Time for TT - The Audi TT Story

The Audi TT is in my opinion one of the best styled cars in the past 30 years. And I’ve put my money where my mouth is - I owned one for 9 years. I loved every minute, even taking it around the track. But I’m waiting for the next car with a style so unique that I’ve just got to own it. It’s a car that’s spanned four decades through three different guises and ended production in November 2023. So, just where did the inspiration for the TT come from, what disaster struck just after it launched and did the second and third generation improve on the TT formula?
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Sources
Patrick le Quément interview ( • Renault Sport Spider -... )
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeman...
• Freeman Thomas | Seaso...
The TT Story - Jürgen Lewandowski, David Staretz, Herbert Völker
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theoriginals.renault.com/en/a...
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_A8
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C5%91r
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en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswa...
ExciTTement - Dirk Maxeiner, Jürgen Lewandowski, Peter Vann
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#bigcar

[@BigCar2]

Erratum: I say Ferdinand Porsche designed the Beetle & The Porsche 911. They were, of course, two different people.

[@hrg3design905]

Erwin Komenda did the 356 and the Beetle (also the 60K10), Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche designed the 901 nee the 911, after dad Ferry Porsche flagged Erwin off. Butzi also designed the 904.

[@pervertt]

@@hrg3design905 Komenda has been cited by Freeman Thomas as an enormous design influence. Thomas spent a short time in Porsche's design studio and has mentioned the 356 and 550 as sources of inspiration for the TT.

[@DrWhom]

@@pervertt as early as 1978, I remember, we kids were telling jokes about shoving a Porsche engine in a beetle. So when I first clapped eyes on the TT, I had a bit of surreal double take - they actually went and carried out our dumb joke.

[@Gee_Jay]

Eehm -@@DrWhom- the TT is an AUDI 1.8L Front-Engined rig - Like the VoPo 924 ... in the late 80s, Porsche DiD However make a few dozen VW Buses with actual Porsche flat-six Rear-engines, first as Autobahn-speed workshop-trucks, but when some customers actually wanted them, They also made ~25 6-cyl. Porsche powered VW Caravelle buses (full of pluche seats).

[@abdelrahmanobaid8578]

Hello sir, I've watched all of your videos and i really admire your work so i was wondering if i could get your email for a business collaboration. Thanks alot 🙏

[@belizarius_997]

For the younger audience, just imagine seeing this on the road in 1999

[@baronvonjo1929]

I've been told it's rather a girls car many times...well at least the internet. Nobody irl talks about these as they are so forgotten. Honestly would say it's one of the most forgotten cars in history. So little presence.

[@pervertt]

​@@baronvonjo1929 Too much Clarkson rots the brain. As a design and automotive icon, the TT will be remembered for a long time.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@@pervertt Clarkson? The top gear guy? I'm American boss, didnt grow up with him. Idk why you're talking g about him.

[@bert454]

​@@perverttThe TT was marketed towards the more feminine side. Reminds me of seeing a VW cabriolet in the 80's as a kid. We called them hairdressers cars back then lol

[@DrLoverLover]

Yes, it looked bad even then

[@unhandleme]

The TT remained quite handsome across all three generations, but only the original still makes my heart skip a beat on the rare occasion I see one. Just sublime. Great vid, as always.

[@fv1291]

Looks like a squashed cockroach.

[@Emppu_T.]

They got too serious after

[@rayc2680]

The third generation looked like it had bitten a lemon. Even girls used to love the TT back then because the style was sentimental and a bit cute. The third generation was a nail in the coffin... perfect dynamics, an amazing car, but with not much character. It happens to most cars I guess

[@TheRealDrJoey]

The original is still the greatest. Someone spun out on the Autobahn and so they added that dumb wing and ruined the styling. Later they did go to a recessed wing that came up at speed. The "Spoiler" is the most aptly name car part.

[@mebsrea]

Agreed. Only the first is a design classic. I regret selling mine.

[@tamasvas1919]

I don't comment often on youtube, however this time I feel like a have to. Shortly after the TT production began, in 2000 my dad got a job in Győr (where the TT is made) and construction and spending a year there, my family moved to the region. The local economy was booming, because the Audi plant was pulling other sectors as well, construction especially. Essentially for us and for tens of thousands of people the TT is a very significant car, not because it is necesserally a classic, but because the car assembly and the local engine production created a lot of possibilites for many families. It allowed and still allows us to make a decent living in an otherwise relatively poor country. Also it was a dream car for many of us kids, but that's another story.

[@TerrasClip]

There is still one without the recall spoiler parked in my area. Always happy to see it.

[@AtleBerven]

1998 🙂

[@Mr.Marbles]

in my neighborhood there is one too! looks so damn clean. at least you will look stylish while spinning out into a tree at 140 :D

[@rogerphillips1679]

I’ve kept my 2000 TT unspoiled as well!

