Audi Quattro
Encyclopedia
The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car
, produced by the German
automobile manufacturer
Audi
, now part of the Volkswagen Group
. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.
The word quattro is derived from the Italian
word for "four". The name has also been used by Audi to refer to the quattro four-wheel drive system, or any four-wheel drive version of an Audi model. To avoid confusion, the original Quattro model is also commonly referred to as the Ur-Quattro - the "Ur-" (German
for "primordial" or "ancestral") is an augmentative
prefix, in this case meaning "original", and is also applied to the first generation Audi S4
and Audi S6
models, as in "Ur-S4" and "Ur-S6".
The Audi Quattro was the first rally car
to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of four-wheel drive
in competition racing
. It won competition after competition for the next two years. To commemorate the success of the original vehicle, all subsequent Audis with their trademark quattro four wheel drive system were badged "quattro" with a lower case "q". The original car with the upper case "Q" in the Quattro name is a collector's piece.
The Audi Quattro shared many components and the core of its body style with the Audi Coupé, which was a member of the Audi 80 (B2) model range. It was internally designated Typ 85, a type number it shared with the quattro versions of the Audi Coupé (B2)
and Audi 80. Its characteristic flared wheelarches were styled by Martin Smith
. The Audi Quattro also had independent rear suspension and independent front suspension.
jeep, could outperform any other vehicle in snow, no matter how powerful. Bensinger's idea was to start developing an Audi 80 variant in co-operation with Walther Treser, Director of Pre-Development.
released the original Quattro to Europe
an customers in late 1980, making it both the first car to feature Audi's quattro permanent four-wheel drive
system (hence its name), and the first to mate four wheel drive with a turbocharged
engine.
The original engine
was the 2144 cc (2.1 L), inline-5 cylinder
10 valve SOHC, with a turbocharger
and intercooler
. It produced 147 kW and torque
of 285 N·m (210 ft·lbf) at 3500 rpm; propelling the Quattro from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1s, and reaching a top speed of over 220 km/h (137 mph).
The engine was eventually modified to a 2226 cc (2.2 L) inline-5 10 valve, still producing147 kW, but with peak torque lower in the rev-range. In 1989, it was then changed to a 2226 cc inline-5 20v
(2.2 L 20v) DOHC setup producing 162 kW, now with a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph).
Audi Quattros are often referred to among owners and enthusiasts by their engine codes, to differentiate between the earlier and later versions: the earliest 2144 cc 10v being the "WR" engine, the 2226 cc 10v being the "MB" engine, and the later 20v being the "RR" engine. Hence, Quattro models may be referred to as either the WR Quattro, MB Quattro, and RR or "20v" Quattro, respectively.
Quattro car production was 11,452 vehicles over the period 1980–1991, and through this 11 year production span, there were no major changes in the visual design of the vehicle. For the 1983 model year
, the dash was switched from an analogue
instrument cluster, to a green digital liquid crystal display
(LCD) electronic instrument cluster
. This was later changed in 1988 to an orange LCD electronic instrument cluster. The interior was redesigned in 1984, and featured a whole new dash layout, new steering wheel
design, and new centre console design, the switches around the instrument panel were also redesigned at this time. In 1985 the dash changed slightly with harder foam and lost a diagonal stripe, the dash switches were varied slightly and the diff lock pull knob gave way to a two-position turning knob with volt and oil temp digital readouts.
External styling received very little modification during its production run. Originally, the car had a flat fronted grille
featuring four separate headlamp
lenses, one for each of the low and high beam units. This was altered for the 1983 model year, and replaced with combined units featuring a single lens, but housing twin reflectors. This was changed again, for the 1985 model year, in what has become known as the 'facelift model' and included such alterations as a new sloping front grille, headlights, and trim and badging changes. Max speed was 124mph.ref> The RR 20v Quattro also featured a new three spoke steering wheel design, leather covering for door arm rests, gloveboxes, centre console and door pockets. There was also a full length leather wrapped centre console running all the way to the rear seats. 20v was also the first Ur-Q to have "quattro" script interior with partial leather seats. The floor on the drivers side had a bulge due to dual catalytic exhaust setup. The different models may be distinguished by the emblems on their boot lids: the WR had a vinyl 'quattro' decal or a brushed aluminium effect plastic emblem, the MB had chrome plated 'audi', 'audi rings' and 'quattro' emblems, whilst the RR had only chrome plated 'audi rings'.
