I just got back from the Audi dealer helping my adult son buy a new TTS model car. The TTS is a new design for this year and has a special edition of it called the "Launch Edition" which only comes in one color. My son liked the black exterior with the red leather interior color combo so we ended up buying the Launch Edition version of the car. We're getting one of the first two 2016 TTS cars to be delivered to our local dealer. The other TTS is a regular yellow one. Just by accident, that is how the timing worked out. After getting home, we looked on the internet to see pictures of exactly what makes the Launch Edition different and discovered it has: unique 19" alloy wheels, Express Red Fine Nappa leather interior, black interior trim where it is normally aluminum, red leather stitching on the steering wheel, stick shift, and dash, etc. So, it is a cosmetic-only special edition. What we couldn't believe is that Audi says that the Launch Edition is limited to just 75 cars. At first I thought it was a typo. Only 75 cars? That doesn't make sense for a high-volume manufacturer like Audi. Audi has over 280 dealers in the U.S. With only 75 cars, only 1 in 4 dealerships will even get one to sell? 75 cars is rarer than a Ferrari Enzo. So, my son is thinking we've stumbled into a very rare car deal. We accidentally bought a special edition of an Audi that they are only going to make 75 of. Strange. There was no additional dealer mark up for the car. They sold it to us for MSRP and gave me a fairly generous dollar amount for my 2010 Audi trade-in. Here is the press release from Audi on the TTS. At the end of the first paragraph it talks about only 75 TTS Launch Edition cars being made. Audi announces pricing for the all-new TT model line | Audi USA Here are some pictures of what it looks like: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
We delivered the 1st one East of the Mississippi a few weeks ago at my store. It's a nice car, he is going to enjoy it. You are correct, only 75 Launch TTS were made for US delivery. The guy that bought ours put his name on it 6 months ago, so you were rather fortunate to stumble into the dealer and get it.
I test drove a launch edition TTS at the dealer in Carlsbad (north San Diego). Brutally fast, and it was sold by the time we got back to the lot. I ordered a new base TT (black met/palomino) a few weeks back -- needed a little more ride comfort at my age than the 19" wheels offered. But no doubt the 'S' is a rare bird. The dealer sells very few TT's compared to their other models, and probably fewer TTS's, so 75 is low but sounds realistic. I've been driving a 2013 TT, and the new one is about 10 percent better in every aspect and still a great value compared to comparables from BMW, Merc, and Porsche.
I sat in a new TT (non-S) the other day and loved the new interior and dash. The salesman knew exactly what I was thinking: where is the all the stuff that should be on the center console?
Hard to conceive paying full retail is a good deal, especially for a car that will be depreciating real quick. But as long as he's happy and pleased.
I remember something someone said to me over 40 years ago, "A good deal is only a state of mind". Over the years I have realized just how right he was. I hope he enjoys the new car.
