Audi is discontinuing the TT this year and will be offering a Final Edition built in limited quantities. Based on the Roadster, the model is focused on giving a visual nod to the original that debuted in 1998 so you’ll have something to talk about with friends. But the first thing they’re going to bring up is why the cloth top is gray rather than the original black.
The answer is that Audi wanted to differentiate the model from everything else that wore the TT badge. But it clashes with the convertible’s singular color scheme of Goodwood Green with a Palomino Brown leather interior.
While both are exclusive colors for the TT Roadster Final Edition, they’re also throwbacks to some of the hues available on the first generation. Audi offered a slew of colors back then, including eight individual greens. However, Goodwood Green is probably the best compromise if you’re limited to using just one and it pairs extremely well with the brown being used on the interior.
The 20-inch wheels are also a throwback, even though they don’t denote any specific time period. Instead, they’re emblematic of some of the Y-spoke designs that were typically available for those willing to spend a bit more dough on their TT. We’ve also seen plenty of Audi vehicles weaning aftermarket BBS wheels and these look like they could have come straight from the catalog.
The interior is done up extra fancy as part of the S line, which means It comes with Bluetooth connectivity, built-in seat belt microphones (creepy) for voice command, the brand’s Virtual Cockpit display, and some additional infotainment upgrades. It also comes with some carbon accenting and the extended leather package that adds more animal skin to the door armrests, center console, airbag cap, and around the instrument cluster.
Most of that will be in the same Palomino Brown as the seats. But many of the black leather bits that aren’t will be given some brown stitching (e.g. steering wheel, gear selector boot, and floor mats) to provide a more cohesive interior look in addition to serving as a reference to the “baseball stitching” available on the original TT.
Exterior tweaks can also be attributed to the S line and help explain why the roof is gray. Audi originally offered it on the 2019 TT Roadster 20th Anniversary Edition. Perhaps the company had some spare material lying around the factory or wanted to use something from the past that would make the Final Edition extra rare.
While some won’t like how it plays off the brown upholstery, it does mesh well with some of the aggressive exterior embellishments. A platinum gray matte exterior bumper trim and side trim elements have been included as part of the S line. However, Audi stripped the car of any relevant badging “for increased exclusivity.”
Considering how Audi is marketing the TT Roadster Final Edition and limiting its production, with just 50 units being allocated to the United States, our guess is that the brand sees this as more of a collectible model. That’s also reflected by the price. Despite being a sporty car offering all-wheel drive, the TT is outperformed by loads of vehicles in (and even below) its price range.
The Final Edition doesn’t do anything to remedy this and even makes things a little worse by way of its $67,800 MSRP plus an additional $1,095 destination charge.
That’s pretty steep considering the the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine offering 228 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque has gone totally untouched. There have also been no changes announced for the 7-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and standard quattro all-wheel drive.
But you’re buying a more-analog experience that’s tragically absent from a lot of today’s sports cars. It doesn’t even come with a centrally mounted touchscreen, which is probably a factory delete I’d pay extra for on most modern automobiles. While it’s been years since I’ve climbed inside of a TT, the cockpit hasn’t changed much and there’s something classy about it. Infotainment features and navigational tools are hidden inside the core instrument cluster, leaving the rest of the cabin clean and unmarred by the gaudy digitization automakers are trying their hardest to popularize.
It’s certainly not for everyone. But you’ll immediately know whether or not the Final Edition or any TT is something you want to see in your garage as it really is the last of its kind for Audi and probably Volkswagen Group as a whole.
[Images: Audi]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
