Audi 80
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The Audi 80 is a
compact executive car A compact executive car, also known as a compact luxury car, is a premium car larger than a #Subcompact executive cars, premium compact and smaller than an executive car. Compact executive car is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the Euro ...
produced by the
Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. The origins of the compa ...
subdivision of the
Volkswagen Group Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of passenger and commercial vehicles, motorcycles, engines and turbomachinery. Headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxon ...
across four generations from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the
Volkswagen Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of D-segment, large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar ...
from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon, and
station wagon A station wagon (American English, US, also wagon) or estate car (British English, UK, also estate) is an automotive Car body style, body-style variant of a Sedan (automobile), sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo ...
— the latter marketed by Audi as the Avant. The
coupé A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and typically with two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the Fr ...
and
convertible A convertible or cabriolet () is a Car, passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers. A convertible car's design allows an open-air drivin ...
models were not badged as members of the range, but used a derivative of the same platforms. In
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and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, the 80 was marketed as the Audi Fox for model years 1973–1979, as the Audi 4000 for model years 1980–1987 in the US, as Audi 4000 5+5 from 1981 in the US, and Audi 5+5 in Australia during 1981 through 1983. The Audi 90 was an upmarket version of the Audi 80, although all North American sedans of the B4 generation were called Audi 90.


Naming convention

Under Audi's platform numbering convention, the 80 is classified as a member of the ''B-series'' or ''B platform'' family of vehicles, with the four generations of 80 being numbered as B1, B2, B3, and B4; its replacement – the
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
– continues this sequence with platform numbers B5 through to B9. Originally this numbering convention ran concurrently with that of the
Volkswagen Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of D-segment, large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar ...
, the first generation of which was essentially a badge engineered clone of the Audi 80. This link was severed in 1988 when the Passat moved to a transverse-engined, VW-specific platform for its 80-unrelated B3 and B4 versions. The Passat was based again on the Audi A4 (B5 or "8D" platform) for its B5 generation, and returned to a transverse engine for the B6 and later generations.


F103 (1966–1972)

The Audi F103 series, based on the DKW F102 but with an all-new range of four-stroke engines developed in conjunction with
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, was sold between 1965 and 1972. It comprised several models named for their
horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are t ...
ratings. From 1966 to 1969 this series included an Audi 80, and there were also Audi 60, 72, 75, and Super 90 models available over the years.


B1 (1972–1978)

