Success has many fathers, with
plenty of designers keen to have
their involvement with the TT
acknowledged. The two biggest
inf luences were Freeman Thomas,
who sketched the original 1995
concept, and Peter Schreyer, who
t r a n sl at e d mo s t of t h at m a g ic i nt o t he
production model. Special mention
is also due to Romulus Rost, who did
the groundbreaking interior. Twenty
years later, the TT often features
on lists of the most inf luential car
de si g n s. S c h r e y e r s t i l l ow n s a nd
regularly drives one, despite having
been design head at Kia since 2006.
T he T T w e nt on s a le i n Eu r op e i n
1998, but only brief ly. Several high-
speed crashes in Germany suggested
a lack of aerodynamic stability, so
production was halted while a wedgy
rear spoiler and standard stability
control were added. Earlier cars had
ESC retrofitted but not the spoiler;
the car you see here is one of the tiny
number of right-hand-drive examplesbuilt early enough not to have it.
That’s why Audi UK recently
bought it for its heritage collection,
although they agreed to let us borrow
the car for this story before giving it
any cosmetic attention. So it still has
the patina of dings, scratches and
even rust bubbles that ref lect 21 years
and 128,000 miles, behind which the
core design looks remarkably fresh
for something in its third decade.
The form is still striking if you look
beyond the familiarity, the curves
and surfaces on show without any
fussy detailing. Next to it, the latest
TT looks muscular and more modern,
but also like a hand that has been
played far more safely.The first-generation TT’s interior
i s i mpr e s si v e now; it w a s of f t he s c a le
for a mainstream car 22 years ago.
The metal rotary controls around the
air vents still feel great (Audi used
pretty much the same thing in the
A3 until the new version) and the
combination of brushed metal and
dark trim gives what still feels like a
2020 aesthetic. It feels smaller than
I remember: the front seats are set
close together, while the rear pair
barely qualify as plus-twos.
The boosty power delivery of the
turbocharged 1.8-litre engine is
entirely as I recall it. Audi offered
178bhp and 222bhp versions from
launch, with a 148bhp unit arriving
later. The company has opted to
preserve a version packing 222bhp,
that being delivered with more
enthusiasm than finesse.
The chassis balance is also no
surprise. It’s front-led but not in a
bad way; all early TTs had the Haldex
part-time four-wheel drive system,which diverts power rearwards only
when the front is running short on
g r ip. S o w h i le it ’s e a s y t o a c c e le r at e t o
the edge of understeer, neutralising a
w ide n i n g l i ne i s e a si l y done b y l i f t i n g
the throttle. It’s an easy car to drive at
a high percentage of its capability.
Time has changed some other
subjective opinions, however. In
1999, the TT didn’t stand out for
having notable steering feel, but
t he nu mb e le c t r ic he l m s of mo de r n
Mk1 TT 1.8T QUATTRO SPORT
Although there was a VR6-powered
range-topper, the most desirable Mk1
TT is the limited-run Quattro Sport,
which received a 237bhp version of the
1.8-litre turbo engine and substantial
chassis changes. Values are already
rising and cars don’t come up often;
a good one will cost around £10,000.
Mk3 TT RS TFSI QUATTRO
Among faster TTs, the five-pot RS
versions already have a cult following
and look set to be fondly remembered
a s su c h c a r s g r ow i n c r e a s i n g l y ra r e.
Early examples of the ludicrously fast
395bhp Mk3 TT RS are dropping into
the mid-£30,000s now. They will fall
further but at a gentler pace.
Mk1 TT 1.8T 180 QUATTRO
Anyone looking for a collectable early
T T m u st k i s s m a ny fr o g s to fi n d th e i r
prince. But there are pre-spoiler cars
for sensible money, especially left-
hand-drive ones that were parallel-
imported. Prices range from £2000
upwards; we discovered an early,
spoiler-free LHD coupé for £3000.
THE BEST USED TTs YOU CAN BUY
46 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 8 APRIL 2 020
When the Audi TT’s obituary is
eventually written, one thing will
be clear: the original and third-
generation versions are the ones
to go for. A spin in a Mk2 from
Audi UK’s heritage collection was
a reminder of just how difficult
i t i s to r e p l a ce a n i co n i c c a r.
Not that there’s much evidence
Audi tried too hard with the
second TT. There are design riffs
on the original with all the zip and
precision of a geriatric pub band
and it’s almost as uninspiring
to drive as it is to look at.
The interior is particularly
dull; the fact it shares its heater
controls with the first R8 might bethe most exciting thing about it.
One for collectors to skip over.
While Audi insiders have said there
are no current plans for a direct
TT replacement, the company is
well aware of both the affection
held for the dynasty and the
need for future models capable
of delivering a similar level of
emotional engagement.
When we spoke to Audi technical
development boss Hans-Joachim
Rothenpieler in March last year,
he said: “There’s a future for an
icon, but I don’t know if it’s a TT.”
SOFT IN THE
MIDDLE
WHAT’S NEXT?
Today’s car has a
fairly firm ride buthandles pleasantly
Two decades on, the
original TT remains
a joy to drive
Shifting through
the Mk1’s six manualgears is a highlight