[@AtleBerven]

That`s what we love to hear :-) Well done. @@rogerphillips1679

[@odoneverything]

Might be me?

[@oldesertguy9616]

The original body was just so pleasing. The later ones were good, but I really loved the 1st generation.

[@iainmacleod4007]

The design was so flawed that anybody with some height would bang their head on the roofline when trying to get in. I could never have lived with the first generation model, the third generation model was better in that respect.

[@isographer]

@@iainmacleod4007 Last November got myself a Mk1 Cabriolet, as a project car. Before that i have tested the 1st generation Mercedes SLK. Compared to the SLK, the Cabriolet has superb head room. Im 194 cm in height and in the SLK my eyes were at the level of the upper windshield frame, and with the roof down my head was constantly touching the roof panel. None of that in the TT, though it was true that with the top up you your head rubs against it when entering, but i guess it can be much worse...

[@tim3172]

@@iainmacleod4007It's almost like you should buy a car that fits your body type rather than expecting a low sports car to accommodate you, or something.

[@Pointblankmos]

​@@iainmacleod4007I'm 6"1 and own a MK1 TT and I disagree. I fit fine. I've even got the seat lifted a few inches off the ground.

[@user-jd7md1mx2u]

My father, for his 65 birthday in 2002 purchased a brand new Mk1 TT Quattro. Drove it for twenty years, serviced it every year, only doing about 40,000miles total and at 86 decided he would retire the car and sent it from Ireland over to England to me. Along with my 1968 Right Hand Drive Porsche 912, which I purchased when I was 25 (broke the bank at GBP 6k at the time) and I turn 60 this year, will both go to the grave with me. My daughter will drive away from the grave in the Porsche and my son in the Audi TT. Two absolute design classics. Both generational time capsules.

[@hendo337]

I can't imagine choosing that over a Boxster, Elise, an MX-5 or a Z3(Especially the M coupe/roadster), much less an M3 or E39 of some type with a manual transmission that all were available for the same or less money and are all legit timeless driver's cars. Even a A6 4.2L 6 speed manual was available then for similar money and in Britain the Vauxhall Monaro.

[@markmeachen6927]

I hear ya. I’ve got a one owner (German commercial pilot from Atlanta) 1976 Porsche 912e that defines mechanical perfection. It’s red, of course.

[@ajay-xjs]

The original looked fabulous, scary to think it's now over 25 years old! Happy days!

[@melesmelesfaber3866]

'Happy days'? I think the original looked amazing as well! But 'Happy days'????

[@memostothefuture]

I still have my TT, purchased in 2001, in Germany. Most beloved car I ever owned.

[@mlodszyahmed]

whats the mileage?

[@pervertt]

Same here. Still have my 2000 TT in its original form. I've managed to resist my wife's exhortations to sell it.

[@memostothefuture]

85000 km@@mlodszyahmed

[@pistonburner6448]

Wow. Well, not everyone has to know anything about cars and driving... I still hope you're pleased with your strange choices.

[@steveweb7638]

Me to!! Got an Original S-line when they changed to the 18" wheels and lower suspension. Love it.

[@buttguy]

Honestly the very first concept, the orange one, is 100% perfect. I want THAT car. 😍😍😍

[@tomdiskin8090]

Reminds me a lot of the Fiat Coupe

[@whatthefk8243]

I now even more after watching this video regret ever selling my mk1 TT. Absolutely loved that car, style and feel. What a motor indeed.

[@BigCar2]

Me too.

[@gbarlow7729]

Bargain basement prices in uk if you don’t mind having to pay for niggles

[@pistonburner6448]

There are people who think they know something about cars and consider that car to have good "feel"?? Are you serious? I hope you don't actually mean to claim to be an expert.

[@tim3172]

@@pistonburner6448 Are you stupid?

[@Happymali10]

14:05 I kinda love how Audi kinda...played down initial complains about the touchy handling at higher speeds, until the walking legend that is Walter Röhrl went public saying the TT was the scariest thing he ever drove, THEN they rushed to fix it. Like...oh crap, we scared THAT GUY. The retrofit with the spoiler was actually mandatory in some countries, including Germany.

[@pervertt]

Walter Rohrl of course is well known for driving the Audi Quattro and Sports Quattro. But this is the first time I've heard of his name being associated with the TT. Perhaps you might be thinking of the Porsche Carrera GT? He has been reported to have said "the first car in my life that I drive and I feel scared."

[@Happymali10]

@@pervertt No I meant the TT^^ I don't recall the context, but he did drive the "original" TT (not sure if Audi, some magazine or the ADAC asked/paid him to) and was rather shocked by its handling at higher speeds/in certain high-speed situations.

