German automotive designer Peter Schreyer (born 1953) is well-known for his work on the Audi TT. [1][2][3][4] Since 2006[5], he has served as Kia Motors’ chief design officer. On December 28, 2012, the firm named him as one of three presidents. [6]
The Audi TT was named one of “the most influential vehicle designs in recent time” by Car Design News in 2006.
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In This Article...
Why was the Audi TT created?
The Audi TT design team drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including fashion, music, and architecture. But more than anywhere else, the interior was influenced by baseball. Romulus Rost, Martin Smith, Hartmut Warkuss, and Peter Schreyer made up the interior design team. The way a baseball glove confines and firmly holds a ball in place appealed to Rost, who utilized it as inspiration for the TT’s seats. The Audi TT’s seats are designed like baseball gloves because the designer wanted passengers to feel as one with the vehicle as possible. The interior was cleverly designed with the driver in mind and had comfy seats as well. Additionally, it avoided the 1990s automakers’ practice of overstuffing cabins with switches and flashy technology in favor of minimalism.
As a result, the inside received accolades, and its model has been used by succeeding generations, contributing significantly to the TT’s popularity.
Who created Audi’s design?
On August 9, 1969, in Arnsberg, Sauerland, Marc Lichte was born. While enrolled in the Pforzheim University of Applied Science’s Transportation Design program, he began working for Volkswagen AG in 1996. He worked on production models like the VW Golf (generations 5, 6, and 7), the VW Passat, the VW Touareg, and the VW Arteon before being elevated to head of the exterior design studio.
Since the beginning of 2014, Marc Lichte has served as the head of Audi Design. In this capacity, he is in charge of the color and trim department, as well as the designs of racing vehicles, as well as exterior and interior design. He gave an accurate early taste of the new design language with showcars including the Audi prologue concept car (November 2014) and the Audi Q8 concept (January 2017). This pledge has been consistently kept by the head of Audi Design: The new generations of Audi vehicles, from the Audi A1 to the Audi Q8, balance form and function, as well as design and technology, helping to define the brand’s identity. And progress continues: In February 2021, the premium brand Audi unveiled the Audi e-tron GT, a totally electric Gran Turismo that Marc Lichte described as “the most beautiful car I have ever built.”
A girl’s automobile, the Audi TT?
It’s a pretty feminine car, the Audi TT. Its size, dinkyness, and low seating position are akin to the best roadsters and coupes. It may be a little roadster or coupe, but is it the best that money can buy?
While significantly less expensive than an Audi TT, the Mazda MX-5 has much less power. Although the Mercedes SLK may have a prettier appearance than the Audi TT, an all-wheel drive variant is not available.
To find out if the Audi TT is the vehicle to replace your Nissan Micra with, let’s take a closer look at it.
The TT from Audi is stunning. It has significantly more aesthetic appeal than the previous bubble-shaped model, and both the roadster and the coupe versions have a noticeable presence on the road. The Audi TT Black Edition 2.0 TDI, which combines efficiency and speed, is my favorite model. The front grill, window accents, and alloy wheels on that are all glossy black. Standard on Sport models are 17-inch alloy wheels, while S Line trim adds sportier, lower-profile 17-inch wheels. Both vehicles are gorgeous, but the S Line variant has sportier bumpers and a sportier interior.
There is significant performance available in every Audi TT now on the road. There is a selection of engines, including a 1.8 TFSI with 160 PS, a 2.0 TFSI with 211 PS, and a 2.0 TDI with 170 PS and significantly greater torque than its petrol rivals. The 2.0 TDI, which is the exact same engine as the Golf GTD, is my favorite. Its mid-range grunt is amazing, and when combined with the TT’s low profile, it makes for a lot of fun. In addition, the TT TDI is significantly more fuel-efficient on lengthy trips than TFSI variants, making it a useful tool for businesswomen. All engines come with a fast, gorgeous 6-speed manual transmission, but the S Tronic is excellent for the laid-back cruiser. The TT is quiet at highway speeds and does an excellent job of absorbing all the bad roads you’ll encounter.
