QUATTRO

About the Quattro

The Quattro changed motorsport, changed Audi, and changed what four-wheel drive meant in a performance car. Before 1980, AWD was for tractors and off-roaders. After the Quattro won its first rally, it was a performance technology. A turbocharged 2.1-liter (later 2.2-liter) inline-five, permanent all-wheel drive, and a coupe body derived from the Audi 80. The formula was simple. The execution was revolutionary. The Quattro dominated the World Rally Championship — Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, and Michèle Mouton proved that traction could beat talent when the conditions turned brutal. The road car made 200 hp initially, rising to 220 hp in the 20V variant. The five-cylinder soundtrack — a distinctive offbeat warble — became as recognizable as the four rings on the grille. The interior was pure 1980s Audi: functional, angular, and built to survive German motorways at sustained high speeds. The Ur-Quattro (as enthusiasts retroactively named it) proved that Audi could build something with genuine soul. On Revnut, the community ranks the car that started the quattro revolution.