Audi TT S | Spotted

Want a modern manual coupe with more than 300hp? Don't forget there was a six-speed TT S...

By Matt Bird / Thursday, 2 April 2026 / Loading comments

They always say you don’t know what you’ve got until it's gone, and the adage has never seemed truer than when thinking about the Audi TT. We never really envisaged a day when it wouldn’t be around. As something very good across the board rather than exceptional, it was never the car you leapt to for a recommendation or a booking. But the world feels strange without a handsome TT for sale. And the Audi homepage looks plainer than ever.

Of course, the usual gripe about the TT from enthusiast types (including us, in fairness) was around interaction. Which remains true: if you want the ultimate in touchy-feely sports car-ness, a Porsche Cayman is superior to an Audi TT. Yet there is plenty to recommend the Mk3 now it’s no longer on sale, and this one in particular, because it has a six-speed manual gearbox. And we all know what wonders changing your own gears can work on a feeling of connection with a car.

Like the contemporary Golf R with which this TT shares so much, the DSG was a very natural fit. It made for quicker acceleration times, superior mpg, and complemented the all-wheel drive’s all-weather appropriateness very nicely. The ability to go very fast without much effort was almost unrivalled. So even with a fairly prominent DSG lever in period, seeing a gearstick with numbers on the top seems quite strange in a pretty recent TT.

And interesting, it should be said. While perhaps a tad too light in action, this six-speed manual was a pretty nice one to use, and it’s great for exploring the character of the engine. Clearly, unlike the DSG, this isn’t going to change down or up automatically. It also won’t fart on an upshift either, and that must be good news. As the most powerful Mk3 TT offered with three pedals (the original TT RS had a manual, the latter cars were only DSG), it’s quite a cool coupe to these eyes. Helped, of course, by still looking so good inside and out. This really was a design high point for Audi.

Moreover, because the DSG was the natural fit for a TT S - you can bet monthly payments would have been less - it would surely have taken a very dedicated buyer to opt for the six-speed. That certainly seems to have been the case with this one, as its sole owner from new has ensured it’s never had a single MOT advisory in almost 50,000 miles. Nothing whatsoever, in eight tests. Not the be-all and end-all, of course, but encouraging. It would be a surprise if there wasn’t also a full service history to support that. Having specced it this way, it’s little wonder that the original owner doted on the TT. As well as the gearbox, they added in Nappa Leather Super Sports Seats, the Audi Phone Box and the Tech pack. Red with sensible wheels tops it all off nicely. The condition looks great for what’s now almost an 11-year-old car.

Given how rare the spec is, it’s hard to say quite where £18,500 ranks in terms of value. Naturally, those cars from the glory days of, um, 2015 remain available, from F-Type to Cayman and SLC to Z4, all with their own USPs. But the manual and the condition make this Audi TT more intriguing than most. As a reminder of its considerable talents, this must be one of the best.

SPECIFICATION | AUDI TT S

Engine: 1,984cc inline four 16v turbocharged
Transmission: 6-speed manual, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 310@5,800-6,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 280@1,800-5,700rpm
MPG: 38.7 (NEDC)
CO2: 168g/km
Year registered: 2015
Recorded mileage: 46,800
Price new: £40,270 (2014, before options)
Yours for: £18,500