Anyone who knows Audi knows quattro.

Moreover, you will not want to drive anything else once you have been on the road with quattro. Why? Because this drive brings engine power so convincingly onto the road. The quattro cutting-edge technology offers dynamism and safety as well as, at the same time, conveying an exclusive, unique driving pleasure. An Audi with quattro drive also makes safe and trouble-free progress where two-wheel drive vehicles no longer have propulsion – for example on slippery or unpaved road surfaces.

Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

The quattro drive

Audi offers the quattro drive in different versions customised for each model. In the compact construction series with transversely mounted engine, a multi-disc clutch with hydraulic actuation and electronic control is mounted on the rear axle. The multi-disc clutch is located on the front axle in the R8 mid-engine sports car. These active systems distribute the forces variably to both axles depending on the driving situation.

The self-locking centre differential, which is used in many Audi models with a front-mounted longitudinal engine, is a purely mechanical epicyclic gear. Normally, it sends the drive torques to the front and rear axle in a ratio of 40:60.

The sport differential on the rear axle is available for some top motorisations. It can actively distribute the torques between the rear wheels by means of two superposition stages with electro-hydraulic multi-disc clutches. In extreme cases, almost the entire torque reaches a wheel  – the system pushes the car into the bend, whereby it eliminates under-steering at the outset.

The quattro technology

Audi has been driving quattro technology forward for 35 years. With more than eight million models produced with quattro technology, Audi is the most successful premium manufacturer of vehicles with permanent all-wheel drive worldwide. With the Audi lunar quattro perhaps soon also on the moon. With quattro, Audi has achieved a milestone in automotive history - no other manufacturer had a high-speed, lightweight four-wheel drive for large series to offer in 1980.

 

The technology made its debut in 1980 at the Geneva Motor Show in the so-called original-quattro. In 1986, Audi replaced the manually lockable first-generation centre differential with the Torsen differential, which could variably distribute the drive torques. The epicyclic gear with asymmetrical-dynamic basic distribution of forces followed in 2005. To this day, the self-locking centre differentials at Audi are continuously being further developed and are regarded as the benchmark for traction and driving dynamics with, at the same time, very low weight.

 

  • Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

    Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

  • Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

    Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

  • Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

    Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

  • Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

    Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

  • Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

    Audi Q8 SUV: Fuel consumption (combined) in l/100 km: 11.4–8.0CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 259–210CO₂ emission class: G

The quattro four-wheel drive

The quattro four-wheel drive is a cornerstone on which Audi stands. Now the brand strengthens it further  – with new models and new technologies. The quattro in the electrified power train represents a completely new concept for the mobility of the future.

Audi also celebrated numerous motor sport triumphs with quattro technology. The record so far: four World Rally Championship titles, six victories at the famous mountain race at Pikes Peak (USA), one title win in the US TransAm Series, two DTM titles, eleven national Super Touring Car Championships and one Touring Car World Cup. The latest victory for quattro technology: Mattias Ekström and his private EKS rallycross team clinched the titles of "Driver World Champion" and "Team World Champion" in the FIA Rallycross World Championship with the Audi S1 EKS RX quattro at the end of November.

1978–1987: The quattro era

Audi racing

1978–1987: The quattro era

The rebirth of the Audi brand in 1965 and the merger of Auto Union and NSU in 1969 added new significance to the topic of motorsport. Excluding the era prior to the Second World War, including the legendary Grand Prix cars of Auto Union in the 1930s, Audi’s motor racing heritage began with the quattro.

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