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The TT was derived from a concept car that was very close to the actual production car. Except for the rear roof area, virtually everything was carried over. "An enthusiasts' car with great charisma," was the way Audi's chairman, Dr. Herbert Demel, described the coupe" design study presented at the 1995 Frankfurt International Motor Show. The Audi TT Coupé has a unique development history behind it. It was produced by a team of young designers and engineers whose vision was to design a 2+2-seater that would be a pleasure to drive: a car that would appeal to both the head and the heart. The aim was to create an "object of desire" of the kind normally only seen in the form of the old classics - but an attainable car, not just something to dream of. Existing production technology was borrowed for the power train and chassis; five valves per cylinder, turbocharging, and four-wheel drive inspire the driver's enthusiasm. Aluminum for the engine bonnet, the two doors, the rear lid, and the front wings reduces weight. The car's exterior contours are of the German design school, with 1930s automobile design cues and the rounded curves of the Auto-Union pre-war racing cars and post-war saloons. The fundamental principle for the car's interior was: as much as necessary and as little as possible. Afterward, nobody could say with any certainty who thought of it or how or when. It was one of those things destined to happen. And, indeed, it did - an Audi with several proud fathers. The resulting car could hardly conceal its parentage even in a poor light. A car with looks that are bound to have the dictionary open at quite new pages: a "hit," a "star," or a "winner" isn't evocative enough. It's a car that tempts you to leap in and drive away without the slightest hesitation. The top performers among us, the aesthetes, the eco-freaks, those for whom nostalgia never fails to work - it will appeal to them all. This is Audi's new "TT" Coupé, four meters long, with a high-tech power unit developing 110 Kilowatts. Audi has conceived this new 2+2-seater as an unmistakable essay in a classic sports-car area, as the essence of dynamism and driving pleasure. Is the Audi TT Coupé a typically German car? It's certainly a purist's creation, with sensitively sketched lines, "cool" if you like, but in no way the emotionless product of a computerized drawing office. Nor is it the end-product of an anonymous commission to a styling studio which, talented no doubt in putting neatly turned forms to paper, tends to forget that cars have to be functional too. No - this coupé is straight from the hearts and minds of Audi's young team of designers and technicians, who let the spirit of the times speak to their five senses. A triumph for the home team. The scene The origins of this car tell a tale as unusual and stimulating as its appearance. The decisive moves in the game were made on that slippery slope where the success or failure of new products is always decided - where the stylists and the engineers conduct their sometimes uneasy alliances. What does the highly respected French designer Philippe Starck have to say about the significance of his profession? "People buy designer articles as if they were waving a flag with the name of their social caste emblazoned on it!" Designers themselves have disagreed on the nature of their activities. One of them even described 99.9 percent of his colleagues as "half-wits." Such mutual accolades come easily to the representatives of a profession surrounded by a certain aura of the inexplicable, where "feeling" and instinct have a major part to play. Have women of all age groups suddenly taken to wearing brutal leather walking boots? Is there a new craze among the men for haircuts in the style of the US Marines? Designers' studios analyze all these trends if they provide a clue as to clients' wishes in the future. It's hard to put a foot wrong in a trade that even boasts "scent designers" with a strong feeling for what the client likes to smell. But clear signs from the intending customer are something of a rarity, resulting in the designers taking over. On their eternal wanderings in the no man's land between art and craft, they contribute their tastes in a most helpful way when they sense the direction in which the customer's subconscious mind is moving. The Audi TT Coupé was spared this agonizing gestation period. With hindsight, it almost seems as if its designers and engineers had allowed their imagination the same free rein as the passionate Pininfarina in his day and that company management had obligingly closed its eyes to such direct methods of achieving results. The TT Coupé's creators had a vision - a vision of the Audi brand. They wished to reach the hearts as well as the minds of today's car-freaks. In no time at all, they had become a group of conspirators, dedicated to building a car that would turn heads, that one might even permit to overtake to see it from all angles, but not a car so elite in character that only a chosen few could afford it. Nowadays, a car with a "character" is only found in fading photos of historic classics in specialist car magazines. The idea took shape, the pencils hurried to and fro across many a draughtsman's pad, and soon there were sketches of sufficient substance for the Audi board of management to be graciously permitted a glance at them; a gleam, it may be said, appeared at once in the board's collective