Inspired by the original "bathtub" Porsche and the famed Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the 1930s, the Audi TT Coupe made its first appearance as a concept at the 1995 German Motor Show in Frankfurt. The international automotive press whipped up quite a frenzy then, and American autojournos went wild when it arrived in the U.S. as a 2000 production model. It was an extremely daring design, achieved through purity and simplicity of form.

It seems like such a long time ago, but also like only yesterday. Remember way back then, when a car like the Audi TT was considered a pipe dream? Suddenly the roads are filling with such pipe dreams. With apologies to the Dodge Viper, the Audi TT Coupe's legacy might be as the car that opened the floodgates of creativity, by breaking down the barriers of manufacturers' fear.