The Audi TT – one of the iconic sports cars of the modern era – is to be killed off this year, and the German motor giant is bidding farewell with a special edition run of vehicles to bid farewell.
The Audi TT, which launched in 1998, will cease production in 2023 after a 25-year stint on sale that saw it become one of the most popular affordable coupes and roadsters in Britain and many other countries.
The brand’s electrification plans means the TT will make way for a battery-powered replacement sometime in the future.
However, before it makes way, Audi is signing off the ‘trailblazing’ sports car with a ‘high-specified’ Final Edition, which will start from £41,910.
Ta-ra TT: This is the last version of Audi’s immensely popular sports car, which will cease production in 2023 after a quarter of a century on sale. Prices for Final Edition variants range from £41,910 to £56,435
The TT was first introduced to the world at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept.
However, just three years later the prototype’s iconic silhouette became reality, as Audi put the TT into production with only minor cosmetic alterations to the showcar displayed in Germany.
The Mk1 TT is considered one of the most influential car designs in recent years.
Its unique bulbous curves, sloped coupe roofline and wonderfully-sparse dashboard made it an instant hit with Britons, making it a popular choice in showrooms, as well as a common prop in late-nineties and early-noughties music videos.
The Mk1 Audi TT, which first hit UK showrooms in 1998, is considered one of the most influential car designs in recent years
The car’s unique bulbous curves, sloped coupe roofline and wonderfully-sparse dashboard made it an instant hit with Britons
A roadster version was added to the range in 1999. It was a hugely popular alternative to a Mazda MX-5 and its game-changing looks saw it make common appearances as props in late-nineties and early-noughties music videos
And it’s the UK that’s proven to be one of the TT’s most successful markets globally.
In fact, by 2022 a total of 2,672 had been purchased by Britons, which represented over 33 per cent of worldwide sales for this modern-generation icon.
‘Few models have lasted the test of time as well as the Audi TT,’ says Andrew Doyle, director at Audi UK.
‘The crisp, Bauhaus-inspired lines of the sports coupe look as fresh today as they did back in 1998 and to mark the model’s incredible success here in the UK our Final Edition combines everything our customers love about this iconic model.’
As incredible as the Mk1 TT looked on the outside, what it offered in the cabin was just as jaw-dropping. It was ultra-simple and full of style
While most brands at the time were overly cluttering their dashboard with buttons and control functions, Audi went in a totally different direction with TT. The top level of the dash featured only the air vents
The last run are based on the brand’s existing third-generation model, which has been on sale in the UK since the end of 2014.
While prices start from a shade under £42,000 for the Final Edition 40 TFSI coupe, Audi is also selling hard-top and roadster versions of its most potent high-performance TTS variant, with prices as high as £56,435 for the range-topping soft top.
The Final Edition cars feature exclusive design touches and the highest level of standard equipment ever seen on a TT.
Each come with a black styling pack with black Audi rings and badging, black door mirrors, black tailpipes and a fixed rear spoiler also finished in black.
Roadster models also benefit from rollover bars and wind diffuser finished in black.
Privacy glass and red brake callipers housed behind 20-inch five-spoke matt grey diamond cut alloy wheels complete the exterior upgrade.
When the TT first hit showrooms it came with the option of a two turbocharged four-cylinder 1.8-litre engines (178 horsepower and 222hp respectively) and a naturally aspirated six-cylinder Volkswagen 3.2-litre V6 (pictured) making 247hp
The UK has been one of the TT’s most successful markets globally. In fact, by 2022 a total of 2,672 had been purchased by Britons, which represented over 33 per cent of worldwide sales for this modern-generation icon
The Mk2 TT arrived in 2006 and was on sale until 2014. It was five inches longer and three inches wider than the first-generation TT, which was quite a big increase in the sports car’s footprint
The third-generation TT arrived in 2014 and – having been on sale for almost a decade – will officially be the last TT ever
TT S Final Editions ride on Audi Sport seven-spoke rotor, anthracite black alloys with gloss turned finish.
Buyers have the choice between Tango Red, Glacier White and Chronos Grey metallic paint as standard.
Inside, there’s wider use of leather across the armrests, door handles and centre console, while the steering wheel is Alcantara with red stitching, including a red 12 o’clock marker. Further enhancements include Alcantara-trimmed seats with decorative red stitching and red piping on the floor mats.
First customers will get the keys to their Final Edition models from April and these cars will be the last TTs to be delivered to British soil.
The run of TT S Final Editions ride on Audi Sport seven-spoke rotor, anthracite black alloys with gloss turned finish, as seen here
The Final Edition TTS also gets leather across the armrests, door handles and centre console, while the steering wheel is Alcantara with red stitching, including a red 12 o’clock marker