This model debuted in Europe in 1972 as the Audi 80, and in 1973 in Australia and North America (Canada and the USA) as the Audi Fox, and was available as either a two-door or a four-door saloon (sedan). It effectively took the place of several models that Audi had discontinued (the F103 series, which included the first model designated as an "Audi 80"), and provided the company with a viable rival to the
Opel Ascona The Opel Ascona is a large family car (D-segment in Europe) that was produced by the German automaker Opel from 1970 to 1988. It was produced in three separate generations, beginning with rear-wheel-drive and ending up as a front-wheel drive J-c ...
and the
Ford Taunus The Ford Taunus is a family car manufactured and marketed by Ford Germany throughout Europe. Models from 1970 on were manufactured using the same basic construction as the Ford Cortina MkIII in the United Kingdom, and later on, the two car mode ...
(
Ford Cortina The Ford Cortina is a medium-sized family car manufactured in various body styles from 1962 to 1982. It was the United Kingdom's best-selling car of the 1970s. The Cortina was produced in five generations (Mark I through to Mark V, although of ...
in the UK), as well as more upmarket offerings including the Alfa Romeo Alfetta and Triumph Dolomite. The Audi 80 B1 was only the second modern-era Audi product to be developed entirely under Volkswagen ownership - Audi chief engineer Ludwig Kraus had famously been disparaging about the outgoing F103 series, referring to it as the "bastard", owing to its Auto Union/DKW bodyshell and Mercedes-Benz engine. The B1 was a clean break from the Auto Union era, being equipped with a range of brand new 1.3- and 1.5-litre
SOHC An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine in which the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combus ...
inline-four
petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American and Canadian English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends ...
s - the first appearance of the now legendary '' EA827'' series of engines, whose descendants are still used in VW Group vehicles to the present day. The
internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine (ICE or IC engine) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in a combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal comb ...
s were available in various rated power outputs. For the 1.3-litre engines, (identification code: ZA) was rated at , code: ZF was rated at . The 1.5-litre (codes: ZB, ZC) at for the ZB and for the ZC. On the home market, two-door and four-door saloons were available in base trim (55 or 60 PS, called simply Audi 80 and 80 S, respectively), as L models (LS with 75 PS engine) or as a more luxurious GL (85 PS only). In September 1973, Audi added the sporty 80 GT (two-door only) featuring a carburettor 1.6-litre engine (code: XX) rated at . The Audi 80 had a
MacPherson strut The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles. The name comes from American automotive engineer ...
front suspension, and a C-section beam rear axle located by trailing arms and a
Panhard rod A Panhard rod (also called Panhard bar, track bar, or track rod) is a suspension link that provides lateral location of the axle. Invented by the Panhard automobile company of France in the early twentieth century, this device has been widely use ...
, and using coil springs and telescopic dampers. Audi's design and development efforts paid off during the 1973
European Car of the Year The European Car of the Year award is an international Car of the Year award established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The current organising media of the award are '' Auto'' (Italy), '' Aut ...
competition where the 80 won ahead of the Renault 5 and the Alfa Romeo Alfetta. A facelift in autumn 1976 brought about a revised front end in the style of the newly introduced
Audi 100 The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C ...
C2 with square instead of round
headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
, 1.6- instead of 1.5-litre engines (still of 75/85 PS) and a new 80 GTE model with a
fuel-injected Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in Reciprocating engine, reciprocating piston and Wankel eng ...
version of the 1.6-litre () replacing the former 80 GT. In certain markets a five-door "Avant" (Audi's name for an estate/wagon) variant was offered — effectively a rebadged
Volkswagen Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of D-segment, large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar ...
with Audi front panels. This version, first seen in mid-1975, appeared in the United States, South Africa, and several other markets. The Fox originally had a 1.5 litre engine rated at , attached to a four-speed
manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canadian English, Canada, British English, the United Kingdom and American English, the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed ...
. Subsequent versions came with 1.6-litre engines rated at . By 1978, ever more stringent emissions rules meant that this had dropped to . Four-speed manuals or three-speed automatics were on offer, in all three bodystyles. Aside from the required larger bumpers, early models looked very similar to their European counterparts, while facelift versions (model year 1977) received a large black grille with double, round headlights, without the wraparound turn signals used elsewhere. There was also a sporting GTi package on offer in later years. The B1 platform was dropped from the European market in 1978, although it was sold into the 1979 model year in North America.


B2 (1978–1986)

Audi presented a redesigned 80 based on the B2 platform (''Typ'' 81) in September 1978 and deliveries of the four-door sedan began a few weeks later in Europe. Deliveries of the fuel injected GLE and two-door bodied cars began early in 1979. The redesigned car was first seen in North America in 1979 (as a 1980 model). Audi continued to use the 80 nameplate in Europe, but badged their ''Typ'' 81 as the Audi 4000 in North America. The body of the B2 Audi 80 was designed by
Giorgetto Giugiaro Giorgetto Giugiaro (; born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automotive designer. He has worked on supercars and popular everyday vehicles. He was named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2002. He w ...
. No Avant variant was available, as the
Volkswagen Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of D-segment, large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher, Santana, Quantum, Magotan, Corsar ...
filled that role, as the B2 was intended to move the 80 upmarket from the mid-sized family segment to a compact executive model pitched to rival the BMW 3 Series. The B2 also acted in a de facto sense, as a replacement for the ill-fated NSU Ro 80 that ceased production the year before, since Audi dropped the NSU brand completely following that car's demise. The corresponding B2 version of the Passat appeared two years later and, although the two cars shared the same platform and running gear as before, the Passat had a much stronger visual identity distinct from its Audi 80 sister in comparison with the B1. The 80 first became available with four-wheel drive in 1983. The model was essentially an Ur-Quattro without the turbocharger and with saloon bodywork. The four-wheel drive 80, however, weighed more than a front-wheel drive Audi 100 CD with the same 2144 cc engine, and with its worse aerodynamics it was slower than the larger, better-equipped, and lower-priced 100. Top speeds are respectively, with similar fuel economy advantages for the larger 100. Renaux, p. 41 The 80 quattro received twin headlamps, a front spoiler with integrated foglights, and a body-coloured rubber spoiler on the rear. There was also a "quattro" script on the bootlid and a twin exhaust. The luggage compartment was marginally smaller (mostly in height), which meant only a temporary spare tire could be fitted. Renaux, p. 47 The 80 quattro was a bargain compared to the Ur-Quattro, but less so in comparison with the two-wheel drive 80 GTE or the 100 CD, although they did not offer the impressive road holding that the quattros do. In Europe, the 80 was the standard model, while after a 1984 facelift the Audi 90 was launched as a larger-engined version of the 80; with more options, and, aside from the ,
four-cylinder The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categoriz ...
1.6-litre
turbodiesel The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output, ...
(TD) engine which was also available for the 80, two five-cylinder in-line
petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American and Canadian English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends ...
s — a 2.0-litre with and a 2.2-litre with which was later enlarged into a 2.3-litre. The 2.2-litre was available with a catalytic converter and power ratings of for front-drive and for quattro models. European models had two
headlamp A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
casings, while North American models generally had quad headlamps. In 1983, the 80 Sport was introduced in the UK, based on the GTE. It came with quattro-style Ronal alloys, rubber rear spoiler, deep chin spoiler, striped charcoal
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interior, and optional body graphics including full-length "Audi Sport" stripes.