The rear suspension was altered early on with geometry changes and removal of the rear anti-roll bar to reduce a tendency for lift-off oversteer. For the 1984 facelift, the wheel size went from 6x15" with 205/60-15 tyres to 8x15" wheels with 215/50-15 tyres. At the same time the suspension was lowered 20mm with slightly stiffer springs for improved handling. For 1987, the Torsen
centre differential was used for the first time, replacing the manual centre differential lock.
began with the 1983 model year
, which were constructed concurrently, and were of the same design as, the Europe
an 1982 models (they did not include the minor cosmetic changes of the European 1983 model) and continued through 1986. Total sales in the USA were 664. Canadian
market received cars that were identical to the US cars with exception of the speedometer
, which was metric
like the early Euro cars. Official sales figures for Canada were 99, which included 61 in 1983, 17 in 1984, 18 in 1985 and 3 in 1986. Although it's believed that there might have been up to 6 cars bought in 1986.
US/Canadian cars were also equipped with larger impact bumpers with built in shock absorbers, just like the rest of the 4000/Coupé models. None of the cars came with Anti-lock Braking System
(ABS), however they were otherwise "loaded" with options, including air conditioning
, and in 90% of the cars, leather upholstery. Most of the 1984 and 1985 Canadian models did not have sunroof
s. The remainder of the electric, suspension
and cosmetic updates took place at the same time as the European cars. Out of 99 cars imported to Canada 35 are still known to be on the road.
The initial 2.1L (2144cc, engine code "WX") engine for US/Canadian models included minor cmponent and engine control unit
(ECU) changes, including lowered turbocharger
boost pressure, different camshaft
, emission controls including catalytic converter
, and lambda
stoichiometric
fuel control, which lowered power to 160 hp. Otherwise, mechanical specifications were identical to the European spec cars. The WX engine was also used on Swiss
and Japan
ese market cars. In fact Audi built 200 special edition cars in 1988 with WX engine and analogue instruments, the rest of the car was identical to the MB cars of that year.
. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original Audi Quattro and the Audi quattro four wheel drive system. Based on the Audi RS5, it features a modified 2.5L five-cylinder TFSI engine and the sixth generation of quattro transmission. It has been reported that Audi are considering a limited production model (200–500 cars) based on the quattro concept.
The original Audi Quattro competition car debuted in 1980, first as a development car, and then on a formal basis in the 1980 Janner Rally in Austria
. Largely based on the bodyshell of the road-going Quattro models (in contrast to the forthcoming Group B cars), the engine of the original competition version produced approximately 300 bhp. In 1981
, Michèle Mouton
became the first female driver ever to win a world championship rally, piloting an Audi Quattro. Over the next three years, Audi would introduce the A1 and A2 evolutions of the Quattro in response to the new Group B
rules, raising power from the turbocharged
inline 5-cylinder engine
to around 350 bhp.
The Quattro A1 debuted at the WRC
1983 season opener Monte Carlo Rally
, and went on to win the Swedish Rally
and the Rally Portugal in the hands of Hannu Mikkola
. Driven by Stig Blomqvist
, Mikkola and Walter Röhrl
, the A2 evolution won a total of eight world rallies; three in 1983 and five in 1984
.
