Audi 80
(1966 - 1996)
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Germany
Audi 80: All 47 models
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Car articles about Audi 80 by year
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The Wankel engine dagger legend
NSU is regarded as a Wankel pioneer; in the late 1960s, the NSU Ro 80 was as far ahead of the competition as the Citroën DS 19 in the 1950s. But there were problems and the Wankel engine died with the Ro 80 in Germany. Or so they thought. But that's not quite true. The engine was almost resurrected in luxury-class Audi vehicles. The (long) story, shrouded in conspiracy theories and legends, reads almost like a thriller and shows why the board of management made the right decision back then when they abandoned the rotary piston engine. This report summarizes over 20 years of Wankel development and shows it in many pictures that have hardly ever been seen before.
On September 9, 1965, the new majority shareholders of Auto Union invited Volkswagen to Lake Starnberg. The F103, the quasi-successor to the very slow-selling DKW F102, was presented here. The surprise? The new one was not called DKW but: Audi! And it was also available as a station wagon ...
A bourgeois today, one might exclaim in view of the Volkswagen K70 and Audi 80 LS. But the two notchback saloons stand for much more than conservative mid-range fare. They heralded a new beginning for the Volkswagen Group at the start of the 1970s. But two competing car designs could not be a good idea for a group that was not bedded on roses. Only one could survive. This article compares the two mid-range saloons and shows them in many pictures.
The Audi 80 (Type 80), built from 1972 to 1976, was a sales success. And it was the father of a whole generation of bestsellers such as the VW Passat, the VW Golf and the VW Scirocco. With its characteristics - economy, modern technology, good space and superior driving dynamics - it hit the bull's eye in the years following the oil crisis. This was also the view of Auto Revue magazine, which was able to test an Audi 80 LS at the end of 1972. This report reproduces the original wording of the 1972 test and supplements it with archive photos of the early Audi 80 and an original brochure from the time.
The Audi 80 GT rounded off the attractive 80 series with a sporty edition. In 1973, it was considered the best sports instrument in the 1.6-liter class. The safety paint finish and matt black accents provided a sporty touch. However, the base price of DM 10,750 was a proud feature. The test report from back then explains whether you got enough for your money.
With the Audi 80 GTE, the Volkswagen subsidiary had a hot iron in the fire from 1975 and really fired up the competition from Munich and Milan. 110 injection horsepower ensured brisk driving performance and, together with the gaudy war paint, gave a foretaste of Audi's later success in motorsport. This driving report tells the story of the fuel-injected Audi 80 and shows it in current and historical images.
The Audi 80 LS was a sensible choice for anyone who wanted to rely on proven technology and traditional shapes. As a classic notchback, it never looked particularly modern. Whether the LS was able to make up for this with its driving performance can be read in the 1975 test report
Thanks to new fuel injection, Audi succeeded in turning the 80 GTE into a wolf in sheep's clothing. Many people were probably surprised when they were left standing at the traffic lights by an Audi 80. What the Audi had to offer apart from sporty performance can be read in the test from back then.
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Audi 80 L - rounded
Audi 80 L - rounded off The renewed Audi 80 presented in 1976 looked like a small Audi 100. Although the factory made few changes to the popular mid-size saloon, it looked significantly different and was also better equipped. No wonder, it continued the success story. Even the entry-level engine was by no means poor. This driving report is about an Audi 80 L from 1976 and shows the car in historical and current photos.
Forty years ago, permanent all-wheel drive began its triumphant advance in passenger cars. Audi used the drive concept in large-scale passenger car production for the first time. It started with the original Quattro, but gradually the 4x4 concept became established in all model series. How have the cars aged, which ones have an exceptional status? Are there alternatives to the original Quattro? This report looks back to the beginnings and traces the career of all-wheel drive in Audi passenger cars.
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All 47 Audi 80 models
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