1984 facelift

In Mid-1984 for the 1985
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
, Audi gave the B2 a subtle facelift with tail lights resembling the ones of the ''Typ'' 44 Audi 100, and different front and rear bumpers and headlights and an updated interior. In Europe, engines with catalytic converter emissions controls were made available for the first time. The 1.6- and 1.8-litre engines were replaced by newer iterations of the same, enabling the fitment of catalytic converters. The B2 platform proved to be both quite versatile and quite profitable; many components were shared to or borrowed from the Audi Coupé,
Audi Quattro The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March. Production continued through 1991. Background The wor ...
, and Audi Sport Quattro, which in the process helped to cement the company into the public eye after their quattro permanent
four-wheel-drive A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case provi ...
system proved useful in various forms of racing.Audi of America Press Sit
25 Years of Audi Quattro
22 February 2005
The saloons were offered until late 1986 in Europe and 1987 abroad, and the B2-based Audi Coupé lasted through to 1988 (as an early 1989 model) before being changed. The Coupé shared many components, and its basic body shape, with the original Audi Quattro.


4000


4000 (North America)

The North American Audi 4000 was first introduced for the 1980 model year, with a 1588 cc inline-four with . ''Six Family Sedans'', p. 18 This engine came in for some criticism, being somewhat buzzy and underpowered for a car in this price segment. Audi did not offer an automatic transmission, as the engine could not quite cope. A five-speed transmission was also not available until the 1981 model year. For 1981, the 4000 received a long-stroke 1.7-litre engine and a standard five-speed manual (with a three-speed automatic still available). The new engine was a fifty-state version with a three-way catalyst, and power dropped to . Nonetheless, more torque and the new gearbox translated into better performance and improved gas mileage. ''1981 Buyer's Guide'', p. 81


Audi 4000 5+5 (North America)

The Audi 4000 5+5 was launched onto the American market in the 1981 model year. The 5+5 was essentially an 80 B2 two-door saloon with the 2144 cc five-cylinder engine from the 5000 and a five-speed transmission. The 4000 5+5 was the precursor to what would become the Audi 90. It was fitted with various sporty parts such as an oil pressure gauge, sports interior, and alloy wheels as standard equipment.


Audi 5+5 (Australia)

The Audi 5+5 name was used in the
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n market for a unique four-door Audi 80, so named as it was fitted with the 2144-cc, five-cylinder engine coupled with a five-speed manual gearbox. An automatic option was also offered. The 5+5 was marketed in Australia from October 1981 through to 1983.