eye. There was no carefully tailored marketing concept, no cool assessment of chances and risks - none of the precautions that normally precede the development of an initial prototype. Conspirators, even those with the best intentions like our determined group of designers and engineers, don't behave that way. Even the relative seclusion of the Audi Design Studio was not secure enough for them. Somewhere down on the bank of the River Danube, outside Ingolstadt, the "Audi City," they set to work "with unbelievable enthusiasm" (an insider's words) and finalized the basic concept within a week. The prototype then took a mere seven months more to materialize. The concept The developers' work was made easier by dipping into the high-volume Audi models' parts bin for the driveline and running-gear components they needed. In this way, they circumvented the constraints of the "performance specification," the document that lays down the technical data, dimensions, and tolerance limits for all the car's parts and specifies their production costs. The Audi TT Coupé uses the technical features of an Audi model in a modified form that has not yet been launched. This will guarantee it the same high standard of technical perfection that all Audi cars are renowned for. Five valves per cylinder and four-wheel drive, as • the engineers so convincingly assure us, are intended to produce "a sense of delight and driving pleasure" right up to the new car's projected top speed of 225 km/h (139 mile/h). The source of all this performance is the 1.8-liter engine from the Audi A4, installed transversely on this occasion and, as we have said, with five valves per cylinder. Its output and pulling power are higher than comparable engines. Still, the reverse is true of its exhaust emissions and fuel consumption — under 8.5 liters per 100 kilometers (33.2 Imp. mile/gal) for the average of the three standard European consumption test values. This combination of performance and frugality will, the engineer's hope, earn the respect of even the most dedicated ecological campaigner. Adopting the Audi aluminum construction concept in modified form was another step in the right direction: this weight-saving metal is used for the engine and luggage compartment lids, doors, and interior elements. The design Allowing the Audi team out on a long leash seems to have designed precisely the car its members would love to own! Identifiable emotional influences are motor vehicles from the nineteen-thirties, the clear, systematic outlines of the "Bauhaus" and the elegant curves of pre-war racing cars, and the Auto-Union's post-war saloons. The Fifties, too, are echoed, with a formal reference to the rounded bodies of German sports cars and the character attributed to them ("small," "modest" but "strictly functional" too, "fast" and "maneuverable"). As the final ingredients, a dash of the compact, fulminant NSU TT and a helping of the down-to-earth spirit of the original Rally Quattro from the Seventies were added to the mix. This was the stuff of which dream sports cars are made, with the kind of clear outlines and almost purist styling that makes the Anglo-American driver's heart, in particular, beat faster. The interior, too, is sporting, functional, and above all, with nothing extra added. The instruments are circular, with bold markings; the roll hoop is exposed, whereas the two airbags are present and correct, although concealed from view. The radio is logically hidden behind an aluminum panel from curious eyes when not needed as a secondary function. The use of aluminum for many details and leather absolves this interior from any suggestion of spartan character. An interesting design detail: two aluminum hoops support the center console at left and right, with the double function of "knee guide" and "grab handle." Aluminum appears once again at the handbrake lever, the semi-circular cover on the center tunnel, the rings used to rotate the ventilation outlets, and the switch surrounds and gear lever gate; exposed rivets are used to secure all these items, as on an aircraft body. Where to put the spare wheel? Some team members wanted a temporary wheel inside the luggage compartment, where it would have occupied only a small amount of space. Their more nostalgic colleagues pleaded instead for the spare wheel to be mounted where it could be seen through the tailgate window, in the spirit of English sports cars of the Fifties. The drivers Perhaps not altogether unsurprisingly, Audi has identified men who are also car enthusiasts. As its prime target group for the TT Coupé, 70 percent of the men in this category are below the age of 39. They respect performance in every area and like to demonstrate this with the cars they choose. They are the legitimate inheritors of the group previously apostrophized as the "pipe-smokers," whose characteristics allegedly include the patience to endure various forms of martyrdom, particularly those associated with rapid travel in firmly-sprung sports cars. Such heroes still exist today, but they are less willing than before to suffer without reason. However, they nonetheless appreciate the occasional reluctant if admiring gaze and the evident respect of other motorists. Audi goes a stage further and would like the modern, confident woman to conquer a share of this "man's car" too - there are women enough today to whom driving pleasure is not an unknown concept. Source: www.audistory.24max.de; www.audi.com Images: AUDI AG