[@malcolmwhite6588]

That is scary did Walter rohrl it or did it stay on its wheels?😂

[@Happymali10]

@@malcolmwhite6588 I don't think Walter crashed, but if he's scared by a "fun little Golf-based car" that means SOMETHING.

[@malcolmwhite3567]

@@Happymali10 -it was my dad joke play on his surname: rorhl-“roll”!

[@beatles4sale2007]

The MK1 came out when I was 23, I was skint, living in London and trying to find my way in life. However I thought that the TT was the “bomb” at the time, but was well out of my budget (had a Punto). So thank you for this video, brings back memories

[@sharonec5419]

Nothing wrong with a Punto. They were great cars too. My sister had a yellow Mk 2 Punto sporting.

[@midhathrvat150]

be happy if you if you had that success and luck to own car at 23 (brand new one?)!

[@christopherpardell4418]

In 2005 the 3.2L sLine with Quattro cost $64k. But I bought one in 2007 coming off a 2 year lease with only 14k miles, and it was half price. Today, you can find them for sale around $8k to $12k.

[@johntheaccountant5594]

@@sharonec5419 Fiat Uno was good in its day but the Punto was awful.

[@sunplace1o2]

Im almost happy its an old car now beacuse Im 17 now and might afford one for my first car

[@ukwan]

I bought a MK1 recently, one owner from new and serviced well. It's a great little car ❤ needs some work but it's getting there 👍☺️

[@reitsmaassociates]

1 st Gen was a master stroke ! When it was released it was a oral eye magnet .

[@rogerphillips1679]

I still drive my 2000 TT FWD model purchased in 1999. Just hit 70,000 miles. When it was new, it turned many heads (one fellow completely ran his car off the road while staring at it) then became a somewhat common site for a decade. Now, 25 years later she is once again turning heads with folks asking if it’s a brand new model. Thank you for your fantastic video.

[@BaxterChobbery]

TT did a brilliant job as a halo car for Audi - appearing in multiple feature films including Mission Impossible and About a Boy

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I remember a neighbour having an early TT - I was always slightly in awe of it - I thought it was stunning. I was even more impressed with it when he explained it was a hatchback, and with the rear seats folded down, he’d spent the weekend at a festival sleeping in it - now that’s an impressive sports car!

[@ca9968]

A friend of mine when I lived in South Africa bought the 3.2 V6 with the DSG box, that thing was an absolute hoot to drive...it drank like an alcoholic uncle at a free bar Christmas party but was just so much fun to drive! He let me drive it on a road trip from Johannesburg to the Natal South coast, the real fun began going down Van Reenen's Pass, at silly speed, that car handled like it was on rails...FLAWLESS! Then when we hit sea level that thicker air (Johannesburg is way up in the sky so NA engines suffer in performance) it kept just wanting to run away from me, super responsive throttle and engine...

[@LexusLFA554]

The Audi TT in its 3.2 V6 version was my first car I ever drove in a racing game. This video is a must watch for me.

[@DaleSteel]

I've got a 3.2v6 TT

[@LexusLFA554]

@@DaleSteel What is it like to drive?

[@conorf8091]

@@LexusLFA554he always got a fresh cut

[@DaleSteel]

@@LexusLFA554 very bumpy lol

[@JK061996]

I remember the TT-R being the starter car in Total Immersion Racing

[@FabriceAttali]

In love from day-1 with TT and now a happy owner of mk2 v6 3.2 2007 TT 😍

[@Otto-AutoPilot]

My 2022 Coupe is the highest quality car I've ever owned. The interior is unmatched in terms of quality feel, design and execution. Fabulous car.

[@muppix]

I love my Mk III TT. Had it since new and will likely never get rid of it, can’t believe I’ll never get to own the RS version. Gutted.

[@samhall6719]

Such an Icon! The mk2 TT is one of my favourite cars ever. Okay sales weren’t astonishing later on but the fact is it kept selling year after year. We brits couldn’t get enough of it even towards the end of the line. I will miss it immensely! ♥️💔

[@anthonyrivera0917]

Please do a video about the opel speedster

[@MrDuncl]

Having seen the prices the related Lotus Elise fetches in the USA I expect Americans to go crazy about them when they reach 25 years old. I just hope the engines last longer than the same one did in my Vectra (99400 miles despite a full service history).

[@qwertyazerty2137]

I don't know, it looks kind of like a beetle, but I think that first gen tt is the only car in history with a timeless design. To me it never aged and never got outdated. I am sure it will still look fresh for years to come.

[@chrisblay]

I’ve always liked the first generation of Audi TT. It looked completely different to anything else around in the late nineties.

[@bluemango7112]

First time i saw one in OZ , i just wanted one , finally got MK1 in 2015 , low kms AWD , funny to look at fiesta's and Focus from around 2000 , so many hints of the MK1 in their designs .