The Audi Sport Quattro was a Quattro programme car developed for homologation
for Group B
rallying
in 1984, and sold as a production car in limited numbers. It featured an all aluminium alloy
2133 cc (2.1 L) 20v
DOHC engine slightly smaller than that of the Audi Quattro (in order to qualify for the 3-litre engine class after the scale factor applied to turbo engines). In road-going form, the engine was capable of producing 225 kW, with the competition cars initially producing around 331 kW.
The vehicle also featured a body shell composed of carbon-kevlar
and boasting wider arches, wider wheels (nine inches as compared to the Ur-Quattro's optional 8 inches (203.2 mm) wheel rim), the steeper windscreen rake of the Audi 80 (requested by the Audi Sport rally team drivers to reduce internal reflections from the dashboard for improved visibility) and, most noticeably, a 320 mm (12.6 in) shorter wheelbase.
A total of 224 cars of this "short version" Sport Quattro were built, and were offered for sale at a heady price of 203,850 German Marks.
that displaced 2110 cc and produced an officially quoted figure of 350 kW. However, the turbocharger
utilised a recirculating air system, with the aim of keeping the turbo spinning at high rpm, when the driver closed the throttle, either to back off during cornering, or on gearshifts. This allowed the engine to resume full power immediately after the resumption of full throttle, reducing turbo lag. The actual power figure was in excess of 500 bhp at 8000 rpm.
In addition to the improved power output, an aggressive aerodynamic kit was added that featured very distinctive wings and spoilers to the front and rear of the car to increase downforce
. The weight was reduced to just 1090 kg (2,403 lb), and the S1 could accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.1 seconds. Some of the cars were supplied with a "power-shift gearbox", a forerunner of today's DSG
technology.
The S1 proved to be an immediate success in the rally circuit, helping Walter Röhrl
and Christian Geistdörfer win the 1985
San Remo Rally
. A modified version of the S1, was also driven by Michèle Mouton
. The S1 evolution would become the final Group B
car produced by Audi
, with the works team withdrawing from the Championship following the 1986
rally in Portugal.
Twenty-three years after the cancellation of Group B, the Sport Quattro S1 is still widely regarded as the most powerful rally car ever fielded in international competition, with the final factory machines of 1986 rated at 441 kW. In addition to Group B competition, the S1 won the 1985 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with Michèle Mouton in the driving seat, setting a world record
time in the process. This victory was repeated in 1987, this time at the hands of Walter Röhrl.
Gene Hunt
(played by Philip Glenister
) in the television drama Ashes to Ashes
(aired on BBC1 from 2008 to 2010). Two cars were used through the run of the series, the original, and a stunt car that was acquired for series 2. Both portrayed the same car. The original vehicle (also used in the Children in Need
Top Gear crossover mini-episode) lacked a sunroof which was present on the car(s) used in series 2 and 3, hence a fake one was added for the sake of continuity.
The stunt car was written off for the jump in series 3, episode 1 by the director of that episode and used as a parts and interior shots car until it was shot up in the finale, leaving the original intact
In the run-up to the 2010 general election, a campaign poster by the incumbent Labour Party
government portrayed Conservative Party
and opposition leader David Cameron
as Gene Hunt sitting on the bonnet of the iconic red Audi Quattro and urged voters not to allow Cameron to take Britain "back to the 1980s" by electing his party into government amid fears that it would lead to a repeat of the social unrest and unemployment that Margaret Thatcher's
Conservative government of that era oversaw. The image was then adopted by the Conservatives, with the slogan "Fire up the Quattro, it's time for change", with the comment 'Idea kindly donated by the Labour Party'.
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
, produced by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
automobile manufacturer
Automotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, now part of the Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automobile manufacturing group. , Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer and Europe's largest....
. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March.
