2023 Audi TT RS Iconic Edition Is a Send-Off to Audi's Sports Car

The Audi TT, a car that represents a golden era at Audi, is bidding a prolonged farewell. The TT RS exited the stage in the U.S. market at the end of the 2022 model year with the Heritage Edition, and now in Europe, the TT RS Iconic Edition is a similar homage to the history of the distinctive coupe. And that's why it's worth taking a look at the past generations before we get to the details of this latest and arguably most competent iteration of the TT to date.

It was 1995 when the TT concept (above) wowed the unsuspecting audience at the Frankfurt auto show. Extremely puristic and geometric, it was a modern interpretation of a Bauhaus aesthetic. The production model came to market only three years later (not till the 2000 model year in the U.S.), remarkably faithful to the show car and still oozing concept-car vibes. The first, stylistically purest TT was offered as a coupe and a convertible. A 225-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter paired with all-wheel drive arrived in its second U.S. model year as the top offering, later exceeded by a 3.2-liter narrow-angle V-6, available with a manual or a dual-clutch transmission that had just launched in the Golf R32.

The second-gen TT coupes and convertibles that arrived stateside for 2007 were a bit less minimalist in design. With this model, however, Audi brought back a five-cylinder engine, a move that fired up brand aficionados. Unlike Audi's original five-banger that debuted in 1976, this one was derived from the EA113 four. It was a close relative of the U.S.-market inline-five that powered the Golf and other models, but it was turbocharged and produced twice the output.

The current, third-generation TT returned to its roots with razor-sharp lines and a more sporting appearance. Ferdinand Piëch himself sent the designers back to the drawing board, when—upon setting his eyes on an evolutionary proposal—he told them, "That is not how to treat an icon." The new TT came to market in 2014 again as a coupe and a convertible; crossover and four-door Sportback versions originally envisioned were dismissed, and the TT has carried forward without any major changes to this day.

For the Iconic Edition, just 100 of which will be built, Audi Sport decided not to dive too deeply into the design heritage of the TT; that would have entailed a different approach to wheel design and décor both outside and inside. While the original TT was defined by its use of aluminum trim, this one reflects contemporary popular notions of sportiness with black wheels and carbon-fiber appliqués.

The menacing appeal of the TT RS Iconic Edition is undeniable. It sits low to the ground, with an aggressive stance, its 20-inch alloys shod with 255/30 rubber. All are finished in Nardo Grey, and the front end is accentuated by canards, blades, and a splitter; the rear end is fitted with a massive wing, and the optional OLED taillights provide a futuristic touch. This model proves that the third-gen TT's design has aged really well.

You step into a cockpit that hasn't changed much over time and is still very clever and driver-oriented. The multimedia interface seems a bit dated only because Audi has moved on to other input strategies in its recent models, but this one works well. And the integration of the climate controls into the central air vents still seems like genius. This special-edition version features nappa leather and Alcantara in a two-tone black and gray with yellow contrast stitching in a honeycomb pattern.