[@albertadams2095]

Thank you so much. I’m a lifelong TT fan (had an ‘01 Quattro hardtop manual) and now a ‘16 TTS hardtop). It’s been a wild few weeks and this is a welcome treat. Wishing your channel all the success and you & yours all the best in health, fun, safe motoring

[@henrirobbins4526]

The TT is one of my favorite designs of all time, when it comes to cars. You say that you've owned one for nine years, and I'll say that I've been around one for almost twenty. My dad bought one when I was a child, eventually gave it to me, and I still drive it to this day. Yet even after all this time, I never get tired of looking at it (or of driving it). It hasn't become mundane or boring, and almost all of it is still in fantastic shape after all this time, too! I can't imagine there are many other cars one can say the same thing about - all the other cars I've driven have gotten boring after, at most, a few years. Definitely glad to see such an in-depth video about the design of this car - keep it up!

[@user-uu7pi9nt9i]

Finally, a well researched and presented nod to a car of exceptional design - the mk1 Audi TT. The seamless, impossibly symmetrical lines of the exterior and the pure minimalist interior are nothing short of iconic and are still being copied and referenced in car design to date. Every time I approach my own 2003 mk1 coupe (BamBam), I can't help emitting a sigh of admiration.... and he's a joy to drive. Clarkson's a fool.

[@CPTVCAMgmailcom]

Ah, Clarkson. Always the contrarian. Master of autofellatio. Anything to poke the hornets nest and promote his brand. When he did a BBC special calling the Victoria Cross “the most prestigious award for bravery in the world, coveted by men of all nations” I wanted to puke then throttle him. Award? Most prestigious in the world? What a pompous, inflammatory thing to say - but that’s why he does it, I guess. Total, quintessential dickhead. The greatest recognition of honor, selflessness and bravery in the British armed forces - call it what it is and show respect to those who’ve earned it. And to all those who’ve EARNED their nation’s equivalent. And shame on the BBC for not correcting him and airing something so pompous and self congratulatory. Sorry. Rant over. I agree with you - the TT was and is a design masterpiece. Even 25+ years on.

[@seanaj]

At last, great channel.

[@thorpejsf]

Oh man, the original TT was such a great car. Thanks for making this one!

[@RomanStanek]

I always assumed that Audi TT was named after the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race, which means it stands for 'Tourist Trophy'.

[@Ash-928]

Same here. I did a Google search and most of the results say it's from the Isle of Man race because of NSU (Audi's predecessor) having some success back in the day with their motorbikes.

[@RomanStanek]

@@Ash-928 It would make a lot of sense. Porsche Carrera is also named after a race - Carrera Panamericana

[@pistonburner6448]

I always assumed it meant Totally out of Testosterone

[@tim3172]

@@pistonburner6448 We're all sorry to hear about your fragile masculinity, but shouldn't you be talking to your doctor about your Low-T and your therapist about your myriad other isseus?

[@pistonburner6448]

@@tim3172 You really think that was a clever retort...just repeating what I said?

[@sqd8r]

A co-worker of mine ordered the 1st gen model, still has it to this day. Last time I discussed it with him, he had still under 100,000 km on it. It has never ever seen a day of rain, snow or other type of bad weather.

[@Chris.Davies]

That person is a certified grade-A fool.

[@lukemallory7832]

@@Chris.Davies No he isn't. He probably has another car for bad weather and simply enjoys the TT on nice days. And his TT is still going when most others are being scrapped.

[@zaneseibert]

The TT is one the great classic examples of a company in the 90's going "fuck it, let's get weird."

[@pervertt]

I believe the actual word used by Ferdinand Piech, head of Audi when presented with the TT proposal, was "Inordnung". Close enough to "Fuck it, let's get on with it."

[@TheBuilderize]

@@pervertt In Ordnung is two words. Translated directly it means "in order".

[@FunnyPhisto]

@@TheBuilderize It translates more to „it’s ok“

[@pistonburner6448]

That's a very accurate description of Audi's engineering philosophy: "fuck it" That's why their cars are such failures, like the TT being such a horrible 'sports car' that it actually killed people due to its failed dynamics.

[@huleyn135]

@@pistonburner6448 uhuh

[@nadeemchaudhry6585]

Been a long wait for the video! Thanks for the great info, always learn something new.

