The Four Rings with a new profile

This front-wheel drive saloon, as the first vehicle from Auto Union GmbH to be equipped with the new four-cylinder four-stroke engine, ushered in a new era under the resurrected Audi brand. The model name Audi would later be supplemented with a power output in PS to distinguish it from other models. The F 103 series that began with this model was built in various versions until 1972.

This saloon in the upper mid-range segment was ahead of its time in terms of design and technology. It is considered the originator of what automotive designers call the wedge form, and it was one of the few production vehicles on the market to be powered by a Wankel engine. In 1968, the Ro 80 was the first German car to be named “Car of the Year”.

The story of how the Audi 100 came into being is somewhat unusual. Although the Volkswagen Group’s Board of Management had ordered a development stop, Ludwig Kraus, then technical director of Auto Union GmbH, had the vehicle developed in secret. After receiving retrospective approval, the mid-range saloon became a big success and played a decisive role in preserving Auto Union’s independence within the Volkswagen Group.

The Audi 80 was the first Audi model to roll off the production line more than a million times. With its modern lightweight construction and newly developed engines, it was a trendsetter for the Volkswagen Group’s models in the 1970s, providing the basis for such cars as the VW Passat.