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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
A quiet encyclopedia with a personal desk
Kept by Bryan McAllister — short guides, clear facts, and the Canadian angle when it matters.
How It Works • Automotive

Audi Quattro

The Audi Quattro is a road and rally car produced by Audi from 1980 to 1991.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

The Audi Quattro is a two-door coupé produced from 1980 to 1991, known for popularizing permanent all-wheel drive in high-performance cars. It debuted at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show and became a landmark in both road and rally driving.

What it is

The Quattro was Audi’s first production car with permanent all-wheel drive, using a turbocharged inline-five engine and a manual gearbox. Its layout gave it unusual traction for a performance car of its time, and it was built as a two-door coupé with a total of 11,452 examples produced.

Why it matters

The Quattro reshaped rallying in the early 1980s, where its all-wheel-drive system offered a major advantage on loose surfaces. Its success pushed other manufacturers to adopt four-wheel drive in motorsport, and the car’s technology later influenced Audi’s broader quattro branding across many models.

Key details

The car is often called the Ur-quattro (original Quattro) to distinguish it from later models. For Canadian drivers, its all-wheel-drive system is especially relevant in winter conditions, and the Quattro remains a collectible classic in the enthusiast market.

In short

  • First production car with permanent all-wheel drive from Audi.
  • Turbocharged inline-five engine and two-door coupé body.
  • Highly influential in rallying, changing drivetrain standards.
  • Total of 11,452 built between 1980 and 1991.
Canadian angle

The Audi Quattro is notable to Canadian readers as an influential performance car that shaped modern all-wheel-drive technology, which is especially relevant in Canadian winter driving conditions. It is also a collectible classic car in the Canadian enthusiast market.

Quick questions

What is the Audi Quattro?
It is a performance road and rally car made by Audi from 1980 to 1991, known for its permanent all-wheel-drive system.
Why is it called Quattro?
The name refers to the car’s four-wheel-drive system and became Audi’s branding for all-wheel-drive models.
How many Audi Quattros were built?
Audi produced 11,452 examples between 1980 and 1991.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_Quattro
    Supports: Production dates, first public showing, and general identification of the car.
  2. Audi — https://www.audi.com/en/innovation/product-innovation/quattro/celebrating-a-quattro-legend/
    Supports: Historical origins and anniversary context for quattro technology.
  3. Audi MediaCenter — https://www.audi-mediacenter.com/en/quattro-with-ultra-technology-the-permanently-available-all-wheel-drive-system-5503/audi-quattro-the-history-5508
    Supports: Debut at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show and technical development history.
  4. Autoweek — https://www.autoweek.com/car-life/a1941661/legend-quattro/
    Supports: Body/platform details, engine description, and production total.
  5. Audi — https://www.audi.com/en/quattro-in-rallying-17283
    Supports: Rallying significance and motorsport impact.
  6. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quattro_(four-wheel-drive_system)
    Supports: Meaning and later branding use of quattro by Audi.