[@1SaG]

A black FWD, 180 hp TT Coupé was the first car I bought for myself - and I still miss that car. Bought it from the press office with just under 10,000km on the clock for less money than a brand new Mk IV Golf GTI would've cost and picked it up myself in Ingolstadt (I still have the pic from that day hanging on my wall, lol!). It was agile and very pleasant to drive but also surprisingly practical and usable as a daily - if you don't need rear seats, that is. It also never really went wrong for me other than a faulty hydraulic line for the power steering and a cracked windshield resulting from poor installation at the factory - both of which happened out of warranty but were fixed at no cost to me. Totally agree on the "I just gotta have one"-vibe it gave off. I remember saying that to myself when I saw the pics of the design-study they rolled out sometime before series production started ... which was very close in looks to the eventual product. I also remember how surprised I was when I saw that they hadn't dialed back on the interior design elements. That whole cockpit looked more like something a manufacturer would only put on a prototype and then replace with something a lot more boring and plain for the actual production car. I did drive a few Mk II TTs back when I was reviewing cars - two 200 hp Coupés that were in for testing and a TTS roadster I drove at a press event. And while both cars felt more mature than the Mk I, they also felt less special to me. Neither the interior nor the exterior of the Mk II had that level of detail and design that the Mk I had. Especially for its time, I should add, when Audi was just on the verge of shedding its image as a boring car for geography teachers who couldn't afford a Mercedes or BMW. One key difference I recall between the Mk I and Mk II was the steering which felt just about perfect in the older car but way too light at times in the Mk II (a trait shared with all other Audis from that period that I ever drove). Re safety: While my car was a very early example that had left the factory without ESP and a spoiler and was retrofitted at the factory, I don't think lift-off oversteer was much of an issue with the FWD-version (I think the quattro ones were more susceptible to that?) - so I can't really talk about that. Suffice it to say that the car felt extremely planted and "honest" to me during my four or five years and 100,000km of ownership. I do remember that the tail once tried to step out on me in a tight (but bone-dry) on-ramp - but that was me going too fast and with rear rubber that was way too worn (think I only had 2mm left on the rear tires...oops).

[@alexsavon2676]

When i was in 5th grade that car was every high-end whor€ dream car in my eastern European country. Late 90s were such a gem 💎 ✨️ 💖 😊

[@zogzoogler]

Great vid. The original TT has always reminded me of the original KA and that is meant as a compliment.

[@MrDuncl]

If you think about the convertible StreetKa definitely so.

[@jonathanellis6097]

Yeah, totally unique design. The reason they were both so popular.

[@gbarlow7729]

There is very little on the road today that looks as good as a mk 1 TT and the fact you can pick one up at the mo for around 1-2 k blows my mind

[@michelelazzari644]

Wonderful, that you put this together. As part of a group of huge fans of this iconic car, it's great to see it getting some of the attention it deserves. So underrated and beleaguered by an undeserved bad reputation conjured up by pompous motor journalists that aren't happy unless they can tail slide a car through a corner. I hope with time it garners full classic car status. It's just a stunning design - inside and out. The interior design is also timeless and puts most modern cars, 20 years younger, to shame. It's great fun to drive and a great place to be - seated in that driving seat!

[@pervertt]

As with many well executed designs, the outside reflects the inside, and the inside reflects the outside. Audi, to its eternal credit, resisted the temptation to rummage through the VAG parts bins when it came to the interior. Driving the TT is a tactile experience; everything you touch has a premium quality. The haptics of buttons and switches is exemplary. Metal looking surfaces are indeed metallic (not painted silver as you would find in a Porsche). The leather is still one of the softest I've encountered in any car. Not that any of this matters to the philistines who bag the TT.

[@stephenmac23]

have always loved the TT. I remember I had a dark blue one in NFS Undercover when I was younger and that was one of my favorite cars in the game.

[@markallen2984]

I remember seeing the first generation TT at a local Audi/ VW / Porsche dealership. With the TT sitting on lot amongst all the brightly colored New Beetles it looked remarkably like a modern Karman Ghia.

[@hypergolic8468]

May be someone could answer this for me, but there's a huge number of hand drawn sketches, yet today mostly you'd see renderings even at design stage. Was this one of the last hand drawn cars at this stage? And as for the video: Big Car achieves what the main stream media with it's budgets can't! Amazing as ever.

[@rudelchw]

Thank you so much, for all the insight onto one of my favorite cars ... sadly, I haven't had the fortune of owning one. Great YT channel 👍

[@rusty911s2]

Looking really good in 2024: as everything else has got bigger the TT looks compact, clean and classy.

[@stevesas632]

Excellent video. Our favourite is the MK2 shape, distinctive but sleak at the same time with every angle looking just right. We're on our 2nd & probably last, as for us it's peak TT in terms of looks. It's a 2013 2.0TFSI manual 6 speed in Samoa Orange Black Edition Amplified Pack.

[@AtleBerven]

I am so glad you made this video 🙂 I had the plasure of owning one (the same 1.8 L that you had), for 5 years, and I absolutely loved it. It was like sitting in a cocoon. Intimate and very fun to drive. Aside from my old Porsche 944 it was the coolest car I have ever had. Thanks a bunch from a fan and car detailer in Norway 🙂

[@mullerthomas8673]

I love to see the 2nd generation on the street, looks amazing!

