Anniversary of a myth: the Audi TT turns 25

Since its presentation back in 1998, the Audi TT has earned a reputation as one of the most iconic and recognised models of the German brand, thanks to its avant-garde, acclaimed design that was a major breakthrough at the time, and to its excellent balance between comfort and performance, which won over enthusiasts all over the world.

Following the success of the A8 in the mid-1990s, the transition from the Audi 100 to the A6 and from the Audi 80 to the A4, the arrival of the A3 in 1996 and the arrival of the second generation of the A6 in 1997, designer Freeman Thomas, together with head of design Peter Schreyer, created the Audi TT Coupé, presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1995. A model whose very name (TT) was a reference to the legendary Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man, and which also remained faithful to the design of its concept prototype, one of the features most highlighted by the press of the time.

A model that the years have not caught up with

Torsten Wenzel, exterior designer at Audi, even today describes the Audi TT as “a sculpture in motion, with surfaces and lines of the highest quality”, which means that even now the first generation of the Audi TT still looks modern and timeless.

Series production of the Audi TT in its coupé version began in 1998, followed by the Roadster version a year later. From the outset, the TT was built at the Audi Hungary Motor Kft. plant, although the painted bodies of the TT were transported by rail to Ingolstadt, where the final assembly process took place.

The engine range of the first generation of the TT included a four-cylinder turbo engine producing between 150 and 225 CV and a 3.2-litre V6 that produced 250 CV.

A sales success

Over the eight years that the first Audi TT was on sale, the company of the four rings delivered a total of 178,765 units of the coupé variant and 90,733 units of the Audi TT Roadster.

The second generation of the Audi TT maintained its focus on “reduction to the essentials”, although for the first time it used adaptive dampers with the Audi magnetic ride system as an optional extra. In addition, in 2008 Audi launched the TTS, equipped with a 2-litre engine producing 272 CV, and the TT RS a year later with a five-cylinder 2.5-litre engine producing 340 CV, and even 360 CV in the TT RS Plus.

The third generation of the Audi TT, presented in 2014, introduced a host of innovations, such as a fully digital instrument cluster with versatile and highly detailed displays, OLED technology, and increased power in its RS version, which now produced 400 CV.

Getting ever closer to the arrival of the new generation of the Audi TT, the brand of the four rings is offering the special edition TT RS Coupé iconic edition, limited to 100 units and featuring Nardo Grey as its signature colour.