Audi 4000S

The 4000 5+5 was accompanied on the American market by the 4000S. This is a more pedestrian yet well-equipped four-door version with the same engine, originally only coupled to a three-speed automatic. After a facelift it was sold in North America in 4000S (1.8-litre) and 4000S/CS quattro (2.2-litre) derivatives, with the S and CS quattros corresponding to the European Audi 90 quattro. The Audi 4000 quattro debuted in 1984 and was sold in four colors, Black, Alpine White, Tornado Red, and optional Zermatt Silver metallic. It came standard with a five-speed manual transmission, brown velour interior, and automatic windows up front and manuals in the rear. The early Audi 4000 models were very similar to the Audi 80 with the addition of USA mandated crash safety bumpers and quad sealed beam headlights. The mounting for the safety bumpers intruded into the luggage compartment floor, making for a very irregularly shaped and less useful space. The S has a 1.8-litre inline-four-cylinder engine that puts out at 5500 rpm. The CS quattro has a CIS-E fuel-injected 2.2-litre inline-five cylinder
petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American and Canadian English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends ...
(identification code: JT). It displaces 2226 cc and was constructed from a
grey Grey (more frequent in British English) or gray (more frequent in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning that it has no chroma. It is the color of a cloud-covered s ...
cast-iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...
cylinder block In an internal combustion engine, the engine block is the structure that contains the cylinders and other components. The engine block in an early automotive engine consisted of just the cylinder block, to which a separate crankcase was attach ...
, with an
aluminium alloy An aluminium alloy ( UK/IUPAC) or aluminum alloy ( NA; see spelling differences) is an alloy in which aluminium (Al) is the predominant metal. The typical alloying elements are copper, magnesium, manganese, silicon, tin, nickel and zinc. There ...
cylinder head In a piston engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders, forming the roof of the combustion chamber. In sidevalve engines the head is a simple plate of metal containing the spark plugs and possibly heat dissipation fins. In more modern ...
, and uses a
timing belt A toothed belt, timing belt, cogged belt, cog belt, or synchronous belt is a flexible belt with teeth moulded onto its inner surface. Toothed belts are usually designed to run over matching toothed pulleys or sprockets. Toothed belts are used in ...
-driven
single overhead camshaft An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine in which the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combusti ...
(SOHC). The rated horsepower is at 5500 rpm, and the torque is at 3000 rpm. The only
transmission Transmission or transmit may refer to: Science and technology * Power transmission ** Electric power transmission ** Transmission (mechanical device), technology that allows controlled application of power *** Automatic transmission *** Manual tra ...
available on the 4000CS was a five-speed close-ratio manual.


4000 gallery


B3 (1986–1992)

In September 1986, Audi released a new ''Typ'' 89 Audi 80 for the 1987
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
on the European market and introduced it elsewhere within a year. It was based on a new platform that broke the relationship between the 80 and the Volkswagen Passat, the corresponding third generation of which used the transverse-engined Volkswagen B3 platform, whilst Audi stuck with the longitudinal front wheel drive layout for the B3-series 80. Production codes were ''Typ'' 89 from 1987 to 1989, and ''Typ'' 8A from 1990 onward (in line with a restructuring of many VW platform designations). It introduced a new
aerodynamic Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...
look and a fully zinc-coated
galvanised Galvanization ( also spelled galvanisation) is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron, to prevent rusting. The most common method is hot-dip galvanizing, in which the parts are coated by submerging them in a bath o ...
bodyshell. Unlike its predecessor, the B3 was marketed worldwide only as the Audi 80 or Audi 90. Initially, Audi transferred existing powertrain concepts to the new model although
fuel injection Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of a fuel injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All c ...
was now available for some engines. A range of new
petrol Gasoline (North American English) or petrol ( Commonwealth English) is a petrochemical product characterized as a transparent, yellowish, and flammable liquid normally used as a fuel for spark-ignited internal combustion engines. When formul ...
and diesel inline four-cylinder engines became available to European customers along with the '' procon-ten'' safety system which became standard fitment from 1991. Procon-ten was a notable safety feature comprising a series of hidden steel cables routed behind the gearbox, attached to the steering wheel and front seatbelt inertia reels. In the event of a front impact, the engine and gearbox are forced rearward, pulling on these cables. This action simultaneously pulls the steering wheel into the dashboard to prevent the driver colliding with it while tightening the front seatbelts. This innovation was a precursor to the airbag, which became popular on mass produced cars during the 1990s after being patented by
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
in 1982. In 1987, the Audi 90 was reintroduced as an upmarket, more luxurious variant of the 80. To begin with it would again feature a choice of 10-valve inline five-cylinder petrol engines, and could be specified with or without quattro. The 90 differs visually from the 80 by a full width tail-light panel;
headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
that featured additional high-beam lights and a slightly different front grille. Indicator lamps were moved from beside the headlights to the bumpers next to the fog lights, which were standard fitment on the 90. Brightwork surrounds for the windows, tops of the bumpers and side rubbing strips were also standard. Interiors were upgraded over the 80 featuring velour seat coverings and a slightly more generous level of equipment. The then range-topping 2.2E offered a boot spoiler, alloy wheels, leather steering wheel, and sports front seats. Switchable ABS was standard on quattro versions. From 1989 to 1991 the Audi 90 offered the first 20-valve engine from Audi since the
turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
engine used in the Audi Sport Quattro. This new 2.3-litre engine produced and featured in the front wheel drive 20V, 20V Sport, and four-wheel drive 20V quattro derivatives. The non-quattro 20V models were 120 kg lighter.''Volkswagen Audi Car'' September 1989 Page 37 The Audi 80 16V, new in 1990, was also offered with the quattro system, making for a certain amount of overlap with the 2.3-liter Audi 90. The quattro 16V was built in comparably small numbers, meaning that it did not reach the initial annual production requirement of 5,000 examples required to be homologated for
Group A Group A is a set of motorsport regulations administered by the FIA covering production derived touring cars for competition, usually in touring car racing and rallying. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, Group A vehicles wer ...
rallying. Externally, Sport versions of the 90 were visually distinguished by the deletion of brightwork in favour of satin black window surrounds, bumper cappings, and thinner side mouldings. A raised aluminium boot spoiler, lowered suspension, and uprated brakes were fitted as standard, Speedline wheels were also standard fitment in the UK. In October 1988, a Coupé version based on the 80/90 appeared, called simply the Audi Coupé (''typ 8B''). This had completely different three-door liftback bodywork and replaced the earlier, B2-based Coupé which had been manufactured into early 1988. This version remained in production until 1996, in parallel with the succeeding B4 generation Audi 80. A convertible was planned from the beginning, but did not appear until May 1991 as the Audi Cabriolet. This model remained in production until 2000 and was optically aligned with the B4 Audi 80 from its introduction. Altogether, the Audi 80 came with the following engine range, although not all of these were available in all markets: The Audi 90 came with the following engines:


