Surprisingly, the first-generation Audi TT has never gotten the proper Curbside Classic treatment, despite no fewer than two of this site’s contributors having owned one at some point (here, and one that I briefly owned). I’ve been meaning to correct this situation for a while now, especially now that the earliest models are approaching 20 years of age: I’ve just been waiting for the right car to come along. That problem finally solved itself when I recently snagged this stunning Denim Blue example in a parking lot. I could tell right away it was an early production model, lacking the rear spoiler that was added early on, as we shall see. When I got home and ran the VIN, I confirmed that it was an early 2000 model (the second model year of production).
1991 Audi Avus quattro concept
Retro style was all the rage in the 1990s and early 2000s: While Chrysler and GM were looking back to the 1940s for inspiration with their pontoon-fendered PT Cruiser and HHR (respectively), Audi was reaching back a bit further for inspiration for their retro concepts: the aluminum-bodied Auto Union streamliners of the 1930s. The first of these was the Avus quattro, created by legendary designer J Mays, which debuted at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show.
1995 Audi TT Concept
Following in the success of the Avus (and with encouragement from Ferdinand Piëch), Audi decided to commission a production-ready concept using similar 1930s inspired themes, built on the VW PQ34 (A4) platform. (Ed. Note: “A4” in this case refers to the VW Group’s previous platform naming convention, not the Audi A4 model. The TT is based on the platform that underpins the VW Golf, Jetta, New Beetle etc. and not that which underpins the Audi A4 model.) As with the Avus, the design of this concept was largely an American creation, being penned by Freeman Thomas in the Volkswagen Design Center in California. Freeman’s boss at the time was the aforementioned J. Mays, with whom Freeman previously collaborated on the design of the VW New Beetle. You can see some hints of the New Beetle in the design of the TT, especially around the rear roofline of the coupe.
The Audi TT Concept first appeared in 1995 at the Frankfurt International Auto Show as a coupe, and later that year at the Tokyo Motor Show as a roadster. It was actually closer to production-ready then most people suspected at the time: The production model that arrived in showrooms in September of 1998 was surprisingly similar to the concept. The biggest difference was the addition of a quarter window to each of the rear roof pillars. In my eyes, the additional windows are a considerable improvement: This reduced the visual bulk of the rear roof pillar, and gives a more flowing look by having the glass follow the same curves as the roofline. You can see this effect particularly well in the hero photo at the beginning of this article.
The TT launched in the US in mid-1999 with a base price of $32,775 (equivalent to $50,511 in 2019). Initially, the TT was available with just two powertrain combinations: The base, front-wheel drive model came with a version of the VW Group’s turbocharged 20-valve 1.8L inline-four, mounted transversely, good for 180 hp and 193 lb-ft. of torque. Opt for the Haldex “quattro” all-wheel drive, and the power output of the 1.8T jumped to 225 hp and 206 lb-ft. thanks to a slightly larger turbo and extra intercooler. In either case, the only available transmission was a stick shift (5 gears for the FWD and six for the Quattro), something that would be inconceivable today.
Running changes over the course of the first generation were minor: A convertible was added in 2000 (all 1999 TTs were coupes). During the 2000 model year, electronic stability control was made standard, and a rear spoiler was added to address high-speed instability issues resulting from the drooping trunkline and its commensurate lack of downforce. In 2003, a six-speed Tiptronic was added for those unwilling to shift their own gears. And in 2005, a 247 hp 3.2L VR6 with a six-speed DSG became the top powertrain offering.
Back to our featured car. In true Curbside Classic fashion, it is clearly someone’s daily driver. It appears to be a relatively low-spec model, with the base 180 HP 1.8L turbocharged four and front-wheel drive (as indicated by the single exhaust tip and lack of Quattro badging). It was fitted with Sumitomo all-season tires that had so many sipes on them that at first, I thought they were snow tires. But what really drew me to this particular example was its stunning Denim Blue color, and I’m not generally a fan of blue cars. So many of these Audi TTs came in achromatic shades of black, silver, and grey that I am surprised whenever I see one in an actual color like this.
Wow! Look at that blue interior!
