The writing had been on the wall for a while, and now the time has come to finally say goodbye to the TT. Originally previewed at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, the first-generation model went on sale three years later as a coupe, with a roadster launched in 1999. After nearly 26 years of production and three generations later, the last Tourist Trophy has rolled off the assembly line at Audi's Györ plant in Hungary.
From February 18, 1998 until November 10 2023, the Four Rings assembled a total of 662,762 vehicles. The last of the breed is a TTS Coupe with the turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine and Quattro all-wheel drive shared with the S3. In an automotive world dominated by crossovers and SUVs, we're frankly surprised the TT managed to survive for a quarter of a century.
The sad image is not accompanied by a press release as the announcement was made by Audi on its official German account on Instagram. The TT's finale is flanked by the 1995 concept we mentioned earlier and a first-generation roadster with the desirable leather interior with baseball-styled stitching. It's safe to say the outgoing Mk3 was the most stylish car built on the MQB platform but we'll always prefer the look of the original TT.
Before being put out to pasture, the TT spawned its fare share of final editions in more than a few regional markets. Its retirement effectively kicks off the gradual demise of the five-cylinder engine, which is still available in the RS3 and RS Q3 models. In its heyday, the sports car was offered with an even bigger engine as the first two generations were available with a VR6.
As to what the future holds, the German luxury brand has suggested the TT could return one day as an electric car but a decision has yet to be made. Hopefully, it'll remain a coupe and roadster duo. That said, lest we forget there have been concepts with different body styles, such as a swoopy sedan (2014 TT Sportback) and a crossover (2014 TT Offroad).
