SP Rides: Audacious Attraction
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Name: Shane Placke
Age: 33
Occupation: U.S. Army
Hobbies: Soccer, cars, free-diving, surfing, skydiving
Year, Make, Model: 2012 Audi TT RS
Color: Suzuka Gray
Engine: APR downpipe, APR catback exhaust, custom made carbon fiber intake, APR stage 2 tune, carbon fiber wrapping
Exterior: Various carbon fiber wrapping
Interior: Custom covered front and rear seats
Suspension: Airlift Performance suspension with E-level management
Wheels: Custom ordered 19-by-9.5 VMR v710FF wheels, Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position tires
Like a lot of car enthusiasts, Shane Placke started off with a basic, reliable Honda. It was your every day economical, point-A-to-B car that was super modifiable. He’s come a long way since then having made the slow switch to AWD rides such as the Subaru STi and the Golf R. As he became more accustomed to the higher end feel of European build quality, he opted for something a bit rarer and a little faster. And so, enter this gorgeous 2012 Audi TT RS.
The TT RS had been in production for the European market since 2009, however in 2012 it finally landed upon our shores. The TT model line has been quite the standout but with time it has been given a much more sportier appearance thanks to its new sloping lines. With a number plate of 91 out of 421 brought to the U.S., Placke set about modifying this ride to his expectations.
Placke is a hands-on type of guy, which means all of the modifications were added by himself, including some custom fabrication. “I love to put in the work to get the satisfaction knowing I was the one behind it,” he said.
The first modifications made were all of the bolt-ons that include an APR downpipe, a custom-made, one-of-a-kind carbon fiber intake as well as an APR catback exhaust.
Alongside these modifications is an APR Stage 2 tune which is an ECU upgrade that was installed by Black Forest Industries. This modification brought the ride form 360HP at the crank to just over 400HP at the wheels. Thankfully, the drivetrain loss due to the AWD system is fairly nominal so this is some serious traction going on here.
Next came some experimenting with lowering springs and some visual enhancements such as carbon fiber wraps for the mirrors and engine bay. Custom made leather seat covers with red accented inserts give the interior a bit of extra spice, and the awesome RS logo puddle lights really set this car apart.
Soon came the stunning, custom ordered 19-by-9.5 VMR v710FF wheels. These wheels really changed the look of the ride when combined with the ground-hugging Bridgestone Potenza S-04s. With the road conditions the way they are, it became necessary to go with one of the best air suspension systems around by Airlift Performance. All of this was installed by Placke into a custom enclosure that fits neatly into the rear trunk. The tank itself has been wrapped in an “Audilicious” bubble gum theme that makes for a great talking piece.
While Placke is all for showing off his own flavor, he also enjoys meeting new people and checking out the different styles represented at different events he attends like car meets, cruises or barbecues. Just like a few of his fellow car enthusiasts that he meets up with, he likes to share that putting your own blood, sweat and tears in to your own ride, makes it that much more of a rewarding ride.