The polarizing styling of the Audi TT is a love-it or hate-it affair, and by now it should be pretty clear where my heart is. While I love all of the first-generation TTs, the early production run coupes without the spoiler are my favorite. To my eye, the spoiler ruins the otherwise flowing lines of the car. Audi came up with a much more elegant solution to this problem with the motorized rear spoiler introduced in the second-generation model, which deploys only when needed (at speeds above 70 mph), and then retracts again once you get below 40 mph.
Unfortunately, the future for the TT (at least as we know it) is not bright. A perennial slow-seller, Audi is lucky to sell 250 of them in the US on a good month. Indeed, Audi has already confirmed that the current third-generation model of the sports coupe will be the last. As of this writing, rumors are swirling that in the future the TT name will be affixed to (what else), a BEV crossover, as Audi (like most other automakers), looks to electrify their fleet and fill their showrooms with an ever-increasing array of SUVs. The proposed name for this crossover? eTTron.
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COAL: 2001 Audi TT Quattro Coupe – Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, Have You Reached a Verdict?
A car I’ve always wanted. But Audi reputation for repair costs and complexity have kept me from making the move.
Most of the moving bits are shared with the Mk. IV Golf/GTI, so they are not really as expensive or difficult to maintain as you might think.
A close friend of mine had a TT for the longest time.
He often gave me lectures on it’s “superior German engineering” as I gave him rides to and from the Audi service department in my duller and lesser Lincoln and Toyota.
I never had a TT (nor any Audi) but have really done the VW bit, having owned no other make since 1981.
My current car is a 2000 Golf (which is the A4 generation as this TT) which I’ve had since new, 19 years now. Though I can’t claim it has been trouble free (none of my VWs have been that), they have been pretty durable, but I’ve held onto them even through pretty major repairs…this year the power steering went on my Golf, and last year the shifter cables. Some might question fixing some of this on an old car, but I think for me I’m trying to postpone getting the really fuddy duddy car that I’ll eventually need to replace the VW with…nobody else in my family drives standard, and I’m sure I’m in denial that I should be driving an automatic by now (I’ve had some injuries that have made driving with clutch no fun for awhile…but then I recover and forget about it).
Most of the problems I’ve had haven’t been serious, but if you insist on a pristine vehicle where everything works as new, this isn’t the car for you. VW had problems with power window regulators where the window fell into the door, which have been attended to on my car, but other problems, like non-functioning power door locks which affect 2 of the 5 doors on my car I’ve simply lived with (I just open the functioning doors and manually unlock the non-working ones). I wish the car didn’t have power locks but starting with the A4 cars even plebian base model VWs came with them (I guess keyless entry was a big deal starting in the 90’s, and it is hard to do keyless entry with manual locks).
My Dad’s best friend’s son had a TT for awhile when they first came out, but he moved on (maybe not so much because he didn’t like the TT but he became a family man and I’m sure the TT wasn’t the most practical vehicle for him). I’m more of a practical person and though I’d likely get another Golf, wouldn’t consider a TT nor a Beetle (of course they’re planning to stop making the latter).
I’ve owned at least seven or eight Audis, some as long as 15 years. That reputation is undeserved, at least in my case. Some of them (96 A4, 2000 A6, 2007 RS6) were company cars that I took well over 100,000 miles. Some were purchased by other company employees who also had no issues as they racked up the miles. The only two cars I’ve owned that I would classify as lemons were an ‘87 Honda Accord LXi and a 2001 M-B CLK 430.
I have owned 2001 and 2003 convertible audi tt both were approaching 300000 km mark and now own a 2008 3.2L with 290000kms. I hardlyr ever took these cars to shop other then oil changes. I was a toyota dude but now I absloulty love the audi.
One of these pre-spoiler cars showed up directly across the street from my driveway this spring, parked. Black on black, excellent condition. I admired the smart detailing and overall shape when these were new (and thought the following spoiler cars were, quite frankly, spoiled with that addition), so I took much notice. Well, the car didn’t leave for several days. As a smoker, I will go outside each morning I wake up, sit on my raised sidewalk (I’m on a fairly steep hill) and indulge. One of those mornings, an older gentleman is under the hood of this TT working away. Parked in front of the TT is an almost new A8. I start talking to him since he’s basically 15 feet away about the TT. It’s his fun toy, and even though it broke down, “they are simple to work on”. Nicest man, sincerely. He tried for another three days to fix that car in front of my house each morning before I’d assume he had it towed… Not confidence inspiring. I later found out he lives up my street. The TT has yet to reappear, yet he and the A8 most certainly have been spotted around.
