The TT was first shown as a concept car at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show. The design is credited to J Mays and Freeman Thomas of Volkswagen's California design studio, with Martin Smith contributing to the award winning interior design. The TT name does not indicate "twin turbo" as is sometimes assumed. The car is named for the NSU TT, a small rear-engine model with a formidable racing pedigree that NSU produced in the 1960s and was based on the NSU Prinz, although the modern TT shares next to nothing with that model's design concepts. The NSU TT was, in turn, named for the famous Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle races.
