Highlights
- In good condition throughout
- Rare ‘baseball glove’ seats for a Quattro Roadster
- Original Raven Black Pearl paint (code 3A3A)
The Appeal
Revolutionary in style and exhilarating to drive, the Mk1 Audi TT Roadster may not be the most respected sports car of its generation at the turn of the millennium, but for enjoyable daily commuting or a blast through your favourite B-road twisties, it offers confidence and reliability even in the harshest of weather conditions.
The diminutive German Coupe and Roadster set the ‘boutique’ auto scene before the new MINI and other retro offerings could even find the stage, let alone grace it.
The well proven Quattro four-wheel drive system provides steadfast road manners that remain impressive even compared with more modern rivals.
The History and Paperwork
- Dry-stored/driven and garaged when not in use.
- MoT to October, 2022.
- V5 certificate in current keeper’s name.
This right-hand drive Audi TT 1.8T 225bhp Quattro Roadster concluded its build at Audi’s Győr plant in Hungary mid-December 2001 and was dispatched to the UK in time for its first UK registration on 11th January, 2002. (Early TT’s body shells were built at Audi main plant in Ingolstadt and dispatched to Hungary for engine and transmission pairings and final assembly.) The current keeper acquired the car in January, 2022.
Accompanying the car will be the V5 Certificate in the current keeper’s name, an MoT certificate to 10th October 2022, a file of recent and past service and maintenance invoices and a complete owner’s leather holdall containing the original Owner’s Manual and handbooks.
The previous keeper misplaced the original service record book, but acquired a replacement and arranged for the important service dated May, 2021 to be retrospectively entered and officially stamped, as it included a replacement cambelt and water pump.
The Interior
- Seats present in optional red leather ‘Baseball Glove’ finish.
- Interior in very good condition throughout.
- Electrically operated glass wind deflector
Inside, the clean design is enhanced by the car’s first keeper who specified the optional red leather seats which were offered with broad stitching around the leather seats which were said to look like a baseball glove. Little wonder that it was optional, since the initial style was designed in Audi's studios in California.
Overall, the interior presents in very good condition. No silver-coated plastic trims on this Audi as the inserts around the air vents, gear lever, HVAC controls and steering wheel are genuine brushed aluminium, which still gleam brightly twenty years on.
The carpentry, door cards and other soft furnishings throughout the interior all present in exceptional condition and are commensurate with the car’s mileage and ‘lovingly used’ appearance.
The Exterior
- Original Raven Black Pearl paint (code 3A3A).
- Rides on a handsome set of original period alloys.
- Exterior may require some TLC to elevate its standard.
The TT Roadster model is very impressive indeed, although the decapitation process has radically altered the essential character of the car. The sleek swoop of the coupe’s roofline is no longer, replaced by a well-sculpted but chunky hood that gives the car a profile that best resembles a ‘Matchbox’ rendering of a Porsche Boxster.
Hood down, the car maintains it's aggressive, almost caricature, buggy look. The wheels appear larger, the frontal aspect more bullish and the unfashionable lack of tension in the flanks suddenly becomes a laudable design aspect.
The original factory-fitted alloy wheels are in very good condition and are shod with a healthy set of Kumho Ecsta PS71 run-flat tyres all round. At the front, the headlight and lower fog light lenses are clear and the indicator/reflector lenses show no hint of fogging sometimes associated with a car of this age. The same may be said for the crystal clear rear light clusters.
The brightwork around the car is in good condition and a cursory glance down each flank shows no evidence of structural damage, although there is evidence of a knock taken to the nearside lower sill. The front number plate and valance, for all their vulnerability, remain blemish free.
The Mechanics
- Mechanically sound.
- Cambelt and water pump replaced in May 2021.
- MoT to October, 2022.
At the photo location, the Quattro fired up first and every time and settled into a hearty burble. The six-speed manual transmission connected smoothly and the clutch engaged with no drama requiring just a light feathering of the revs to get underway.
The keeper reports this TT to be in very good mechanical condition with the Audi’s engine, brakes, steering, drivetrain and running gear performing as well as their respective German engineers intended.
The underside and lower sills of the car present in very good order with a degree of natural oxidation that is reasonably to be expected on a car of this age.
Summary
Although much of its thunder has been stolen by newer arrivals, these early Audi TT Roadsters remain a very aspirational piece of automotive sculpture. What's more, a quick drive to reacquaint yourself with its talents reminds you in no uncertain terms that the years have been good to this car.
It still feels funky, fresh and fun. Healthy, lovingly used examples of TT Roadsters rarely come to market – especially Quattro/Baseball Glove/Roadster combination such as this, a TT Roadster makes an intriguing alternative to something like a Mazda MX-5.
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