North America

In 1989, for the 1990 model year, North America received the 90 quattro model (and Coupé quattro) that was powered by a detuned of the 20v 2.3-litre 5-cylinder engine. It was marketed in the "Grand Tourismo" (GT) style of a comfortable luxury car with sporting tendencies, as opposed to a dedicated lightweight sports car. Weighing between (1990 sedan model) to (1991 Coupé model), these cars were not lightweight, especially in consideration of the 164 hp powerplant (slightly less than the European version). These models can be recognised by their distinctive wheels, 14" BBS Mesh wheels or 15" Six-star Speedlines. They differed from regular 80/90 models in several ways. Notable differences include their standard leather interiors with Zebrano wood trim, additional VDO gauges mounted in the bottom of the centre console, a
carbon fibre Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (American English), carbon-fibre-reinforced polymers ( Commonwealth English), carbon-fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced-thermoplastic (CFRP, CRP, CFRTP), also known as carbon fiber, carbon comp ...
centre prop shaft, and push-button locking rear differential. The final type 89 80s and 90s were sold as 1992 models in North America; in Europe, all type 89 sedans were discontinued at the end of the 1991 model year to give way to the B4 series; a few Audi 90 Sport Quattro with the 2.3-litre 20v engine were assembled in early 1992. File:1992 Audi 80 (8A) 2.0 E sedan (2015-07-14) 02.jpg, 1992 Audi 80 (8A) 2.0 E File:1988 Audi 80 quattro profile.jpg, 1988 Audi 80 quattro File:Audi 90q20v.jpg, 1989 Audi 90 quattro


B4 (1991–1995)

