There’s no official body that decides forever what counts as a great car. We all get to vote and argue, and the best time to do it is after a car bids goodbye or perhaps hits its 25th year in production, and we all start to realize it may never drive into the sunset.
The Audi TT is 25 this year. But it’s headed toward that descending sun.
So, we’ll start the argument here — the TT was a great car.
No automaker really does this anymore. Audi built a tiny 2-seat sports car that was utterly distinctive and could never be mistaken for anything else on the road. It had one trick — more grip than a tournament full of powerlifters — thanks to a historically good all-wheel-drive (AWD) system that made it fun and forgiving.
And yes, Audi built front-wheel-drive (FWD) versions. We all make mistakes.
But the little coupe and convertible (both are great, but we never turn down a ragtop) with the big contact patches are retiring after the 2023 model year.
Audi will celebrate them home with a limited edition roadster, the 2023 Audi TT Roadster Final Edition. Only 50 copies will make it to the U.S. One can be yours for $67,800 plus a $1,095 destination charge.
Elegant Color Combination
The last TT is painted in a lovely exclusive shade Audi calls Goodwood Green. It gets 20-inch wheels and a gray, powered convertible top that can close while the TT is in motion at up to 31 mph.
The interior is worthy of its claim to being the ultimate TT. It salutes the baseball-glove-leather cabin of the original in Palomino Brown with diamond quilting on the seats. The leather extends to the door armrests and center console.
The Final Edition ships with 255/30 R20 92Y XL summer tires borrowed from the sporty TTS. But summer tires are fine — this is the kind of car you keep for special days when the weather and the mood are made for it. It also gets the magnetic ride suspension from the TTS.
But it foregoes that car’s premium engine because the 2.0-liter, 228-horsepower standard engine was always enough in a car that was all about handling and never needed showy power. Power goes through a 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and, of course, Quattro all-wheel drive.
The Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman remain for those who want a finely balanced sports coupe or convertible in this price range. But they’ll never have the one-of-a-kind, Bauhaus-inspired look that made the TT such an icon.
The TT’s departure leaves a hole. Maybe that’s the final argument for its greatness.