The cabin of the Audi TT is the prettiest of any sub-$30,000 vehicle on the road. The craftsmanship is exquisite, and everything has a delicate touch. All TTs come with leather or alcantra seats as standard equipment, but full leather is an additional 560. The interior has stylish chrome and aluminum accents, and the S Line grade adds firmer seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and lots of S Line emblems. Due to the smart suspension and high-quality tyres, the interior is a pleasant place to be on long trips, and the driver’s position is great thanks to many rake and reach adjustments.
As I previously stated, the 2.0 TDI is my favorite model in the TT lineup. It only comes with all-wheel drive and has a combined mileage of 53.3 mpg. On a combined cycle, the 1.8 TFSI will deliver 44.1 mpg, while the 2.0 TFSI will deliver 42.8 mpg. All engine configurations are fuel-efficient, but for shorter trips, gasoline engines will perform better while TDIs are excellent for longer trips. Pick the engine that works best for the majority of your driving.
The Audi TT Coupe is available in the following tiers: TTS Coupe, TT RS Coupe, TT Coupe Sport, TT Coupe Sport S Line, and TT Coupe Sport Black Edition. There are three versions of the Audi TT Roadster: the TT, TTS, and TT RS. The majority of consumers will choose the reasonably priced entry-level TT models, but for those looking for supercar-like performance, the TTRS is impossible to ignore. Additionally, a variety of features, such heated seats, are available as extras.
The Audi TT is a unique, elegant, and entertaining car to drive that retains its value well. The TT looks terrific even in base Sport trim, and the Black Edition is the most athletic car you can buy without purchasing a TTS or TTRS. When driving, the TT is swift and comfortable, and all of its engines perform well. For the businesswoman who commutes across the nation, I would choose the 2.0 TDI, which provides 90% of the thrills of a gasoline vehicle while having much lower operating costs. The 2.0 TFSI will do the thing for women who adore smoking small lads and driving fast in their hot hatchbacks, and it also has a very good soundtrack.
When purchasing brand-new, be sure to choose your extras wisely as this will enable you to negotiate a lower price at a later date.
Is the Audi TT quick?
What Is the Audi TT’s Speed? The standard TT claims to have a top speed of 130 mph and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Both vehicles have a top speed of 155 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds for the TTS and 3.6 seconds for the TT RS.
Is the Audi TT a vintage vehicle?
Sometimes a car is just a car. By that, we merely imply that they are cars according to the dictionary’s definition. On the other side, certain vehicles are legendary. Whether in terms of performance, road handling, or, in the case of the Audi TT, design. These vehicles stand apart from the rest of the automotive landscape and get widespread acclaim in the process. These vehicles are the ones that breathe new life into the automotive industry. They push the envelope and demonstrate what is possible.
In the late 1990s, the Audi TT was a vehicle that completely blew our automotive minds. It appeared to have traveled from the future. It was unlike anything else because it was clear, uncomplicated, perfectly balanced, and clean. Given how far it deviated from the standard, it didn’t even resemble a typical Audi. When it first came out, it was only offered in left-hand-drive configuration. However, the desire to acquire one was so intense that many owners brought them to the UK before the right-hand-drive model was available. Over twenty years later, we still feel the same need for the car we had to have. True to its definition of a modern classic, the Audi TT. Additionally, it’s still a reasonably priced automobile to purchase, so the time is unquestionably now.
An introduction to the Audi TT
The Audi TT concept debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1995, and the TTS roadster concept debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show the following year. It was the result of design research done at the Volkswagen Group Design Center in beautiful California. The concept was created by J Mays and Freeman Thomas, who drew design inspiration from vintage Auto Union vehicles. The body was simple and streamlined with thoughtful design elements throughout. Nothing was excessive; obviously, less was more.
The concept was well received by the media, although there was some skepticism about how much the automobile would change to meet manufacturing requirements. After all, during this transformation, the design and purity of a concept automobile are sometimes lost. There was a lot to deliver after Audi made promises about the production vehicle, including that it would be a 2+2 or a roadster, that it would be reasonably inexpensive to construct (due to sharing the Golf’s base), and that it would be a sports car that could be used on a daily basis. But Audi succeeded.
