Yesterday

Timewarp Audi TT 3.2 DSG | Spotted

A modern classic contender for yonks - now the best TTs cost what they did new... 

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Not so long ago, the notion of the Audi TT as a classic car seemed daft. There were simply too many of them, and by sports car standards, they were too unexceptional. Too humble, too obviously lacking a bespoke architecture or incredible power. 

But then production of the TT stopped, and at the same time almost every other two-door coupe went off sale. And with their disappearance, interest in the old ones has increased. From the Audi perspective, truly stylish cars with the four rings have been notable by their absence of late, and to get anything more than four cylinders costs more than ever. So in what seems like no time at all, a low-mileage, Imola Yellow TT 3.2 looks more alluring than it has for quite a while. 

The TT really was Audi at its turn-of-the-century pomp, emerging from its slightly musty era in the early '90s to become the maker of cool, crisp, capable performance cars. The TT was affordable but it was also desirable - and remains a superb bit of design to this day - so once that initial handling scandal was dealt with, there was no stopping it: convertibles, front-wheel drive models, the Quattro Sport at the end… there was a TT for almost everyone, an approach that continued for the subsequent generations. 

The arrival of the 3.2 was a really big deal, bringing a soulful soundtrack so obviously lacking from the 1.8s. But it also introduced the DSG to the TT (and to Audi as a whole), a revolutionary bit of tech when most autos were sloppy torque converters or jerky robo-manuals. The VW dual-clutch demonstrated that you could have rapid shifts with smoothness and efficiency - automatic transmissions would never be the same again. Which makes it significant, another tick in the modern classic box.

And would you look at the condition? There are V10 R8s out there that haven’t been lavished with the kind of care this TT V6 has, with one owner for the first 16 years of its life and just 13,000 miles covered. That original keeper went all out, too, adding on Imola Yellow and Nappa leather to the standard spec. It’s been looked after by the same Audi dealer since new as well. So best hope you live near it…

Does that make a 3.2-litre TT worth £30,000? Ultimately, that’ll be for the market to decide - this is twice the price of any other Mk1 on PH. But then there’s really nothing else comparable in terms of mileage and condition; it really is one of the best TTs - if not one of the best used Audis - in the country. And the car’s popularity is such that there must be a good few dedicated fans out there. It’s always going to look good, it’s always going to sound great, and a TT interior will surely always be a pleasure to use. Maybe in the absence of any box-fresh £30k coupes, it’s time to try a good-as-new old one…  

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SPECIFICATION | AUDI TT 3.2 V6

Engine: 3,179cc, V6
Transmission: 6-speed DSG automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 250@6,300rpm
Torque (lb ft): 236@2,800rpm
MPG: 28.8
CO2: 235g/km
Year registered: 2005
Recorded mileage: 13,722
Price new: £29,745
Yours for: £29,995

See the original advert

[Master Bean]

Servicing intervals are weird. Every 2 years then more than once a year.

[Rostyle]

Previous TT owner , 225 4 cylinder , a friend had this is exact model in gunmetal and I never thought it felt as punchy and the DSG wasn't great . I thought leather was standard on all upper tier models ? Not sure bright yellow shows off the gorgeous bauhaus streamliner style either .

[328wagon]

I am absolutely not a fan of any generation of TT but something has just happened to me and that is absolutely gorgeous. That probably says more about modern cars than it does about the Mk1 TT but that is absolutely lovely.

[5lab]

You can get a newer, albeit leggier R8 for that money

[Huzzah]

I like these, good cars, but screams £5k not £30k

[cerb4.5lee]

I'll never forget driving this model(V6 3.2 DSG) for the first time back then, because one of my mates had a brand new one as a company car at the time. The first time I floored it off the line amazed me back then for sure. I was also lucky enough to drive a 225 1.8 turbo model Mk1 when they first came out as well, because another mate had one as a brand new company car as well.

I love the Mk1 TT a lot, but weirdly I didn't rate the 2012 Mk2 TTS that we had very much at all in terms of the way it drove though in comparison.

[Pereldh]

I'd have the aerodynamically correct Fiat Coupe instead, anyday..
A car with 4 seats you actually can use. And it doesn't kill you on Autobahn

Edited by Pereldh on Tuesday 15th September 08:41

[Jte3397]

cerb4.5lee said:

I'll never forget driving this model(V6 3.2 DSG) for the first time back then, because one of my mates had a brand new one as a company car at the time. The first time I floored it off the line amazed me back then for sure. I was also lucky enough to drive a 225 1.8 turbo model Mk1 when they first came out as well, because another mate had one as a brand new company car as well.

I love the Mk1 TT a lot, but weirdly I didn't rate the 2012 Mk2 TTS that we had very much at all in terms of the way it drove though in comparison.