Nice find, not too many of the very early ones around anymore. There are a surprising number of second and third generation TT’s out here in Tokyo, I noticed several today. You are right, adding that little rear window makes a significant difference in the attractiveness of these first ones.
I’ve been in several on track (as a passenger) back when they were new(er) and they are very quick and very nimble when set up properly (i.e. not left stock), and perfectly fine as road cars. Plenty of power, secure handling in inclement conditions (mostly, heh heh), buckets of style and lots of upgrade potential.
I kinda liked these when they first appeared now not so much the blue does look good Audis seem to be silver or black at least most of the oes I see are no doubt they come in other colours too, I have seen TTs selling really cheap what problems the cheap prices were trying to mask I dont know but anything VW group is very expensive for parts here but no doubt like other European brands there are specialist wreckers somewhere who can supply anything they need, the 2.0T doesnt seem overly powerful Ive outrun two in different model Audis recently up hill in my 2.0 diesel, one was a A5 which is bigger no doubt heavier than a TT but he had three goes at getting past on three seperat occasions and just couldnt muster the power, but a TT is a sporty driving car no a straight line rocketship and it would do ok at that within the limits of what Audis are capable of/
I do like that blue interior.
I’ve mostly been in the hate it camp when it comes to the TT styling. It looked to my eye like a squashed new Beetle with Audi badges and headlights, and it’s influence on subsequent sports cars, exchanging the classic 80s-90s wedge profile for this close coupled more upright arch shape (most obviously displayed on the Nissan 350z), makes me very bitter towards it. I have to agree however that the interior is excellent, I didn’t realize they ever came in colors either, every one I’ve known had charcoal/black inside.
Oddly I always liked the Avus Quattro concept, I had a matchbox car and a poster of it in my bedroom, and it still looks timeless – every current supercar looks just like it – but the TT came out when I was 10, where I should have still been fairly impressionable but if I did recognize any connection between the TT and Avus I came off thinking the design got compromised and botched like so many concepts do into production constraints.
If that’s true about the TT name being used on a crossover it really is true that these are the end times. I don’t even like the thing and I find that a disgrace
” It looked to my eye like a squashed new Beetle with Audi badges and headlights”
You know I never thought of it like that, but now that you pointed it out I can’t unsee it.
I like these, especially that blue interior. Not something I would buy for myself though.
Take one of these and park it next to a New Beetle and look at the wheel arches. They look (and may very well be) identical.
As a kid, I remember the abstract “Wake Up Call” commercial from the TT’s launch.
https://youtu.be/h6P7D3TzJcg
The TT always reminded me of being the modern day equivalent of the Karmann Ghia.
I love this shape. Arguably the best from Audi in the last 20 years, and given they had some fantastic sedans and wagons during that time, that saying something about this superbly redressed Golf.
I worked for a woman who had one in denim blue. She was an absolute nightmare to work with, but it was nice to see in the carpark.
I have never come under this car’s spell. But I do like the blue – as mentioned several times, all of the others seem to be silver.
A woman in our homebrewing circles had one of these. It was blue, but I don’t remember it being THAT gorgeous of a color. Perhaps photographic and lighting differences are playing tricks on the mind. Maybe they came in a couple of different blues, and hers was not this exact color.
I too love that blue interior. We discussed favorite interior colors last week, and IIRC, blue seemed to be the class favorite. ;o)
This blue is BEAUTIFUL; but I will never forget seeing one of these still wearing dealer plates, T-boned in an intersection! The entire side was torn open, and I wondered about the surviability of anyone inside at the time.
This is one car I’d insist on having in silver. Silver TTs just look… right. Also, no rear spoiler, please. Glad that fad has died down.
That interior looks fantastic! The colour!