The legendary Isle of Man race and vintage NSU models served as inspiration for the naming of the production TT, which debuted in 1998 and was absolutely gorgeous. Very little of the concept automobile was lost. In actuality, the addition of a rear quarterlight was the only significant modification. It was a concept car for the road other than that.
The 1.8 20V turbocharged four-cylinder engine that drove the TT offered 180 or 225 horsepower. Additionally, customers could choose front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive using Audi’s renowned Quattro system. It was a swift, powerful vehicle with plenty of grip and composure. Despite some controversy, it was a true driver’s car.
Due to a design defect, several early automobiles were engaged in collisions. Due to the lack of a rear spoiler, the TT’s rear became light at high speeds, which led to a loss of traction and accidents. Audi fixed the problem by swiftly recalling all TTs and installing a rear spoiler. Ironically, those cars with no spoilers are now the most expensive since collectors value them as true rarities.
The TT would later add a few more cylinders, see two model changes, and solidify its status as a legend within the Audi lineup. This is the automobile to buy if you want a sporty vehicle that you can use without much sacrifice on a daily basis.
What are prices like?
The early four-cylinder variants are the ones we’re concentrating on here (the TT didn’t have six cylinders until 2003). The earliest TT is, in our opinion, the purest and most authentic model. the one that closely resembles that 1995 concept automobile.
The good news is that you can get behind the wheel for very little money if you’re interested in a TT. 750 will easily purchase a 180 horsepower 2+2. You can ride in a roadster for $1,000. They are currently quite affordable. But there is a warning. A inexpensive car will have a lot of miles on it, be a little beat up, and, if it has a service history at all, it won’t have a good one.
Instead, spend twice as much, or about 2,000, to buy a good, well-maintained, unaltered early TT 180bhp. Consider 2,500 for a respectable roadster. It’s interesting to note that you should up the price by at least $500 if you can find a coveted “no spoiler” TT.
Budget anywhere from 4,000 and over if you want to purchase the best of the best. The vehicles in this category will have minimal mileage (less than 50,000), be in superb condition, and proudly display a thorough service history. But even if these are the best vehicles available, paying this much money shows how committed you are to excellence.
If properly maintained, Audis of all varieties maintain their mileage well. As a result, it’s not a bad idea to think about a TT with up to 100k on the clock. If you set up about 3,000, you may purchase an early 225bhp car with between 75 and 100k miles on the odometer. This strikes our opinion as the ideal balance between a minter and a car you won’t be afraid to drive.
Why should I buy one?
It is a design icon, which simply means that it is a significant automobile. The TT will continue to be the subject of books for many years to come, will be studied in design schools by future generations of automotive designers, and will always have a devoted and ardent fan base. It’s a significant vehicle in automotive history.
But even more than that, owning one is a beautiful experience. It’s incredibly enjoyable to drive, comfy, safe, and somewhat functional (for a sports car, you’re not moving a wardrobe with it). The TT is indeed one of those exceptional vehicles that makes you fall in love with driving all over again. Even in 180bhp form, it has plenty of power and can almost telepathically perceive the road’s undulations. It is sharp and straight. It’s just a joyful, enjoyable car.
It also has a classic design. one that always appears contemporary and fresh. This makes it challenging for the uninformed observer to appreciate it. Nobody would question your income, even if it were $100,000 a year, if you parked a 2,500 TT in the parking lot. It’s not just an old car; its design defies time. It almost like a sculpture on wheels. Not many automobiles can make that claim.
How long until I see a return?
Due in large part to the fact that Audi produced a large number of them, the TT is currently at the very bottom of the depreciation curve, and it will be some time before things start to increase. But that’s okay since you purchase a TT because you want one, not because you want to invest in one. What you put into it will come back to you. Purchase a 750 example, and you might make that investment back. Spend a few thousand dollars, maintain the TT in the manner to which it has grown accustomed, and you won’t lose any moneyyou might even turn a tiny profit.
But as we’ve said, the TT isn’t a vehicle to buy for investment purposes. Certainly not financially speaking. Instead, the TT’s time has come because original, spotless, well-maintained specimens are still available for a reasonable price. These vehicles will become more difficult to locate over time. Get one now before it’s too late.