19 Facts About Audi 80

Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the Audi subdivision of the Volkswagen Group across four generations from 1966 to 1996.

Under Audi 80'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 80 A4 – continues this sequence with platform numbers B5 through to B9.

Audi 80 had a MacPherson strut front suspension, and a C-section beam rear axle located by trailing arms and a Panhard rod, and using coil springs and telescopic dampers.

Audi 80 presented a redesigned 80 based on the B2 platform in September 1978 and deliveries of the four-door sedan began a few weeks later in Europe.

Audi 80 continued to use the 80 nameplate in Europe, but badged their Typ 81 as the Audi 80 4000 in North America.

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The B2 acted in a de facto sense, as a replacement for the ill-fated NSU Ro 80 which ceased production the year before, since Audi 80 dropped the NSU brand completely following that car's demise.

Mid-1984, for the 1985 model year, Audi 80 gave the B2 a subtle facelift with tail lights resembling the ones of the Typ 44 Audi 80 100, and different front and rear bumpers and headlights and an updated interior.

Audi 80 did not offer an automatic transmission, as the engine could not quite cope.

Audi 5+5 name was used in the Australian market for a unique four door Audi 80 fitted with a 2144 cc five cylinder engine and a five speed manual gearbox.

In 1987, the Audi 80 90 was reintroduced as an upmarket, more luxurious variant of the 80.

Altogether, the Audi 80 came with the following engine range, although not all of these were available in all markets:.

Audi 80 obtained a major facelift in the autumn of 1991, although the UK launch was not until early 1992.

B4 marked the beginning of Audi 80's move into the German luxury mid-sized vehicle segment, which until then was clearly dominated by Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Additionally, Audi 80 built about 2500 units of the Quattro Competition for the German and European market.

Since 2007, Audi 80 has produced Audi 80 A5 - which is similar in concept to the old 80-based Coupe.

Audi 80 developed a sports version of the Coupe in 1990, called the Audi 80 Coupe S2.

Audi 80 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.

Audi 80 assigned its individual models "Typ" codes, in addition to the primary Volkswagen Group B platform codes:.

Audi 80 90 is best known for its heavy dominance in the IMSA GT Championship under the IMSA GTO category as well as in the Trans Am Series in the late eighties.