[@sprudel50]

I bought my mk1 five years ago and have rebuilt it, I'll never sell it, I love the car.

[@Emberescan12]

Loved the mk1 TT. Glad to see the windows and door locks had the same issues even at concept stage!

[@stevedgrossman]

I had a '01 roadster with the high output turbo. This was the most AWESOME car I ever owned. I miss it terribly!

[@seanoneillsongs]

I remember the first time I saw one - in a showroom I passed on one of my work routes - nothing else like it - beautiful. the second genaration was underwhelming in comparison and I didn't even notice the third until a month or two ago - just another Audi - nothing wrong with them but just another. I also loved the Twino - the original one although had to go on my holidays to see any. I did hear from a salesman in a VW dealer that the TT - original one - was the car that people kept for the shortest time - not as tolerant as you about peering out of those side windows. Well done you.

[@MegaGEZZZ]

Saw the TT in a concept car book I had as a kid and knew it was what I wanted, I’m now a proud owner of a mk3 and am absolutely obsessed with it ❤

[@bobnovaes9363]

Amazing video… keep them coming!!!

[@stephenhunt6673]

Most informative. Thank you.

[@bachelorette2209]

Great film, thanks for all the details!

[@kwozniaktube]

If you're looking for inspiration for some "outside the box" ideas, you could do worse than do a story on some of the "similar, but different" cars that carmakers like VW and Ford would come up for Latin American (especially Brazilian) markets. Or one of my favorite obscure cars, the VW SP2

[@POMPEYDAVE1]

Just seen this today , ironically purchased a TT 2.0 mk3 convertible today as well. Beautiful car .

[@kwozniaktube]

Love the video, as always. These are a real highlight for me!

[@alistairgillies2196]

I had two mk1 TT's, a 180 and a 225 and loved them both. I was stopped once by the police, and while he ran my plates the officer told me he preferred the looks of the VW Beetle because he thought the TT looked like one that had been sat on!

[@stevesloan6775]

I absolutely love my Mk1 TT. I’ve upgraded the suspension and a pair of H&R adjustable swaybars, with Goodyear eagle F1 Super sport tyres. It is an absolute weapon on all the tight and twisty roads around my house. 🇦🇺🤜🏼🤛🏼😎🍀☮️☮️☮️

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

The 1991 concept still looks amazing now.

[@owenstanl3y]

Amazing video, very insightful ❤

[@zenithpe]

Great Post- loved it

[@dr.a.995]

I loved my ALMS Audi TT. The red leather interior with a silver body made for a great combination. Illuminating the interior in the dark of early morning made for a “ta-da!” moment. Every time.

[@ajchenmph]

Thank you for the quick history lesson, never knew TT stood for "technology and tradition". Wife bought a 2004 VR6 DSG several months before we met (it was the only version available with Quattro and an automatic transmission, as we live in the northeast US with a lot of traffic; and she needed the space of the hatchback, so the convertible was out of the question), and it lasted for 11+ years and almost 200,000 miles. Traded it in timely (it was starting to die) for one of the first 2016 models on the US east coast, which is still going strong (thanks to the pandemic making her 100% remote for several years). She is disappointed there will not be another generation TT for her to consider when the time comes -- no guarantee she would have bought one, though (she didn't like the 2nd generation TT).

[@newms556]

i thought it was a nod to the isle of man TT ...just goes to show

[@likhabo7028]

Bought mine in 2017 as a stop gap car. Its 2024 - I still have it. I can not sell it because it is such an enjoyable car.

[@alivdee9946]

Never forget, a friend of ours bought one of the first TT's for his wife, the first time he showed it to us, I saw the interior and told him it looked like a ladies handbag. He hasn't talked to me the rest of the evening ;)

[@m.i.andersen8167]

Yes! The Mk.1 is an outstanding car design in the literal sense of the word. Thanks for another serious high quality video that is also very entertaining.

[@bobhill3941]

I always love your history videos on individual vehicles. I remember seeing the TT unvailed new at the auto show on Car and Driver and seeing multiple reviews on it. I always loved the styling. Thanks for all the history, particularly the name.

[@Foresters_gaming]

This was very fun and interesting to watch. Thanks for the video! I still have the tt standing in the garden, so in a few years I think I will restore it!

[@93455Driver]

Had 2001 TT Roadster, beautiful looking car in dark green with a great quality interior.

[@rapidshot3033]

Definitely rare to see that color

[@DoubleSmackJacksSmackAttack]

"TT Quattro" is still one of my favorite car names

[@christopping5876]

Another great video, thank you. I'm one of those who the Gen1 shape leaves cold. Prefere the Gen 2 and 3, but not enough to buy. However, as you quoted, 'you can't please everyone all the time'. Looking forward to your next video.

