Daily Slideshow: 6 Cars That Influenced the Creation of the Audi TT

California Connection

In the early '90s, Audi relocated their design studios to California. If you’re familiar with your Japanese cars this is also where the Mazda Miata was designed. A group of designers including Peter Schreyer were responsible for all aspects of the design of the car. While others are credited for the main design of the TT I bring up Schreyer for a reason.

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'90s Bugs

Peter was the designer of the 1997 Volkswagen Bug and would lend assistance on the TT just 1 year later. If you step back and look at the fenders and shapes of the TT you can see some parallels to the VW Beetle made in the late '90s!

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5 Cylinders

One of the only companies to utilize 5 cylinder performance motors Audi recalls on countless victories to build reliable and high performing street engines. In later model TTs such as the RS the 5 cylinder motor can trace its racing pedigree all the way back to the Group B days. After countless hours spent flogging the fire-belching Quattros around there are definitely lessons they have carried into the future.

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DSG

DSG or Direct Shift Gearbox were first offered in the Volkswagen’s 4th generation Golf R32 enabling faster shifts than many other cars on the marketplace at the time. Well, it would make sense that this transmission would find itself in the TT years after its original design was first penned. The TT shares components and history with many other cars with the transmission being just another great example.

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Isle of Man

For as much influence as this car has from Golfs, Beetles and Group B cars the name is absolutely baffling until you dig deeper. The Isle of Man TT with this car is named after a bike race. It would seemingly have nothing to do with the 4 ringed German powerhouse. Wrong! Two companies that actually raced at the famous 2 wheel race would merge into what would become Audi years later. Well, there you have it, some history about the Audi TT. Hope you enjoyed!

>>Join the conversation about the Cars that Influenced the Audi TT right here in the AudiWorld Forum!

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