The Audi 80 (B3) obtained a major facelift in the autumn of 1991, although the UK launch was not until early 1992. From then on it was known internally as the B4 (or ''Typ'' 8C). Changes from the B3 included a longer
wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
, a fully redesigned
fuel tank A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for Flammability, flammable fluids, often gasoline or diesel fuel. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine sys ...
and rear axle to enable the use of folding seats, 15" wheels with more prominent wheel arches, redesigned and painted rear and front bumpers, as well as higher-quality materials for the interior, and a larger boot. The front grille was merged with the bonnet and given a bolder look. This design had been previewed on the 1990 Audi Coupé S2 and was applied to the full lineup of the B3-based Coupés as well in July 1991. The Cabriolet (''Typ'' 8G) had been introduced in May 1991 and continued to be built long after the B4 had been replaced, receiving similar updates to the Audi 80 B4 and succeeding
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
. The B4 also marked the beginning of Audi's move into the German luxury mid-sized vehicle segment, which until then was clearly dominated by
Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to simply as Mercedes and occasionally as Benz, is a German automotive brand that was founded in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a subsidiary of the Mercedes-Benz Group, established in 2019) is based in Stuttgart, ...
and
BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, trading as BMW Group (commonly abbreviated to BMW (), sometimes anglicised as Bavarian Motor Works), is a German multinational manufacturer of vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Th ...
. On the European market, and in Germany in particular, the B4 and its variants were highly successful and popular. In Europe, the 90 designation for five-cylinder models was dropped for this generation, and all saloons were badged as 80, regardless of which engine they had. Audi of America went the opposite direction, and sold the saloon as the 90. B4s for the American market typically offered more luxury and style even in the standard version, such as
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (AT) or automatic gearbox is a multi-speed transmission (mechanics), transmission used in motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving conditions. The 1904 ...
,
cruise control Cruise control (also known as speed control, cruise command, autocruise, or tempomat) is a system that automatically controls the speed of an automobile. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the car's throttle to maintain a steady sp ...
,
air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
, and leather seats, all of which were usually optional at additional cost on European models. Because the United States does not recognise the international
ECE Regulations The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations is a working party (WP.29) of the Inland Transport Committee (ITC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). Its responsibility is to manage the multilateral Agreements ...
on auto safety components and constructions, but rather maintains its own Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, the front of the B4 had to be specially redesigned for vehicles sold in North America. The front and bumper had to be designed to accommodate impact energy absorbers not required outside North America. Instead of the dual-reflector headlamps, a single-reflector design was used inboard of an amber combination
turn signal Automotive lighting is functional exterior lighting in vehicles. A motor vehicle has lighting and signaling devices mounted to or integrated into its front, rear, sides, and, in some cases, top. Various devices have the dual function of illumin ...
,
parking Parking is the act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and usually leaving it unoccupied. Parking on one or both sides of a road is often permitted, though sometimes with restrictions. Some buildings have parking facilities for use of the bu ...
, and side marker lamp and reflector wrapping around the corner, and fog lamps smaller than the rest-of-world items were placed the corners of the bumper air duct. European market cars were now available with a selection of inline four-cylinder engines, as well as the familiar in-line five, and two different new
V6 engine A V6 engine is a six- cylinder piston engine where the cylinders and cylinder blocks share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, ...
s (2.6-litre and 2.8-litre); the later 2.8-litre V6 was the only engine available for vehicles sold in North America. As another first, Audi introduced a new high-
torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational analogue of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). The symbol for torque is typically \boldsymbol\tau, the lowercase Greek letter ''tau''. Wh ...
, direct-injection,
turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
, the 1.9-litre TDI (
Turbocharged Direct Injection TDI (Turbocharged Direct Injection) is Volkswagen Group's term for its current common rail Fuel injection#Direct injection systems, direct injection turbodiesel engine range that have an intercooler in addition to the turbo compressor. TDI engi ...
). The standard 1.8-litre
petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American and Canadian English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends ...
of the B3 was discontinued; a two-litre, , four-cylinder petrol engine, a variation of the previously known 2.0 E engine, was now available for the base model. Altogether, although some layouts were not available everywhere outside Germany, Audi offered the following engine range for the 80/90 B4: ''
Petrol engine A petrol engine (gasoline engine in American and Canadian English) is an internal combustion engine designed to run on petrol (gasoline). Petrol engines can often be adapted to also run on fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas and ethanol blends ...
