2000 Audi TT (Photo: Per-Tore Aasestrand, Bergen, Norway)

Avant garde. Those two words best describe the Audi TT when it first graced American shores by the late 1990s. The coupe came first, the roadster second; in any form, avant garde was written all over it. 

From its abundance of brushed aluminum on the inside to its chromed roll hoops (for the convertible) and race car-inspired gasoline filler cap (which would spawn many imitations with both new car manufacturers and the after market), this was one hot teutonic machine. While front-wheel drive and hence not quite as sporting as, say, the BMW Z3, it was well-mannered in its own right, with typical German steering precision. And the coupe (perhaps the most beautiful German shape since Porsche’s revamped 911) not only had a decent amount of cargo room, but could seat 4 people, assuming the people in the back were small children or midgets.

The Audi TT remains fairly exclusive and looks decidedly un-me-too-ish unlike some of the market’s other sports car offerings. The Audi TT keeps its value well but still used examples can be purchased for less than almost any new car today; a good value for such a solid piece of machinery. Coupe or convertible? We are always partial to the latter though the coupe has an edge on room and perhaps on style. Your choice.