The word quattro is derived from the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
word for "four". The name has also been used by Audi to refer to the quattro four-wheel drive system, or any four-wheel drive version of an Audi model. To avoid confusion, the original Quattro model is also commonly referred to as the Ur-Quattro - the "Ur-" (German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
for "primordial" or "ancestral") is an augmentative
Augmentative
An augmentative is a morphological form of a word which expresses greater intensity, often in size, but also in other attributes...
prefix, in this case meaning "original", and is also applied to the first generation Audi S4
Audi S4
The Audi S4 is the high performance variant of Audi's compact executive car A4. The original Audi S4, built from 1991 until 1994, was a performance-oriented version of Audi's 100 saloon/sedan...
and Audi S6
Audi S6
The Audi S6 is a high-performance version of the Audi A6, an executive car produced by German automaker Audi. It went on sale in 1994, shortly after the "A6" designation was introduced, replacing the "100" nameplate...
models, as in "Ur-S4" and "Ur-S6".
The Audi Quattro was the first rally car
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
to take advantage of the then-recently changed rules which allowed the use of four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
in competition racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. It won competition after competition for the next two years. To commemorate the success of the original vehicle, all subsequent Audis with their trademark quattro four wheel drive system were badged "quattro" with a lower case "q". The original car with the upper case "Q" in the Quattro name is a collector's piece.
The Audi Quattro shared many components and the core of its body style with the Audi Coupé, which was a member of the Audi 80 (B2) model range. It was internally designated Typ 85, a type number it shared with the quattro versions of the Audi Coupé (B2)
Audi Coupé (B2)
The Audi Coupé is a two-door coupé produced and sold by Audi from 1980 to 1988. The car was an attempt by Audi to offer a cheaper version of its turbocharged, permanent four-wheel drive Audi Quattro - without turbochargers or four wheel drive. Later, quattro was added as an option...
and Audi 80. Its characteristic flared wheelarches were styled by Martin Smith
Martin Smith (designer)
Martin Smith is an automobile designer, currently Executive Design Director for Ford of Europe.-Background:Born in 1949 in Broomhill, Sheffield, England, Smith attended King Edward VII School. A car fanatic since he was a boy, he wrote letters to Mini designer Alec Issigonis asking how to become a...
. The Audi Quattro also had independent rear suspension and independent front suspension.
Production history
The idea for a high performance four-wheel drive car was proposed by Audi's chassis engineer, Jörg Bensinger, in 1977, when he found that the Volkswagen IltisVolkswagen Iltis
The Volkswagen Type 183, more commonly known as the Iltis , is a military vehicle built by Volkswagen for use by the German military and under licence by Bombardier for the Canadian Forces and Belgian Army...
jeep, could outperform any other vehicle in snow, no matter how powerful. Bensinger's idea was to start developing an Audi 80 variant in co-operation with Walther Treser, Director of Pre-Development.
European market
AudiAudi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
released the original Quattro to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an customers in late 1980, making it both the first car to feature Audi's quattro permanent four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
system (hence its name), and the first to mate four wheel drive with a turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
engine.
The original engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
was the 2144 cc (2.1 L), inline-5 cylinder
Straight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
10 valve SOHC, with a turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
and intercooler
Intercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
. It produced 147 kW and torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
of 285 N·m (210 ft·lbf) at 3500 rpm; propelling the Quattro from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1s, and reaching a top speed of over 220 km/h (137 mph).
The engine was eventually modified to a 2226 cc (2.2 L) inline-5 10 valve, still producing147 kW, but with peak torque lower in the rev-range. In 1989, it was then changed to a 2226 cc inline-5 20v
Multi-valve
In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design...
(2.2 L 20v) DOHC setup producing 162 kW, now with a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph).
Audi Quattros are often referred to among owners and enthusiasts by their engine codes, to differentiate between the earlier and later versions: the earliest 2144 cc 10v being the "WR" engine, the 2226 cc 10v being the "MB" engine, and the later 20v being the "RR" engine. Hence, Quattro models may be referred to as either the WR Quattro, MB Quattro, and RR or "20v" Quattro, respectively.
