Which motorcycle race inspired the Audi TT name?

The Audi TT takes its name from the Isle of Man TT motorcycle race. “TT” stands for Tourist Trophy, the famous road-racing event held on the Isle of Man, and the name also connects Audi with the racing history of its predecessor companies.

NSU, one of the companies that ultimately became part of Audi, competed in the Isle of Man TT from the early 20th century. In 1938, Ewald Kluge won the Lightweight TT on a supercharged 250 cc DKW motorcycle. DKW and NSU later became part of the corporate lineage behind modern Audi.

The TT name was not created solely for the sports car. NSU had already used “TT” on cars such as the NSU 1000TT, 1200TT and TTS during the 1960s. Audi therefore revived a name with both motorcycle-racing associations and a direct link to its company heritage.

“Technology & Tradition” is sometimes offered as another interpretation of the initials, but the established motoring reference is the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. The alternative phrase should not replace the race as the answer to this question.