Audi 80 - Definition and Overview

The Audi 80 was an automobile from Audi produced between 1972 and 1995 and initially shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat.

B1 (1972–8)

The first Audi 80 was a two- or four-door sedan, sold in the United States as the Audi Fox. It replaced the former Audi 60–90 range and provided Audi with a rival to the Opel Ascona and Ford Taunus. The US models were sold from the 1973 to 1979 model years. There was a station wagon model sold in some countries, virtually identical to the Volkswagen Passat Variant. Unlike later Audi wagons, the Avant name was not used. The 80 was voted European Car of the Year for 1973.

B2 (1978–88)

Audi tidied up the original 80 with a new model on the B2 platform in 1978. This version, sold as the Audi 4000 in North America, saw a six-light bodyshell. The Audi Coupé and the related Audi Quattro and Audi Sport Quattro were spun off the B2 platform. An upmarket variant, the Audi 90, was introduced, featuring a five-cylinder engine. Four-wheel drive was introduced on the 80 and 90 in 1983. The sedans were made till 1987, but the Coupé lasted one more year.

B3 and B4 (1987–2000)

Audi introduced its trademark aerodynamic look to the 80 and 90 in 1987. Audi also sold a 5 cylinder, 20 valve version of the 90 in 1990 and 1991, which is now a highly sought after and very rare car. It made much of its galvanized bodyshell in its advertising, but the cars had one main failing: in order to achieve its aerodynamic styling, the boot was very limited in space. This was remedied with a mid-term freshening in 1992, becoming the B4 series, whereupon the 80 name was discontinued (all models, regardless of cylinders, were now the 90). The sedans were replaced by the Audi A4 in 1996. The Coupé was deleted in 1996, its niche later filled by the Audi TT.

The Audi Cabriolet (which originally wore 80 and 90 badges), was the high-profile model of the B4 series. An example was owned by Diana, Princess of Wales. This model was built from 1991 to 2000. An updated version based on the B6 platform was released in 2004.

Type numbers

Audi gave its models Type numbers in addition to the B platform codes:

• B1 Type 80: Audi 80, 1973–6
• B1 Type 82/33: Audi 80, 1977–8
• B2 Type 81: Audi 80 and 90, 1979–87; Audi Coupé, 1981–4
• B2 Type 85: Audi Coupé, 1985–8; Audi Quattro, 1981–91; Audi Sport Quattro, 1984–7
• B3 Type 89/8A: Audi 80 and 90, 1987–92
• B3 Type 8B: Audi Coupé, 1989–96; Audi S2, 1993–6
• B4 Type 8C: Audi 80, 1992–5
• B4 Type 8G: Audi Cabriolet, 1991–2000

External links

• Audi 80 Type 82 site (http://www.typ82.info/audi-en/)
• 20V.org: A site dedicated to the B3 20V coupe and sedan  (http://www.20v.org/)
• Audiworld.com: A comprehensive Audi information website (http://www.audiworld.com/)