Grinning executives from one of the leading German automotive manufacturers are enthusiastically pulling the covers off an unusually shaped silhouette – and soon, its new concept car will be unveiled to the world: the Audi TT Concept. In 1995, some vehicles looked mundane. Sure, a few were attractive, but don’t forget this was seven years before the 'big-bottomed' Renault Megane shocked us all by looking so futuristic. Cars were plainer and boxier back then, so Audi revealing the Peter Schreyer-designed rounded, bubble-topped TT raised eyebrows throughout the automotive industry. Nothing on the market looked like it at the time. Most didn't notice, though, as this was also an era where manufacturers routinely unveiled alien-looking concept cars, only for the real thing to follow a few years later with a heavily dialled-back design. This habit of ‘post-concept restraint’ made the TT more impressive because, apart from slimmer rear pillars, it was almost indistinguishable from the concept car when it finally rolled off the production line. The press raved about it. The buying public bought it. And so, predictably, it was a big hit.
First Generation
Hitting the roads in 1998, the first-generation Audi TT proved as popular as it was small. Technically it had back seats, but you’d need to be a 2D cartoon character to fit in them. Power wasn't tremendous – the entry-level model was only a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine producing 150PS with front-wheel drive and a five-speed manual. Of course, this was an era where 3.0-litre V6s producing 230PS were commonplace. But the TT was lightweight, with a short wheelbase that resulted in keen handling, so driving enthusiasts quickly fell in love with it. A 163PS six-speed manual with all-wheel drive grabbed attention, although a 180PS front-wheel drive version was available with a five-speed ‘box or six-speed automatic, bringing the 0-62mph time under eight seconds for the first time. The biggest jump came with the first Quattro-badged model, still based on the 1.8-litre engine but now producing 225PS, nudging the 0-62mph time down to 6.6-seconds. This was reduced to 5.9-seconds with the 240PS model before Audi gave us what we wanted: a meaty 3.2-litre V6 engine producing 250PS. These V6 Quattro models, available with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, brought the top speed up to the fabled 155mph for the first time. And the jump in engine size gave the car improved drivability as opposed to thrashing the old 1.8-litre. However, much to enthusiasts’ frustration, the 240PS 1.8-litre version was still nearly half a second quicker to 0-62mph, compared with the 250PS 3.2-litre. While this power chasing was going on, a roadster convertible version had hit the roads in 1999, mainly offering the same powertrains. However, a 190PS version of the 1.8-litre was exclusive to the roadster version. The final version was launched in 2005 – a special limited-edition coupe called the Quattro Sport, which got the 240PS 1.8-litre engine, celebrating 25 years of Audi’s all-wheel drive system. It included the sportier bodywork of the 3.2-litre V6 version, weight-saving measures, more prominent wheel arches, larger alloys and sports seats.
Second Generation
The first heavy revision of the Audi TT’s shape came in 2006, unveiled in front of Germany’s famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. Extensive use of aluminium in its new platform helped reduce the weight to further improve handling, aided by a new active sports suspension and wider wheels. Although the TT retained its iconic rounded, semi-circular profile, its lights were thinner, adding some aggression to the looks, which also included the ‘goatee’ grille that became the centrepiece of Audi’s entire range. The 1.8-litre petrol was retained, this time producing 160PS and available with a six-speed manual and seven-speed auto with front-wheel drive. The range, though, ended up being dominated by 2.0-litre engines, which included the first diesels, producing 170PS, with six-speed manuals and automatics. Petrols produced 200PS and 211PS, some of them available with the Quattro four-wheel drive system. Of course, the 3.2-litre V6 made an appearance, still producing 250PS but now with a 0-62mph time of 5.9-seconds. Finally, TT fans got what they'd been after for years – fully-fledged S and RS versions unveiled at the 2008 North American and the 2009 Geneva International Motor Shows, respectively. The TT S stuck with a 2.0-litre engine, but it was heavily modified and produced 268PS, with a six-speed manual or automatic and, of course, the Quattro four-wheel drive system, getting from 0-62mph in 5.2-seconds (5.6-seconds in the roadster version). The TT RS featured an unusual and brand new five-cylinder 2.5-litre lump, producing 340PS with a six-speed manual, finally propelling the Audi TT from 0-62mph in a sub-five-second time for the first time – 4.5-seconds (4.7-seconds for the roadster). It could reach 174mph, although it was electronically limited as standard to 155mph.
Third Generation
A concept car unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show in 2014 set the tone for the current generation TT, revealed later that year in Geneva. Again, the vehicle retained its shape, but it was built on a different platform and updated with a new grille, which was now more hexagonal. While special performance models tend to be released later, Audi broke with tradition. Instead, it unveiled the updated Quattro TT S simultaneously, with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder powerplant producing 310PS and available with a six-speed manual or auto. In the regular coupe and roadster, the 1.8-litre 180PS engine lived on, along with a 2.0-litre turbo engine producing 230PS with front-wheel or Quattro all-wheel drive, with the sole diesel unit producing 184PS with front-wheel drive. In 2016, the TT RS was revealed, retaining the five-cylinder 3.2-litre V6 but now producing 394PS, along with Quattro all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG automatic gearbox, dropping the 0-62mph time to 3.7-seconds. A 2018 facelifted version brought subtle changes, including larger front-side air intakes. It was also the end of the road for the diesels and the ever-present 1.8-litre engine. Instead, Audi switched to offering only 2.0-litre petrols, producing 197PS with a six-speed manual and 245PS, obtainable with a six-speed manual or automatic. The TT S, meanwhile, got an overhaul, too. It lost a bit of power, with its 2.0-litre engine now producing 306PS, but was still marginally quicker than its predecessor from 0-62mph (4.5-sec) thanks to the DSG seven-speed automatic. A special TT S Black Edition got some cosmetic design tweaks, while Audi introduced its virtual cockpit in the TT for the first time. The TT S Competition Plus added some cosmetics and 20-inch alloys, upping the power to 320PS, with a 0-62mph time remaining at 4.5-seconds. The TT RS got a modest power upgrade to 400PS, but that didn’t stop Audi from shaving another half-a-second off the 0-62mph time, which now stands at 3.2-seconds.
Discontinuation
Sadly, there will be no fourth generation of the Audi TT as the manufacturer focuses on an all-electric future. In 2019, bosses at Audi admitted that re-packaging the TT to accommodate batteries wasn’t feasible within its current design. But it is not all bad news – and Audi is not turning its back on vehicles like the TT altogether. It still wants a TT-like sports car, but it’ll need to completely re-think it. What has been suggested is a smaller version of its all-electric Audi e-tron GT sports car, in which the outline of the TT’s iconic shape is very evident. The e-tron GT, however, has four doors. So it won't surprise us if the successor to the TT does, too, at a time when increasing numbers of people are giving up sports cars in favour of more family-friendly solutions, including SUVs and crossovers. The ‘next TT’ likely won’t be called the TT, nor will it be a direct replacement for it. But at least Audi is well aware of the fondness for its iconic sports coupe, and whatever replaces it will likely carry the TT's spirit on.