Designed by HRA (Honda R&D Americas, Inc.), the 1995 Acura CL-X debuted at Detroit Show in 1995. Medieval suits of armor were the creation of highly gifted craftsmen. With this in mind, the engineer and designer teams in charge of the CL-X set a styling theme of simultaneous realization of functionality and aesthetic decor. The study model suggested a future design direction for the North American Acura brand. Looking at the inside of the vehicle, one can easily sense the quality of materials from days gone by, which were carefully carried over with various advanced technologies. This unique mixture allowed the creation of this "Neo-Classical" beauty, which was redesigned for mass production as the Acura CL. Source: world.honda.com Images: Acura Division of American Honda Motor Co.

An off-road coupé. This concept went beyond the SUV idea while remaining in line with Bertone’s other sporty concept cars, and the Fiat Enduro was the result. The Enduro was presented at the 1996 Turin Motor Show. Starting from a Fiat Bravo/Brava base, the Enduro represented an original attempt to resolve the apparent contradiction between the off-roader and the sports car. And with its four-wheel drive and considerable height off the ground, it managed to break away from the usual road coupé formula. The body is compact and dynamic, immediately expressing a sporty personality, and combined with the originality of an innovative design: its soft aerodynamic lines work perfectly with the larger wheels. The Enduro was fitted with the 2000 cc. Bravo engine, with a potential of 147 Hp. Bertone also created the Enduro-Raid, a version equipped for taking part in international rallies. Source: https://www.carrozzieri-italiani.com/listing/fiat-enduro/

The 1996 GAZ-330279 Tandem is 4WD pick-up based on GAZ-3302 platform. Image Source: OldConceptCar

The Peugeot Tulip is a concept created to test the feasibility and popularity of a small, utilitarian vehicle. It is intended for city driving where its small profile would negotiate the streets and easily slip into a parking spot. Its small frame means superior fuel mileage, with dimensions similar to a motorcycle but with the convenience of an enclosed body. Source: OldConceptCars

The Fiat Vuscia, which was debuted at the 1996 Turin Motor Show, was a design created by I.DE.A. (Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering). Based on a Fiat Brava platform, the Vuscia was designed to be a low-volume vehicle that would occupy a particular niche in the market. Quite what this niche was supposed to be isn't clear. Sporty MPV, perhaps? To create a distinctive new shape for the Vuscia, which would offer more significantly more space than the Brava, the chassis was extended by 200 mm (7.9 inches). Unlike most MPVs of the time, the Vuscia had a rather sinister and powerful shape accentuated by the slit-like headlights and broad shoulder line. Access to the 6-seat interior was via a credit-card-sized card that slid into slots where the door handles would normally be found. The roof panel of the Fiat Vuscia concept featured solar cells used to power a number of fans to keep the interior cool when parked in bright sunlight. Many of Brava's components would have been retained to keep the costs down if it were to have entered production. Source: http://www.diseno-art.com/encyclopedia/concept_cars/IDEA_fiat_vuscia.html

