A Bold Take on an Icon: Audi TT Restomod by Autoforma

[Source: Autoforma]

Messing with an icon is usually a losing game, especially when that icon is the original Audi TT. Its Bauhaus-inspired shape has aged better than almost anything from the late ’90s, which makes the idea of “improving” it feel borderline sacrilegious. But that’s exactly what Autoforma set out to do with its one-off Audi TTS Roadster Restomod. Instead of reinventing the car, the Dutch design house has taken a more surgical approach, refining, simplifying, and sharpening the TT’s signature look.

Reading about an Audi TT restomod can set off a range of emotions. First is surprise. Is the Audi TT already old enough to warrant a restomod treatment? Next is concern. Why mess with one of the best automotive designs from the past 30 years? Then comes the curiosity. Could the Audi TT really be improved?

Men Behind the Project

It helps to learn a bit about who is doing the work and what their goals are. It is a Dutch company called Autoforma and they specialize in making bespoke automotive creations. The company was founded by car designer Niels van Roij. Besides owning the company, he also owns an original silver Audi TT Roadster. That is a good sign. He clearly loves what Audi built. Another good sign is that the man who commissioned the Audi TTS Roadster Restomod is Dutch designer Jos Baijens. Baijens also loves the Audi TT and was one of the first owners of the model back in 1998. These are not men that are going to slam the car and install a ridiculous widebody kit.

The goal with this car was to make some subtle changes and make it reminiscent of the original concept car that was shown in Tokyo back in 1995. The Audi TTS Roadster Restomod is reimagined here through a series of precise, design-led refinements rather than a full reinvention. The front end has been reshaped with flatter air intakes and new grille elements to emphasize width, while subtle side vents integrate indicator functions and clean up the overall surfacing. Practical changes, like relocating the washer reservoir, support the new bodywork without disrupting the design flow.

Subtle Tweaks

At the rear, a new diffuser integrates the exhaust into the bumper, eliminating exposed underbody pipes for a cleaner look. Lightweight composite materials, including carbon-fiber-reinforced panels and 3D-printed structures, are used throughout to balance strength and refinement.

A major visual shift comes from replacing the soft top with a sculpted composite cover, giving the car a more coupe-like, monolithic profile. Further details, such as deleted spoilers, smoothed seams, and relocated mirrors, enhance the minimalist aesthetic, while a two-tone finish and lowered stance complete the more modern, purposeful interpretation of the classic design.

Rather than chasing nostalgia or novelty for its own sake, the Audi TTS Roadster Restomod sharpens what was already there. Purity of form, balance of proportion, and a quiet confidence that defined the TT from the beginning. It’s not about improving perfection as much as exploring how far it can be refined before it changes character. And in that sense, the project succeeds, not by replacing an icon, but by reminding us why it became one in the first place.