s:'' * 1.6 – , in-line four-cylinder (export only) * 1.6 E – , in-line four-cylinder * 2.0 – , in-line four-cylinder (base model in Germany) * 2.0 E – , in-line four-cylinder * 2.0 E 16v – , 16-valve, in-line four-cylinder * 2.3 E 10v – , 10-valve, in-line five-cylinder * 2.6 E – , V6 * 2.8 E – , V6 * S2 – , 2.2 L, 20-valve
turbocharged In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...
in-line five-cylinder * RS2 Avant – , 2.2 L, 20-valve turbocharged in-line five-cylinder ''
Diesel engine The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
s:'' * 1.9 TD – , in-line four-cylinder
turbodiesel The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output, ...
* 1.9 TDI – , in-line four-cylinder direct-injection turbodiesel (with
intercooler An intercooler is a heat exchanger used to cool a gas after compression. Often found in turbocharged engines, intercoolers are also used in air compressors, air conditioners, refrigeration and gas turbines. Internal combustion engines Mo ...
) Most petrol versions could be ordered with quattro permanent
four-wheel-drive A four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case provi ...
; at the time, however, it could only be combined with a five-speed
manual transmission A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canadian English, Canada, British English, the United Kingdom and American English, the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed ...
. Additionally, Audi built around 2,500 units of the ''Quattro Competition'' for the German and European market. It was a street
homologation Homologation (Greek language, Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would n ...
of the B4-based Super Tourenwagen Cup (STW) race car saloon with four-wheel drive and a modified , 16-valve, two-litre petrol engine. The
powertrain In a motor vehicle, the powertrain comprises the main components that generate engine power, power and deliver that power to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the internal combustion engine, engine, transmission (mechanics), trans ...
had its roots in the two-litre, four-cylinder inline engines that most European Audi 80s were equipped with at the time. On the outside, the ''Quattro Competition'' featured the same bumpers as the S2, the V6 headlights, and a
rear wing Downforce is a downwards lift force created by the aerodynamic features of a vehicle. If the vehicle is a car, the purpose of downforce is to allow the car to travel faster by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more gri ...
mounted on the bootlid. Together with the saloon, Audi produced a B4-based estate, the ''Audi 80 Avant'', and a convertible, the Audi Cabriolet, which was largely based on the B3 Coupé. This meant that Audi now had saloon, coupé, cabriolet, and estate variants of the 80 available to European customers. For the North American market, however, Audi only sold coupés during the 1990 and 1991
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
s, and the station wagon was never officially available. As of the 1994 model year, a limited edition model, known as ''Europa'', was introduced on the European market. It could be ordered both as a saloon and an Avant. It was factory-equipped with power mirrors, alloy wheels, rear seat headrests, an
airbag An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate in milliseconds during a collision and then deflate afterwards. It consists of an airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. ...
steering wheel, and offered a choice between power
sunroof A sunroof is a movable panel that opens to uncover a window in an automobile roof, allowing light and fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs can be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and s ...
or
air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C (US) or air con (UK), is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior temperature, and in some cases, also controlling the humidity of internal air. Air c ...
. It came in five different special colours. For "regular" 1994 B4 saloons and Avants, standard features as well as options available were stepped up too, including an airbag steering wheel and redesigned door liners (standard), and passenger airbags and a built-in engine immobiliser (optional). The 80-series was effectively replaced by the new
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
in 1994, a variant of the 1996 (B5) Volkswagen Passat. By that time it was feeling very dated in comparison with more modern rivals such as the
BMW E36 The third generation of the BMW 3 Series range of compact executive cars is designated under the model code E36, and was produced by the German automaker BMW from 1990 to 2000. The initial models were of the four-door saloon body style, foll ...
. Production ceased at a time when prestige European manufacturers were making the transition of older executive saloons to newer models based on newer platforms in the compact executive car market. The B4 saloon was discontinued at the end of the 1994. The Avant was axed in 1995, and the Coupé (with no immediate replacement) followed suit in 1996. The Cabriolet, however, continued in production until August 2000. The B4 platform saloon was replaced by the
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
for the 1995
model year The model year (sometimes abbreviated as MY) is a method of describing the version of a product which has been produced over multiple years. The model year may or may not be the same as the calendar year in which the product was manufactured. ...
(1996 in North America), followed by a new ''A4 Avant'' later in 1996. A mid-sized convertible was not available again until 2002, when the A4 Cabriolet was introduced. Since 2007, Audi has produced
Audi A5 The Audi A5 is a series of compact executive and grand touring coupé cars produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi since June 2007. The A5 range also includes the coupe, cabriolet, and "Sportback"—a five-door liftback with a fast ...
- which is similar in concept to the old 80-based Coupé.