Quattro car production was 11,452 vehicles over the period 1980–1991, and through this 11 year production span, there were no major changes in the visual design of the vehicle. For the 1983 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, the dash was switched from an analogue
Analog signal
An analog or analogue signal is any continuous signal for which the time varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time varying quantity, i.e., analogous to another time varying signal. It differs from a digital signal in terms of small fluctuations in the signal which are...
instrument cluster, to a green digital liquid crystal display
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
(LCD) electronic instrument cluster
Electronic instrument cluster
In an automobile, an electronic instrument cluster, digital instrument panel or digital dash for short, is a set of instrumentation, including the speedometer, that is displayed with a digital readout rather than with the traditional analog gauges...
. This was later changed in 1988 to an orange LCD electronic instrument cluster. The interior was redesigned in 1984, and featured a whole new dash layout, new steering wheel
Steering wheel
A steering wheel is a type of steering control in vehicles and vessels ....
design, and new centre console design, the switches around the instrument panel were also redesigned at this time. In 1985 the dash changed slightly with harder foam and lost a diagonal stripe, the dash switches were varied slightly and the diff lock pull knob gave way to a two-position turning knob with volt and oil temp digital readouts.
Grille
A grille or grill is an opening of several slits side by side in a wall or metal sheet or other barrier, usually to let air or water enter and/or leave but keep larger objects including people and animals in or out.-Spelling:In the United States, "grille" is used to differentiate the automotive...
featuring four separate headlamp
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
lenses, one for each of the low and high beam units. This was altered for the 1983 model year, and replaced with combined units featuring a single lens, but housing twin reflectors. This was changed again, for the 1985 model year, in what has become known as the 'facelift model' and included such alterations as a new sloping front grille, headlights, and trim and badging changes. Max speed was 124mph.ref> The RR 20v Quattro also featured a new three spoke steering wheel design, leather covering for door arm rests, gloveboxes, centre console and door pockets. There was also a full length leather wrapped centre console running all the way to the rear seats. 20v was also the first Ur-Q to have "quattro" script interior with partial leather seats. The floor on the drivers side had a bulge due to dual catalytic exhaust setup. The different models may be distinguished by the emblems on their boot lids: the WR had a vinyl 'quattro' decal or a brushed aluminium effect plastic emblem, the MB had chrome plated 'audi', 'audi rings' and 'quattro' emblems, whilst the RR had only chrome plated 'audi rings'.
The rear suspension was altered early on with geometry changes and removal of the rear anti-roll bar to reduce a tendency for lift-off oversteer. For the 1984 facelift, the wheel size went from 6x15" with 205/60-15 tyres to 8x15" wheels with 215/50-15 tyres. At the same time the suspension was lowered 20mm with slightly stiffer springs for improved handling. For 1987, the Torsen
Torsen
Torsen is a type of differential used in automobiles. It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a contraction of Torque-Sensing...
centre differential was used for the first time, replacing the manual centre differential lock.
North American market
Sales of the Quattro in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
began with the 1983 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, which were constructed concurrently, and were of the same design as, the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an 1982 models (they did not include the minor cosmetic changes of the European 1983 model) and continued through 1986. Total sales in the USA were 664. Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
market received cars that were identical to the US cars with exception of the speedometer
Speedometer
A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
, which was metric
Metric system
The metric system is an international decimalised system of measurement. France was first to adopt a metric system, in 1799, and a metric system is now the official system of measurement, used in almost every country in the world...
like the early Euro cars. Official sales figures for Canada were 99, which included 61 in 1983, 17 in 1984, 18 in 1985 and 3 in 1986. Although it's believed that there might have been up to 6 cars bought in 1986.
US/Canadian cars were also equipped with larger impact bumpers with built in shock absorbers, just like the rest of the 4000/Coupé models. None of the cars came with Anti-lock Braking System
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS), however they were otherwise "loaded" with options, including air conditioning
Air conditioning
An air conditioner is a home appliance, system, or mechanism designed to dehumidify and extract heat from an area. The cooling is done using a simple refrigeration cycle...
