In what year did Audi TT production begin?

Audi TT production began in 1998. The first-generation TT, internally known as the Type 8N, entered production as Audi’s compact sports car and was offered first as a coupé before the roadster followed.

The production car closely preserved the styling of Audi’s earlier TT concept, with a rounded roofline, prominent wheel arches and a minimalist interior. Mechanically, it used the Volkswagen Group’s transverse-engine platform, sharing its basic architecture with models including the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf Mk4.

The first coupés were launched in 1998, and factory production commenced that year. The roadster arrived in 1999, expanding the range from a fixed-roof 2+2 sports car to a two-seat open model. Early cars were available with turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines and either front-wheel drive or quattro all-wheel drive.

A frequent confusion is between launch, model-year and production dates. Some markets list the TT as a 1999 model, while production records begin in 1998. Those labels describe different stages of the same first-generation car, so 1998 is the appropriate year for the production question.