Funnily enough, a friend who'd done better than the rest of us got a new one of these after a Doom Blue E46 325i back in the day. I saw it for the first time when we used to meet up in Croyde. I think we took the piss because it was an auto and, in those pre PC days, a bit if an air stewardess' car (maybe a Top Gear ism?). I had my EP3 CTR parked next to it. A couple of blokes walking by and stopped to , one said "I bloody love those". My mate puffed with pride. "Yeah, Type R, proper car not like that other one".

The campsite owner referred to it as "that rusty Volkswagen" all weekend. Good days.

£30k is crazy.

[vaud]

I think they nailed the TT design wise.

OK it doesn’t look like a model that would be released today, but it’s instantly recognisable and personally I quite like them. It was never supposed to be a sports car - it was meant to be an accessible, smart, easy to drive, swift coupe and roadster.

[fflump]

Bright yellow accentuates the slightly ungainly panel gap lines side on.

Should be metallic blue. Leave yellow to Fiat Coupes where it belongs.

[Truckosaurus]

13k miles in 20-odd years is a dreadful waste of a decent motorcar.

[C5_Steve]

fflump said:

Bright yellow accentuates the slightly ungainly panel gap lines side on.

Should be metallic blue. Leave yellow to Fiat Coupes where it belongs.

Have to agree on this. As much as I enjoy cara in any colour other than silver/black/white this really doesn't suit it for some reason.

Th design has become iconic though, looks very cool still.

[Xenoous]

THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS?! In what world is it worth that. I can think of an insane amount of cars that I'd rather have for that money. These TT's are nice, but at 5-10k (for a bloody good one). Still, in todays market anything goes, apparently.

[LotusOmega375D]

No likey. What would the equivalent A3 3.2 cost nowadays? A few grand?

[Taz73]

I actually like the yellow, always liked the mk1 TT over the newer models, only the DSG would put me off, I may be wrong but weren’t early iterations prone to issues? As for the price, must surely be worth somewhere close to the asking price, good higher mileage cars are £15k+ so maybe £20-25k? It looks as good as new.

[vaud]

Xenoous said:

THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS?! In what world is it worth that. I can think of an insane amount of cars that I'd rather have for that money. These TT's are nice, but at 5-10k (for a bloody good one). Still, in todays market anything goes, apparently.

Supply
Demand

There are many people who wouldn’t blink if it was 50k, if they want the specific colour, etc

[cerb4.5lee]

Jte3397 said:

cerb4.5lee said:

I'll never forget driving this model(V6 3.2 DSG) for the first time back then, because one of my mates had a brand new one as a company car at the time. The first time I floored it off the line amazed me back then for sure. I was also lucky enough to drive a 225 1.8 turbo model Mk1 when they first came out as well, because another mate had one as a brand new company car as well.

I love the Mk1 TT a lot, but weirdly I didn't rate the 2012 Mk2 TTS that we had very much at all in terms of the way it drove though in comparison.

Funnily enough, a friend who'd done better than the rest of us got a new one of these after a Doom Blue E46 325i back in the day. I saw it for the first time when we used to meet up in Croyde. I think we took the piss because it was an auto and, in those pre PC days, a bit if an air stewardess' car (maybe a Top Gear ism?). I had my EP3 CTR parked next to it. A couple of blokes walking by and stopped to , one said "I bloody love those". My mate puffed with pride. "Yeah, Type R, proper car not like that other one".

The campsite owner referred to it as "that rusty Volkswagen" all weekend. Good days.

£30k is crazy.

That is exactly how I felt at the time versus my 2 mates as well. Both of them were earning really good money(especially when compared to me anyway), and they both had a string of lovely company cars, whereas I was only rolling around in an Sierra XR4x4, and then latterly the 200SX in comparison though. They both knew how much I loved cars which was nice I thought, because I always got the opportunity to drive the cars they had, and I was grateful for that for sure.

[mwstewart]

These were a classic from the start. Not an especially great driver, but a design classic with some very pleasing details.

[Loplop]

I remember my cousins partner getting a MK1 TT as a company car back in 2000. Must've been a cooking model 1.8T and not the 225, he somewhat weirdly got rid of his 8L S3 for it.

I remember two things: Firstly, thinking it was a spaceship. Secondly, that they had Moby, 18 on repeat every time I got in it.

[J4CKO]

Pereldh said:

I'd have the aerodynamically correct Fiat Coupe instead, anyday..
A car with 4 seats you actually can use. And it doesn't kill you on Autobahn

Edited by Pereldh on Tuesday 15th September 08:41

Have had both, the TT is better in a lot of ways but still have some love for the Fiat Coupe.

Can’t get my head round 30k for this, we bought a year old Black Edition for not much more, the mk3 is a massive step up.