, and in 90% of the cars, leather upholstery. Most of the 1984 and 1985 Canadian models did not have sunroof
Sunroof
An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...
s. The remainder of the electric, suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
and cosmetic updates took place at the same time as the European cars. Out of 99 cars imported to Canada 35 are still known to be on the road.
The initial 2.1L (2144cc, engine code "WX") engine for US/Canadian models included minor cmponent and engine control unit
Engine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
(ECU) changes, including lowered turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
boost pressure, different camshaft
Camshaft
A camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
, emission controls including catalytic converter
Catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint...
, and lambda
Lambda
Lambda is the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is related to the Phoenician letter Lamed . Letters in other alphabets that stemmed from lambda include the Roman L and the Cyrillic letter El...
stoichiometric
Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry is a branch of chemistry that deals with the relative quantities of reactants and products in chemical reactions. In a balanced chemical reaction, the relations among quantities of reactants and products typically form a ratio of whole numbers...
fuel control, which lowered power to 160 hp. Otherwise, mechanical specifications were identical to the European spec cars. The WX engine was also used on Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese market cars. In fact Audi built 200 special edition cars in 1988 with WX engine and analogue instruments, the rest of the car was identical to the MB cars of that year.
Audi quattro concept
At the Paris Motor Show in 2010 Audi presented the quattro conceptAudi quattro concept
The Audi quattro concept is a concept car produced by Audi and presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2010. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original Audi Quattro and the Audi quattro four wheel drive system. Based on the Audi RS5, it features a modified 2.5L five-cylinder TFSI engine and...
. It commemorates the 30th anniversary of the original Audi Quattro and the Audi quattro four wheel drive system. Based on the Audi RS5, it features a modified 2.5L five-cylinder TFSI engine and the sixth generation of quattro transmission. It has been reported that Audi are considering a limited production model (200–500 cars) based on the quattro concept.
World Rally Championship
| Year | Model | Driver | Pos. | Pt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 1981 World Rally Championship season The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies... |
Audi quattro | Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (3º) • Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982... (8ª) |
5ª | 63 |
| 1982 1982 World Rally Championship season The 1982 World Rally Championship season was the tenth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies. By this time, the schedule format had become generally stable, with only one or two changes to venues year to year... |
Audi quattro | Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982... (2ª) • Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (3º) • Stig Blomqvist Stig Blomqvist "Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985... (4º) |
1ª | 116 |
| 1983 | Audi quattro A1 and Audi quattro A2 | Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (1º) • Stig Blomqvist Stig Blomqvist "Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985... (3º) • Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982... (5ª) |
2ª | 116 |
| 1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
Audi quattro A2 | Stig Blomqvist Stig Blomqvist "Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985... (1º) • Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (2º) • Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:... (11º) • Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982... (12ª) |
1ª | 120 |
| 1985 1985 World Rally Championship season The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter... |
Audi Sport quattro | Stig Blomqvist Stig Blomqvist "Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985... (2º) • Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:... (3º) • Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (22º) |
2ª | 126 |
| 1986 1986 World Rally Championship season The 1986 World Rally Championship season was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally... |
Audi Sport quattro S1 | Hannu Mikkola Hannu Mikkola Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :... (18º) • Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:... (22º) |
4ª | 29 |
Quattro - A1 and A2 evolutions
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Largely based on the bodyshell of the road-going Quattro models (in contrast to the forthcoming Group B cars), the engine of the original competition version produced approximately 300 bhp. In 1981
1981 World Rally Championship season
The 1981 World Rally Championship season was the ninth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies...
, Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982...
became the first female driver ever to win a world championship rally, piloting an Audi Quattro. Over the next three years, Audi would introduce the A1 and A2 evolutions of the Quattro in response to the new Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
rules, raising power from the turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
inline 5-cylinder engine
Straight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
to around 350 bhp.
