Audi quattro

At Audi, they are fond of recalling how a pre-production quattro left all rear-wheel-drive sedans behind on an incline in wintry Austria - with summer tyres!

In fact, the well-known Audi slogan "Vorsprung durch Technik" (Progress through Technology) has seldom been put into practice as tangibly as with the presentation of permanent all-wheel drive in the Audi quattro, which established this drive variant as one of the first in production vehicle manufacturing. And it was not only on snow-covered mountain passes that the four driven wheels played out their advantages: They were safer and, above all, faster on all kinds of surfaces.

There are numerous special features that make this brand-defining sports coupe stand out: the five-cylinder in-line engine made for a husky voice, the digital displays installed in the interior from 1982 onward gave it a futuristic look, and the angular body design with its distinctive twin headlights had a high recognition factor. Anyone who drove a quattro stood out.

This successful package was crowned by the successes of the sports version: Walter Roehrl's victory in the 1984 Monte Carlo Rally and the record-breaking drive in the 1987 Pikes Peak Hillclimb cemented the nimbus of the sporty all-purpose weapon. Forty years after its unveiling at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, the Audi quattro now receives its well-deserved tribute in a comprehensive monograph written by brand connoisseur, Audi driver, and noted automotive journalist Dirk-Michael Conradt.

This 400 page, heavily illustrated book offers a complete chronology of the Urquattro from prototype to final model, and includes technical data and production figures. The illustrations include numerous previously unpublished images from the Audi factory archive.

About the Author

Dirk-Michael Conradt is a German automotive journalist. He worked for Motor Presse Stuttgart for auto, motor and sport before he became editor-in-chief of Sport Auto in 1982. From 1984 to 1993 he was the first editor-in-chief of Motor Klassik magazine. He headed the Volkswagen Group's car museum foundation till 2013. He has written numerous books on cars, including Porsche 356, Porsche Turbo, Cars that Made History - Alfa Romeo, Cars that Made History - Ferrari, Cars that Made History - Porsche 911 Turbo, and Audi A2.