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Audi 90 2.3E quattro - when 90 is not bigger, but still more than 80

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Created on August 18, 2022

Reading time 8min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Audi AG

Archiv Autowelt Bachmann

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Bruno von Rotz

Audi AG

Archiv Autowelt Bachmann

Archiv

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - der Luft setzt der Wagen weniger Widerstand entgegen als die meisten seiner Nachfolger

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - dank Servolenkung setzt das Kurvenfahren keine grossen Muskeln voraus

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - auch als Allradler tendiert der Audi zum Untersteuern

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - der B3 verkörpert die dritte Audi 80/90-Generation

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - vereint mit den Vorgänger-Generationen Audi 80 B1 und B2

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - im Stil der Achtzigerjahre

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - auf den ersten Blick durchaus mit dem etwas früher präsentierten Audi 100 zu verwechseln

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - stämmige Front

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - rundum wird die Karosserie durch Gummiflächen vor kleinen Remplern geschützt

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - die Aerodynamik ist ihm ins Gesicht geschrieben

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - bereit zur Losfahrt

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - weder Spoiler noch Schweller verunzieren das heute klassisch anmuntende Design

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - damals waren die Räder noch deutlich kleiner als heute

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - im typischen Audi-Design jener Zeit, dem Audi 100 ähnllich

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - kurzer hinterer Überhang

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - die Kofferraumklappe reicht bis zum Stossfänger hinunter

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - dominierende Breitband-Scheinwerfer

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - Blick ins Interieur, funktionelle Architektur überall

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - stoffige Haptik

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - Hinweis auf das procon-ten-Sicherheitssystem

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - Fünfganggetriebe

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - zuschaltbare Differentialsperre

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - sogar im Innern wird erklärt, dass man im teureren Audi 80 sitzt

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - der Motor ist gekippt und scheint daher mehr auf der Beifahrerseite zu sitzen

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - Fünfzylinder-Reihenmotor mit 2,3 Litern Hubraum

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - eingespritzter Fünfzylinder

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - Fünfzylinder mit Katalysator

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - vier Ringe und vier angetriebene Räder

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - rundliches Design an der Front

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - glattflächig gestaltete Alu-Räder

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - glattflächig eingepasste Seitenfenster

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - dem Wind soll möglichst wenig Widerstand entgegensetzt werden

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - 15-Zoll-Räder

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Audi 90 2.3E quattro (1988) - grosse Rückleuchten

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Audi 80 (1986) - Werbung - Erleben Sie ein von Grund auf neues Automobil

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Audi 80 quattro (1987) - Durchsichtszeichnung der Baureihe B3 - das Torsen-Verteilergetriebe war die zweite Stufe der quattro Entwicklung 1987

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Audi 80 (1987) - Werbung - Sicherheitssystem procon/ten

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Audi 80 (1987) - viertürige Limousine mit cw 0.29

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Audi 80 (1987) - Limousine mit Stufenheck

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Audi 80 quattro (1988) - der B3 war ab 1987 der erste quattro der neuen Generation

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Audi 80 quattro (1986) - Mit 88 PS war der Basis-quattro eher etwas für Pragmatiker. Fahrspaß brachte er kaum

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Audi 90 quattro (1988) - quattro war für Audi der Antrieb, der das Image in neue Regionen katapultierte

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Audi 90 2.3E 20V quattro (1988) - mit Sportpaket

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Audi 90 quattro (1990) - mit diesem "quattro" der zweiten Generation gelang Audi ein Erfolg in der Mittelklasse

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Audi Coupé (1990) - auf Basis des Audi 80 B3

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Audi 80 quattro 2.6E Avant (1992) - fotografiert für einen Vergleichstest in der Zeitschrift sport auto

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Audi 80 quatro 2.6E Avant (1992) - fotografiert für einen Vergleichstest in der Zeitschrift sport auto

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Summary

Today, the almost 35-year-old Audi 90 2.3E quattro is hardly noticeable. At the time, however, the third edition of the Audi 80/90 series embodied innovation and top-class aerodynamics. You can still feel something of this today, especially as almost all the Audis that followed it performed worse in terms of aerodynamic drag. This extensively illustrated driving report explains how the Audi 90 feels today.

This article contains the following chapters

Aerodynamics as a sales argument
More flexibility with the equipment
Particularly safe
One class higher
Competition in its own stable
Also with all-wheel drive
Without spectacle
Two editions

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

In 1972, Audi launched the Type 80, which was not only the basis for a long series of successful mid-size vehicles, but also the platform for the even better-selling VW Passat. Front-wheel drive, lightweight construction and understated elegance were the hallmarks of the first versions. A visually significantly modified Audi 80 appeared as early as the summer of 1976, followed in August 1978 by a grown-up B2 designed by Giugiaro for the B1. From November 1982, it was also available as a quattro and with a five-cylinder engine, which laid the foundation for the third generation B3. Early on in August 1986, the press reported on the new Audi 80, whose basic features were very similar to those of the Audi 100, but with a Cd value of 0.29, it was supposed to be even more aerodynamic. The new 80 was expected to appear in September 1986, and in fact driving reports on the B3, as the model was known internally, appeared in the first weeks of September.

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