The Quattro A1 debuted at the WRC
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
1983 season opener Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
, and went on to win the Swedish Rally
Swedish Rally
The Uddeholm Swedish Rally , formerly the Swedish Rally, is an automobile rally competition held in Värmland, Sweden in early February. First held in 1950, when it was called the Rally to the Midnight Sun with start and finish at separate locations, seventeen years later both start and finish...
and the Rally Portugal in the hands of Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Mikkola
Hannu Olavi Mikkola is a retired world champion rally driver. He was a seven time winner of the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland and won the RAC Rally in Great Britain four times.- Career :...
. Driven by Stig Blomqvist
Stig Blomqvist
"Stig" Lennart Blomqvist is a Swedish rally driver. He made his international breakthrough in 1971. Driving an Audi Quattro for the Audi factory team, Blomqvist won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1984 and finished runner-up in 1985...
, Mikkola and Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:...
, the A2 evolution won a total of eight world rallies; three in 1983 and five in 1984
1984 World Rally Championship season
The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu...
.
Sport Quattro
Homologation
Homologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
for Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
in 1984, and sold as a production car in limited numbers. It featured an all aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloy
Aluminium alloys are alloys in which aluminium is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon and zinc. There are two principal classifications, namely casting alloys and wrought alloys, both of which are further subdivided into the categories...
2133 cc (2.1 L) 20v
Multi-valve
In automotive engineering a multi-valve or multivalve engine is one where each cylinder has more than two valves. A multi-valve engine has better breathing and can operate at higher revolutions per minute than a two-valve engine, delivering more power.- Multi-valve rationale :A multi-valve design...
DOHC engine slightly smaller than that of the Audi Quattro (in order to qualify for the 3-litre engine class after the scale factor applied to turbo engines). In road-going form, the engine was capable of producing 225 kW, with the competition cars initially producing around 331 kW.
The vehicle also featured a body shell composed of carbon-kevlar
Kevlar
Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed at DuPont in 1965, this high strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires...
and boasting wider arches, wider wheels (nine inches as compared to the Ur-Quattro's optional 8 inches (203.2 mm) wheel rim), the steeper windscreen rake of the Audi 80 (requested by the Audi Sport rally team drivers to reduce internal reflections from the dashboard for improved visibility) and, most noticeably, a 320 mm (12.6 in) shorter wheelbase.
A total of 224 cars of this "short version" Sport Quattro were built, and were offered for sale at a heady price of 203,850 German Marks.
Sport Quattro S1
The Audi Sport Quattro S1 was introduced at the end of 1985 as an update to the Audi Sport Quattro. The car featured an inline 5-cylinder engineStraight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
that displaced 2110 cc and produced an officially quoted figure of 350 kW. However, the turbocharger
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
utilised a recirculating air system, with the aim of keeping the turbo spinning at high rpm, when the driver closed the throttle, either to back off during cornering, or on gearshifts. This allowed the engine to resume full power immediately after the resumption of full throttle, reducing turbo lag. The actual power figure was in excess of 500 bhp at 8000 rpm.
In addition to the improved power output, an aggressive aerodynamic kit was added that featured very distinctive wings and spoilers to the front and rear of the car to increase downforce
Downforce
Downforce is a downwards thrust created by the aerodynamic characteristics of a car. The purpose of downforce is to allow a car to travel faster through a corner by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip....
. The weight was reduced to just 1090 kg (2,403 lb), and the S1 could accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.1 seconds. Some of the cars were supplied with a "power-shift gearbox", a forerunner of today's DSG
Direct-Shift Gearbox
The Direct-Shift Gearbox , commonly abbreviated to DSG, is an electronically controlled dual clutch multiple-shaft manual gearbox, in a transaxle design - without a conventional clutch pedal, and with full automatic, or semi-manual control...
technology.
The S1 proved to be an immediate success in the rally circuit, helping Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl
Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:...
and Christian Geistdörfer win the 1985
1985 World Rally Championship season
The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter...
