ 2.0 litre TFSI turbo four. An F1-style ‘push to pass’ system is also featured, briefly boosting output by another 22kW.

Power is sent through a six-speed S tronic dual-clutch auto that is largely identical to the production TT’s setup, delivered to the front wheels only.

Yes, there's no all-wheel grip in these racers, but an electronically variable active differential should keep traction sorted.

Audi will make champion works driver Markus Winkelhock available to coach the series’ drivers, with two races to be held in each of next year’s six rounds.

Nissan has announced a new one-make series for Canada that focuses on its ‘cheap and cheerful’ Micra hatch, again open to all-comers.

Entry into the series will require the purchase of a specially tuned Micra racer, priced in Canada at CAD$19,998 (AU$20,229).

That spend gets you a Micra running a lightly modified 1.6 litre engine, but there’s also a NISMO suspension setup, a sports exhaust, high-performance brakes and five-spoke alloys wrapped in Pirelli track tyres.