Below are photos and specs of the 1996 VW Parati EDP Concept. Prototype: Volkswagen Parati EDP I (Engineering Design Prototype) Base Car: Volswagen Parati GLS 2.0 16v (142hp) Objective: Create a sports station wagon (inspired by the German DTM tourism category) Wheels: BBS 17" Seats: Recaro Model Style Steering Wheel: Momo Motor: 2.0 16v (200hp with 230km 0-100km/h: 7.4s Estimated price: US $80,000 Project cost: US $800,000 Source: https://fotosdecarro.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/volkswagen-parati-epd-i-concept-1996/

A concept car that anticipated a quantum leap forward to 2096 appeared at the 1996 British Motor Show, held in the industry’s centenary year. It bristled with initiatives of which the most radical was the absence of a driver in the accepted sense. Commissioned by the industry body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and featured on its stand, Concept 2096 looked more like a crustacean than a motor car. The SMMT’s brief was to use its flair and imagination to design a vehicle for 2096. Coventry University conceived it. Initial work was allotted to final-year students at university under senior lecturers in design, Simon Saunders and Samantha Porter, his opposite number in ergonomics. Further work was undertaken in Coventry by Geoff Matthews Design, who also produced the full-size clay model. In designing the vehicle, its creators’ recognized that landmasses and local geography would probably be unchanged, which also applied to the road structure. They believed that motorways and other main and trunk roads could increase their capacity by 50 percent. The reasoning was that all vehicles would be controlled by a road-management system and not physically driven by the individual user. Concept 2096 was designed to be powered by electric motors. These could be recharged while the car was moving – perhaps from roadside senders in much the same way that a train receives current. But there were no wheels, with propulsion, suspension, steering, and braking all the responsibility of a mysterious malleable, muscular material that does not yet exist. Perversely, its creators christened it slug drive. The owner would enter the destination and preferred route into the onboard computer and do the rest. The navigation system could be geared for up to 483 km/h (300 mph) and accelerate or slow the car as and when required. All such vehicles would travel near one another under computer control to use valuable road space most efficiently. The car was painted in so-called Smart colors by automotive paint manufacturer PPG. In an open country, it would change color to blend in with the natural environment. But on entering more urban surroundings, it would alter to become more visible and increase levels of personal safety, yet another innovative attribute of a truly remarkable vehicle. Source: Wood, Jonathan (1997) Concept Cars, Paragon, ISBN 0-75252-084-9.

From the Dodge Talk Forum, these specs were published: 488 CID V-10 all aluminum Viper engine 6sp Borg Warner manual gearbox lowered 4 inches from stock revalved shock absorbers heavier antisway bars "BIG" 17 inch aluminum Viper GTS road wheels (i love it how they say BIG 17 inch wheels LOL) 275/60-HR17 Comp T/A HR4 BFGoodrich tires Source: https://www.dodgetalk.com/threads/1996-dodge-ram-vts.126994/

The 1996 Citroën Xantia Break 4×4 Buffalo by Heuliez was a proposal for a luxurious all-wheel drive version of the Xantia estate. The mechanical parts were developed in collaboration with the British FFD-RICARDO group. The car did not progress beyond prototype stage. Source: CarsThatNeverMadeIt

The 1996 Turin Motor Show will be remembered as the year of the Fiat Bravo and Brava. Among 25 concept cars debuting at the show, 17 are based on the new Fiat models. Of the 17, ten are 'official' - sponsored by Fiat and displayed as a group - and seven are 'unofficial.' The 'official' section includes five coupes, two compact minivans, a four-door pick-up, a recreational vehicle and a special taxi. With Bravo Bis, Zagato created a sort of retromobile, a stylish coupe that ideally reconnects more with the ancient Fiat 8V than with the current Tipo-based coupe or its predecessors, the 124 and 128 coupe. Source: www.autonews.com Images: Zagato