San Remo Rally
Rallye Sanremo
Rallye Sanremo is a rally competition held in Sanremo, Italy. Except for the 1995 event, the event was part of the FIA World Rally Championship schedule from the 1973 season to the 2003 season. Currently, it is a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the Italian national rally...
. A modified version of the S1, was also driven by Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton
Michèle Mouton is a French former rally driver. Competing in the World Rally Championship for the Audi factory team, she took four victories and finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 1982...
. The S1 evolution would become the final Group B
Group B
Group B was a set of regulations introduced in 1982 for competition vehicles in sportscar racing and rallying regulated by the FIA. The Group B regulations fostered some of the quickest, most powerful and sophisticated rally cars ever built. However, a series of major accidents, some fatal, were...
car produced by Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
, with the works team withdrawing from the Championship following the 1986
1986 World Rally Championship season
The 1986 World Rally Championship season was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally...
rally in Portugal.
Twenty-three years after the cancellation of Group B, the Sport Quattro S1 is still widely regarded as the most powerful rally car ever fielded in international competition, with the final factory machines of 1986 rated at 441 kW. In addition to Group B competition, the S1 won the 1985 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with Michèle Mouton in the driving seat, setting a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
time in the process. This victory was repeated in 1987, this time at the hands of Walter Röhrl.
Ashes to Ashes
A red 1981 Quattro is driven by DCIChief inspector
Chief inspector is a rank used in police forces which follow the British model. In countries outside Britain, it is sometimes referred to as chief inspector of police .-Australia:...
Gene Hunt
Gene Hunt
DCI Gene Hunt is a fictional character in BBC One's science fiction/police procedural drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes. The character is portrayed by Philip Glenister in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, whereas in the American version he is portrayed by Harvey Keitel.The...
(played by Philip Glenister
Philip Glenister
Philip Haywood Glenister is an English actor, known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in British television series Life On Mars and its sequel Ashes To Ashes.-Television and films:...
) in the television drama Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (TV series)
Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
(aired on BBC1 from 2008 to 2010). Two cars were used through the run of the series, the original, and a stunt car that was acquired for series 2. Both portrayed the same car. The original vehicle (also used in the Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
Top Gear crossover mini-episode) lacked a sunroof which was present on the car(s) used in series 2 and 3, hence a fake one was added for the sake of continuity.
The stunt car was written off for the jump in series 3, episode 1 by the director of that episode and used as a parts and interior shots car until it was shot up in the finale, leaving the original intact
In the run-up to the 2010 general election, a campaign poster by the incumbent Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
government portrayed Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and opposition leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
as Gene Hunt sitting on the bonnet of the iconic red Audi Quattro and urged voters not to allow Cameron to take Britain "back to the 1980s" by electing his party into government amid fears that it would lead to a repeat of the social unrest and unemployment that Margaret Thatcher's
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
Conservative government of that era oversaw. The image was then adopted by the Conservatives, with the slogan "Fire up the Quattro, it's time for change", with the comment 'Idea kindly donated by the Labour Party'.
See also
- Audi S and RS modelsAudi S and RS modelsAudi S and RS models are a range of high performance cars of certain model ranges from the German automotive company AUDI AG. These cars are original equipment manufacturer factory "upgraded" versions of specific cars, from within Audi's standard range of vehicles, primarily focusing in enhanced...
- AMC EagleAMC EagleThe AMC Eagle is a compact-sized four-wheel drive passenger vehicle that was produced by American Motors Corporation . The AMC Eagle line of vehicles inaugurated a new product category of "sport-utility" or crossover SUV....
, the first mass-produced all-wheel drive car introduced in August 1979. - Jensen FFJensen FFThe Jensen FF was a four-wheel drive Grand Tourer car produced by the British manufacturer Jensen Motors between 1966 and 1971. It was the first non all-terrain production car equipped with 4WD and an anti-lock braking system — the Dunlop Maxaret mechanical system used hitherto only on...
, the first all-wheel drive road car, introduced in 1966