[@chrispenn715]

I had a 225 roadster when they were new. Fabulous car and loved the look and the interior. I tried an SLK at the time - even the Mercedes sales rep said go for the Audi 😂

[@PwrTimo]

My S6 is in the shop for oil leaks, and I'm driving a 1999 TT. I'm kinda falling in love with it, it's a snappy little car. And it actually pulls almost as well as my 5.2l....

[@razvanvoda1]

Thank you for your time!

[@SylvesterOziomek]

I appreciate the proper pronunciation of car brand names.

[@Phil-1969]

I’ve owned my mk1 3.2 for 3 years , it still brings a smile to my face when I drive it , great review as always 👌

[@warrenny]

LOVE IT. IMO your first statement is 100%.

[@derekwarren1862]

I had the 2007 3.2 V6, it made sense over the 2.0ltre because it just sounded so much better! it was a fantastic car, truly a regret to still not own it.

[@WSKRBSCT]

When I saw one after it first came out, my goal was to get one and I bought a TT Roadster Quattro 225 in 2002. I did a few things to it, including a Milltek exhaust with 4" tips. I really loved it - and then the Lotus Elise came to the US in 2005. I had to get one of those, so I sold the TT to my friend. He had it for twelve years, at which time he gave it back to me. Unfortunately, it had too many issues, particularly a boost leak and problems with the instrument cluster, and I'm really picky. To make matters worse, my finances had taken a big hit and I just didn't have the money to get it back to where I wanted it. It was a very good car.

[@Josh-er6oz]

Mk1 TT is truly an icon, later models were lovely but design wise never really captured what the MK1 had. Exterior and interior was so cohesive and truly stands the test of time. A new retro styled TT straight from Audi would be incredible, I can’t believe they’re cancelling it.

[@justincork3838]

We owned a Merlin purple 225 Quattro! Brilliant car. Great video!

[@colinblue3055]

Thanks. I saw a band new one in my wee town in Stirlingshire. The "Mk 1" coupe was art I stopped and was gobsmacked. Bought a Mk 1 Quatro when it was 17 year old. A coupe (back seats down, it was a wee van), but also a really good wee sports car. Walk out the front door and it put a smile on my face. Even a boring drive put a smile on my face.

[@ys_a1659]

It has to be mentioned that the design of this first Audi TT was a trendsetter for the following Audi designs like the Audi A6 C5.

[@geirarnesen6531]

Brilliant Car/Model presentation. Just excellent work. Can`t believe this channel doesn't have 25 million subs!

[@seanhershey3390]

Future classic…thanks again!😊

[@alaricbragg7843]

Great video! Great car!

[@Chris.Davies]

I bought my wife a 2004 3.2 S-Line Quattro TT. She absolutely loves it. And I have to admit, that it is a better car than my old Porsche 928 in most ways, except for the way it looks, and feels. But even then, the TT has the gigantic round butt like the 928. However, the car is not without its issues. The wiring inside the headlights gets too hot, and the insulation falls off the wires, and a replacement TT headlight unit costs over $2,100 each. And to have one repaired costs over $1,000 each. The headlining falls off the interior. The rear parcel shelf attachment system was designed by morons. The electric door opening and windows are typically stupid - and entirely unnecessary as the frameless windows in my 1997 JDM Subaru WRX STI demonstrates perfectly. Each time one fails, that is almost $1,000 to fix. The Mechatronic unit is highly suspect, and I am glad I purchased 6-years of full mechanical warranty, because it failed not once, but TWICE in the last 12 years! Repair bill for that is over $4,500 each time! The TT is NOT a driver's car of any kind. The steering is absolutely dead, and you feel nothing through the wheel at all. The brakes are powerful, but do not have any kind of endurance for spirited driving downhill. The paddle shifters work fine, but shifting is too slow in manual and in "Sport" modes. At 160,000 km a large amount of work was required to repair the cooling system, over $2,000 worth - covered by warranty. The AWD system often known as "Faux Wheel Drive" is actually incredibly capable, and I have driven out of places some SUVs would struggle with. If you intend buying a Gen-1, be prepared to spend a LOT of money when things fail. The car cost us $20,000 and over the last 12 years, more than $17,000 has been spent on repairs and maintenance. Cost to us was about $4,000. Now, that is nothing compared to the $70,000 I spent on my 928 over the same period, but it's not chump change, either! Back when the TT came out, I thought it was damned ugly. But I admit the looks have grown on me over the years, like a fungus. :P Edit: I didn't know about the Porsche negotiations, but I can easily understand why Porsche rejected the TT. It would have been almost impossible to get a TT to handle, and more importantly FEEL like a Porsche. The TT brakes provide not even the slightest bit of feel through the pedal. I liken driving the Gen-1 TT to driving a car simulator on your PC, because it feels exactly the same as using a Logitech wheel (with Force Feedback disabled!) and pedals. On top of this, Porsche do have an extremely consistent "design language" and all Porsches from the 996 onward are easily identifiable from far as a Porsche. And I can't see any way for the TT to be re-styled to conform to the Porsche language. Finally, I vividly recall Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear review of the brand new Gen-1 TT with the DSG dual clutch computer operated manual gearbox. He was super impressed with it, and boasted that it was impossible to "fool" the gearbox as it always has the next gear up selected, and when downshifting, the throttle blip provides additional time for the lower gear to be selected before the clutch disengages. I would never have bought the car for my wife, if it hadn't been so well received by Clarkson. She wanted a convertible, but as I explained to her; no husband who truly loves their wife can ever allow them to have a convertible car. Why? Because as a young man of 14 years old, my Dad took me to car crashes for about a year before I got my full license at 15. As a result, I have seen what happens to people in convertibles in crashes and rollovers. It is surprisingly easy to roll a car - much easier than most people realise, and I would never forgive myself if I got a convertible for my wife, and she died in it because the car had no roof. And it is for the exact same reason I will NEVER buy a car with a panoramic glass roof. I require the roof of a car to keep the sun OFF me, and protect me in a rollover, or doing over a bank. I once had a girlfriend who survived tumbling her little VW Golf down an almost vertical 100 metre cliff. She was able to climb all the way back up the cliff, to wave down a driver for help. Amazingly, she suffered only a cut to her head, and a broken toe. Thank you, VW!