This beast is a prototype by il Gruppo Stola and is called Dedica (Dedication) - a design of Aldo Brovarone. Aldo is a retired designer who used to work with Pininfarina until 1988 and a good friend of Alfredo Stola, managing director. The Dedica features a souped-up 2-liter engine from the Coupé Fiat 16V Turbo: it now has 262 bhp, which gives the 1020 kg car a top speed of 270 Km/h (167 Mph) and 0-100 Km/h in 5.8 seconds. The interior has been somewhat altered: the center console is missing, so there are no switches for the windows or ventilation. But these are not needed anymore as the windows are cut down to 20 cms and can't be lowered, and additional dials replace the two air vents. The steering wheel, pedals, and turquoise leather seats are by Momo. Wheels are by Technomagnesio, the four air vented breaks by Brembo, and the tires are Goodyear Eagle F1's. Source: www.fiatbarchetta.com Images: Stola S.p.a.; Classic Driver

Sporting a 'moustache' in design-speak, the Fiftie was presented in 1996 to mark the 50th anniversary of the maker's 4CV. Echoes of the original included a mid-engine, rear-drive setup and plenty of retro curves. Contemporary touches included an aluminum chassis, and the interior even featured rattan. The Fiftie was a proper runner, but only its engine survived: the 1.2-liter unit transplanted to the Twingo. The 1996 Fiftie is a charming two-seater coupé intended to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the much loved Renault 4CV. It reminds of the 4CV but has the next millennium's technology at its heart: an advanced aluminum chassis borrowed from the Renault Spider and an all-new, mid-mounted 1.2 litre powerplant. Features: Moustache front grille moldings and rear air intakes are styling cues harking back to original 4CV Cutting-edge carbon fiber structure and aluminum platform (lifted from Spider) Roof made of four foldaway panels which stow under the rear window Interior showcases natural materials like rattan, linen, and cotton Fixed seats Reach-adjustable steering wheel and pedals Giant multi-function screen for management of hi-fi, climate control system, driver assistance system, and telephone Picnic basket hidden in the boot 1.2-litre, 4-cylinder engine delivering 60bhp with maximum torque of 93Nm at 2,500rpm 5-speed gearbox with semi-automatic clutch Source: Simon Hacker/MSN Cars; KATRIINA’S RENAULT CENTER; conceptcar.co.uk Images: Renault

The 1996 Pininfarina Eta Beta was the result of a research project undertaken on behalf of the Italian National Research Council and aimed at the creation of a prototype with the modulated interior, equipped with a low-emissions dual-power plant, constructed with entirely recyclable light materials and ideally suited for urban use and medium-range out-of-city travel. It was a radical city car concept using an aluminum space frame with aluminum doors, bonnet, and tailgate. Other body panels were plastic, keeping weight to a minimum. The Eta Beta had a hybrid drivetrain. The front wheels were powered by Fiat 1.1 liter engine, while the electric motors drove the rear. The luggage compartment could be enlarged by pulling the rear section of the car out by 15cm Source: Pininfarina

The electrically-powered off-road two-seat Touareg was intended for fun and easy use for the younger market. Designed with compactness and fun in mind, the Touareg was constructed in only six months and ran on an electric engine supplying power to the 4-hour batteries. The batteries were recharged when the car was braking or moving downhill. The absence of doors on the Touareg allowed the passengers to jump into the car. The Touareg could accelerate from 0-50 miles per hour with the engine behind the two seats in nine seconds. The clutch-less transmission and imposing large wheels provided excellent handling. Fower-assisted steering and disc brakes were installed. The unique 18-inch wheels were custom-designed by Michelin. The all-terrain Touareg was also fitted with waterproof instrumentation and seats for quick cleaning. Source: Concept Car Central Images: Peugeot