Audi S2

Audi developed a sports version of the Coupé in 1990, called the Audi Coupé S2. This replaced the famous
Audi Quattro The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March. Production continued through 1991. Background The wor ...
and was capable of 150 mph. In 1993, the S2 received some cosmetic updates, including new AVUS-style alloy wheels, ellipsoid beam (projector) headlamps, and clear front indicator lenses. This coincided with the introduction of the five-door S2 Avant, along with a limited run of four-door S2 sedan models, of which 306 were produced. The S2 saloon and Avant feature a lot of similarities in the rear axle support system to the later B5 A4 quattro. The B4 platform S2 Avant was also used between 1993 and 1995 as the basis for Audi's RS2 Avant super-sports estate, which was modified for Audi with assistance from
Porsche Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche (; see below), is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in luxury, high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Th ...
.


Audi RS2 Avant

The Audi RS2 Avant is fitted with a similar 2.2-litre turbocharged engine to the S2, but producing . It can accelerate from in 4.8 seconds and has a top speed of . The Audi RS2 was generally only available as an Avant, although four 4-door saloon models were officially produced by the factory, including one for the chief of the RS2 development programme. The RS2 was at least partially assembled at the Porsche Rossle-Bau plant in Zuffenhausen. Prior to manufacturing the RS2, the Porsche Zuffenhausen assembly line was busy producing the high-performance
W124 The Mercedes-Benz W124 is a range of executive cars made by Daimler-Benz from 1984 to 1997. The range included numerous body configurations, and though collectively referred to as the W-124, official internal chassis designations varied by body s ...
bodystyle Mercedes-Benz 500E. The RS2/Porsche link is further exemplified by the RS2's dual circuit Porsche braking system (wearing
Brembo Brembo N.V. is an Italian manufacturer of automotive parts that most notably produces braking systems, for high-performance cars and for the sim racing series Gran Turismo. Its operational head office is in Curno, Bergamo, Italy, while Amst ...
calipers with a Porsche name), 7.0Jx17" alloy wheels that were identical in design to the Porsche 911 Turbo wheels of that era, and side view mirrors are also borrowed from the Porsche 911 Turbo. Additionally, the word "PORSCHE" is inscribed in the RS2 factory emblems affixed to the tailgate and front grille, and on the engine's inlet manifold. Porsche modified the Avant S2 body optics, added more
power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...
, better
brake A brake is a machine, mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for Acceleration, slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of ...
s, bigger
anti-roll bars An anti-roll bar (roll bar, anti-sway bar, sway bar, stabilizer bar) is an automobile suspension (vehicle), suspension part that helps reduce the body roll of a vehicle during fast cornering or over road irregularities. It links opposite front or ...
to front and rear, fine tuned the interior – and a super-sports estate was born. Porsche's involvement in the project was on the strict understanding that a coupé model would not be produced, as this was felt to be too close to Porsche's own products. Audi 2.3 L SOHC 10V I5 engine.jpg, 10V-five-cylinder (MKB: NG)


''Type'' codes

Audi assigned its individual models ''"Typ"'' codes, in addition to the primary Volkswagen Group B platform codes: * F103 – Audi 80 (1966–1969) * Typ 80 – B1; Audi 80 (1972–1976) * Typ 82/33 – B1; Audi 80 (1976–1978) * Typ 81 – B2; Audi 80/90 (4000 in US) (1979–1987); Audi Coupé (1980–1987) * Typ 85 – B2; Audi Coupé quattro (1984–1988);
Audi Quattro The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car, produced by the German automobile manufacturer Audi, part of the Volkswagen Group. It was first shown at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show on 3 March. Production continued through 1991. Background The wor ...
(1981–1991); Audi 80/90/4000 quattro (1984–1987); Audi Sport Quattro (1984–1987) * Typ 89/8A – B3; Audi 80/90 (1986–1992) * Typ 89Q – B3; Audi 80/90 quattro (1986–1992) * Typ 8B – B3; Audi Coupé (1989–1996); Audi S2 (1991–1996) * Typ 8C – B4; Audi 80 (1992–1995); Audi RS2 Avant (1994–1996) * Typ 8G – B4; Audi Cabriolet (1991–2000)


Motorsport

The Audi 90 is best known for its heavy dominance in the
IMSA GT Championship IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada. History The series was founded in 1969 by John and Peggy Bishop, and Bill ...
under the IMSA GTO category as well as in the Trans Am Series in the late eighties. The manufacturer almost entered the 1993 DTM, but withdrew prior to the season, and only one Audi 80 DTM car was ever produced. The Audi 80 did compete in
Super Touring Super Touring, Class 2 or Class II was a auto racing, motor racing touring car category defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) for national touring car racing in 1993. It was based on the "2 litre Touring Car Form ...
racing beginning in 1993, when Frank Biela competed in the 1993 French Supertouring Championship. The model was used in 1994 in the German Super Tourenwagen Cup, but by 1995 was replaced by the then-new
Audi A4 The Audi A4 is a line of luxury compact executive cars produced from 1994 to 2025 by the German car manufacturer Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The A4 has been built in five generations and is based on the Volkswagen Group B platfor ...
.


See also

* Audi Coupé/Cabriolet *
Audi RS2 Avant The Audi RS 2 Avant is a high-performance version of the Audi 80 Avant estate car, manufactured from March 1994 to July 1995. ETKA official factory data Collaboratively designed as a joint venture between Audi AG and Porsche and based on Audi' ...


Works cited

*


Notes


References


External links


Audi.com
Audi corporate website {{Audi vehicles timeline (North America) 80 Compact executive cars Mid-size cars Sedans Station wagons Convertibles Front-wheel-drive vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles Cars introduced in 1966 Cars discontinued in 1996 1980s cars 1990s cars Touring cars Group 4 (racing) cars