Description
Please note this car IS compliant with ULEZ. MOT until 21/ 2/ 2025.
RX51 FSZ is a 2001 Audi Mk 1 TT Roadster 225 BHP Quattro (8N9) featuring the unique baseball optic interior package and Nimbus Grey exterior (LZ7X) in which the Audi TTS (TT Roadster concept) was revealed to the world at the 1995 Tokyo Motorshow.
I bought the car in 2022 to form part of my collection of Mk 1 Audi TTs. I am now selling the collection hence the reason for sale.
RX51 SFZ is in excellent driving condition with 96, 000 miles covered. The cambelt was replaced in March 2023 by an Audi specialist workshop. The folding soft-top works perfectly and there are no creases or holes in it. The electrically controlled glass wind baffle likewise functions as intended. The tonneau cover is present. As testament to how well this car has been looked after by its owners, the original Audi cupholder is entirely intact. Any subscribers to the Parrott Bros Youtube channel will understand how rare that is!
There are a couple of cosmetic points that should be mentioned. The driver's wing mirror has experienced clearcoat failure. Not a complicated fix but admittedly an irritating one. There is also a small scratch low down on the nearside sill cover. The dashboard has some missing pixels as is ubiquitous on 8Ns. A £110-140 fix exists to repair the dash if desired.
I have written an essay giving more information about the Audi TT. Please contact me for a copy of this if you're interested. In addition, I am selling my collection of 3 Mk1 TTs of which RX51 FSZ forms a part (adverts all visible on CarandClassic). Please contact me also if you'd be interested in buying the entire collection. Photos of all 3 cars together are illustrated in the main advert. If the exterior of the Audi TT coupe concept of 1995 excited the public when it was revealed at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, it was the interior of the Roadster concept which did the same some 7 weeks later in Tokyo. Freeman Thomas and Peter Schreyer played the starring roles in designing the external form of both cars but Romulus Rost drew on the crude stitching and evocative deep tan leather of a baseball glove to ensure that the Roadster, arguably less pretty than its hardtop sister, had a USP to crow about.
Of course, not all Roadsters were equipped with this interior when the car went into production. Probably too leftfield for some (baseball pun only just realised as I write the sentence) possibly too dear for others, the baseball optic package was an £800 option when new. This makes the feature all the more desirable today. It's by no means as rare as some commentators would make you believe, but the idea of owning a Mk 1 TT Roadster as a modern classic without it seems unconscionable.
RX51 FSZ is your car then because Pearlescent Nimbus Grey (another cost option when new) is another desirable feature. Not only is it currently on trend but it was the launch colour of the TT Roadster and sets off the baseball interior particularly well.