The same year the Pininfarina bodied 406 Coupe was first shown; Peugeot also displayed this, the Toscana concept. The Sochaux-based motor company’s intentions remained unclear, but whatever the intent, it cannot have been all that serious. With a bespoke body marrying key styling elements of the 406 saloon – nose treatment, rear lamps, body swage line – to a distinct sci-fi canopy section, the Toscana was as frivolous a concept could be while still loosely based on a production model. While some attribute the design to Pininfarina, It was likely an in-house job, it suggests Gérard Welter’s sense of humor as somewhat leftfield. Curiously, Peugeot’s launch ad execution for the 406 (in the UK at least) featured M People’s turgid ‘Search For the Hero’ hit single. In the case of the Toscana, no searching would have been required – every driver instantly being conferred superhero status. Source: https://driventowrite.com/2017/04/15/to-the-batcave-peugeot-406-toscana/ Images: Peugeot

Built for sports driving, the Asphalte was characterized by its narrowly-set rear wheels and small windscreens to escort air up over the occupants. The pedals and seats could be adjusted, and the passenger compartment could be hidden to create a single-seat leisure vehicle. The passenger headrest and windshield could be lowered electrically, and a panel slid over the passenger seat, thus concealing the passenger's space. Powered by a 1.6-liter engine connected to an automatic transmission, the Asphalte was a 1996 Paris Auto Show debutante. Source: Concept Car Central

At the 1996 Geneva Motor Show, Bertone presented the Opel Slalom. Like the Enduro, presented the same year at the Turin Motor Show, the Slalom challenges the traditional ideas of functional car and coupé. Constructed on Opel mechanics, the Slalom is a sporty, high-performance, extremely versatile saloon. With a four-wheel-drive developed by the German manufacturer, it is an original interpretation of the idea of the sports car, in line with the changing times and tastes of the public. The Slalom fits in between the modern coupé, the station wagon, and the people-carrier. The exterior design presents a bold use of proportions, intersecting beltline, rear lights, greenhouse, and glazed surfaces, creating a slalom effect between panels and glazing. The design is accentuated by elements that emphasize the lines, like a brushstroke. On the frontal view, the intersections rework the traditional Opel radiator grille and create the large headlamps which run along with the bonnet and provide lateral illumination. The interiors take up the design ideas of the exterior and are comfortable and welcoming: in grey leather with lively orange inserts. But the most original feature is the organization of the space: thanks to the system for moving and fixing the back seats, the baggage compartment has a superb extension, breaking away from the set layout of the 2+2 coupé. The engine is a four-cylinder 2000 cc. with four valves per cylinder. Source: www.bertone.it Images: Carrozzeria Bertone s.p.a.; www.lov2xlr8.no; leroux.andre.free.fr

Developed and constructed at Ford's California Concept Center, the Fusion was based on a small front-wheel-drive platform. It was conceived to meet the needs and aspirations of two widely different markets: young people and active retirees. The Fusion was designed to blend the toughness of a mini sport utility with the attributes of a passenger car. The design concept was unique in that the rear window and quarter glass were both removable, and the rear portion of the roof incorporated a folding fabric sunroof. When the Fusion sunroof opened, the entire rear was open to the air, though pillars remained in place. The exterior was primarily finished in matte gray plastic cladding for ruggedness and easy maintenance. The body's upper area and roof were finished in sparkling metallic dark blue paint, which carried over to the interior's exposed tubing seat frames. "Tubing" is the interior's motif, with the seats, instrument panel, and center console all built around tube framing. Source: Concept Car Central Images: Ford Motor Company

Making its North American debut at the 1997 Chicago show was the Mercedes-Benz F200 coupe concept. The F200 used a "drive-by-wire" technology that eliminated the steering wheels and pedals. Instead, the vehicle was controlled via ergonomically designed, aircraft-style joysticks in the central console and door recess. The most notable exterior feature was the scissors-type doors, which swung upward and would be especially useful for getting out of the vehicle in tight parking spaces. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com Images: DaimlerChrysler