[@klauspedersen9762]

I bought my Audi TT 180 hp Coupe Mk. 1, avus Silver with black interior in March 2000, its a first series car , produced October 6th 1998.

[@mpersad]

It was such an original, unique, design that was so exciting when it came to production. I loved it, and would love to own one of the early examples. Maybe Father Christmas will bring me one this year? A terrifically researched, and produced video, but then your channel is an example of what, at it's best, KZbin can be. Thank you.

[@CodewortSchinken]

Great video. I think there is another aspect to the origins story of the TT. The mk4 golf the TT was based on was the last evolution of the mk2 platform. VW had made an upmarket sports coupe on that platform before: the Corrado, which sold poorly not because it was fwd but because it was too expensive for it's VW badge. With the TT VW-Audi Group simply moved the next generation Corrado over to the Audi lineup where customers were absolutely willed to pay high prices for a Golf based sportscoupe. Another sidenote about the name: In the years prior to the VW-merger Audis precessor NSU used to make a performance version of its 1000 series sedan called the NSU TT, named after the Isle of Man tourist trophy due to NSU heritage as a motorcyle manufacturer. The NSU TT and TTS were widely popular both in amateur racing as well as regular performance cars well into the 1970s and were fondly remembered by the german car buying public in the decades after. Similar to the Hillman IMP in the UK. When the first Audi TT launched in the late 90s chances were the target demographic used to drive NSU TT in their early 20s or at least aspired to do and Audi cashed in on that retro nostalgia. The font of the first generation Audi TT emblem is almost identical to the one on the NSU TT. "Tradition and Technology" was probably just an explanatory afterthought since no one outside germany and maybe italy remembered the original NSU TT. And the english speaking press probably liked to know why on earth Audi decided to call it's new sportscar the Audi titty.

[@christophetardivat234]

i bought my gf a second generation roadster, fwd 2l turbo dsg, black & red leather. It is a fun little car, great for short trips as long as you do not need a lot of luggage, BUT the softtop design is faulty and the rear window comes out, a replacement is 3000 euros, a rear light cluster at audi is 300 euros. the torque steer is borderless dangerous and the door clonk is cheap! A bmw series 120 Cab is less fun but much easier to live with, a 135 much better in all aspects. The first generation looks much better outside and inside and is now a real collector. Not sure the 2nd generation will make it. Great video as always.

[@ferryenzo7733]

A great review of the TT timeline. Iconic design in every sense. I still own a Mk1 3.2 coupe. 👏🏻

[@shaywhelan1]

Very enjoyable piece. I had one for a few years, a 225. Loved all the design features, it was truly unique and unlike anything else on the road. I will confess I found it a bit of a handful, and not as easy to drive quickly as my 2.7 Boxster

[@MH-fb5kr]

we have a ‘03 quattro roadster… ocean blue, aviator gray interior. still get unsolicited positive comments… is is a keeper, paid for, fun and yes, reliable

[@HH-jq2gx]

A friend, a IT contractor bought one of the first ones….beautiful car, so nice he had to drive the lessor of his two cars to work so as not to annoy his salaried boss.

[@loephaengsavanh7380]

Love this! I have a MKIII TT-RS.