Audi is one of the few automobile companies in the world to have multiple founding dates. The history of the brand leaves plenty to research, but most notably the legacy the company has produced with various cars poses to be a much more interesting area of awe and admiration.

The name Audi was coined from the Latin translation of the founder's name (Horch), and the four rings of its logo is one of the remaining visible pieces of evidence of the four companies that came together to build the legacy of what the modern-day Audi would look like.

Audi's slogan is "being ahead through technology," and a look back at their production line reveals the company has been living by these words. The Audi S1 Quattro is undeniable proof of this.

Audi S1 Quattro

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Via: Wikipedia

First revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 1980, the Audi S1 Quattro was a four-wheel-drive vehicle that came into popularity through rallying. Quattro, in Italian, means four. It was named to increase awareness of its four-wheel-drive, which wasn't so common during that period.

The car was the first all-wheel car to be featured in the World Rally Championship in 1980, the same year the FIA (regulatory body for racing and rallying cars) approved the use of four-wheel cars in the rally.

The S1 Quattro went on to win the next two championships and had some more wins in different countries before being replaced by the S2 Quattro. Most notably, the S1 Quattro was the car driven by the first woman to win a rallying race.

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Exterior

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Via: Bring A Trailer

The Audi S1 Quattro is a mid-sized 2-door coupe with a longitudinal front engine. Designed by Jörg Bensinger, a little over 11,000 models were produced in a 12 year period (1980-1991).

Its exteriors were tweaked several times during the production run. The first models had a flat front grille with four distinct headlamp lenses, one on each side for the low and high beam units. The first change happened in the 1983 model as a single lens housing twin reflectors became the norm.

The next change happened two years later, in the 1985 model year, and it was almost like a total overhaul of its exterior. A sloping front grille, headlights, and trim changes are a few of the noticeable changes in the 1985 model.

Here are its specs:

  • Wheelbase: 2,524 mm (99.4 inches)
  • Length: 4,404 mm (173.4 inches)
  • Width: 1,722 mm (67.8 inches)
  • Height: 1,346 mm (53.0 inches)
  • Kerb weight: 1,290 kg (2,844 lb) - 1,350 kg (2,976 lb)

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Interior Of The Audi S1 Quattro

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Via: Pinterest

The S1 Quattro interior might be nothing compared with modern cars or even the modern S1 car, but it has one thing which most cars do not have; space. The front seats are spacious and have well-placed pedal systems for easy acceleration or braking. The car can comfortably accommodate five people and has quite good visibility.

The dashboard was modified in 1983 with the analog instrument cluster making way for a green digital liquid crystal display (LCD). It wasn't until five years later that the dashboard was changed again to feature an orange LCD electronic instrument cluster instead of green.

A new steering wheel design and fresh center console design were introduced in 1984, with the former slightly tweaked to have harder foams a year after.

S1 Quattro Engine

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Via: Pinterest

Here are this ride's key engine specs:

  • Four-wheel drive system front-engine
  • Turbocharged engine
  • 2,144 cc (2.1-liter) displacement engine
  • Longitudinally-mounted inline-5-cylinder 10 valve SOHC
  • Embellished with a turbocharger and intercooler.
  • 147 kW (200 PS; 197 hp) and torque of 285 N⋅m (210 lb-ft) at 3,500 rpm
  • 0 to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds
  • Top speed of over 137 mph
  • The rally car version was toned down a bit from a 2144 cc displacement engine to 2133 cc
  • Bore x stroke of 79.3 mm × 86.4 mm (3.1 in × 3.4 in)
  • Valve train of DOHC 4 valves per cylinder (20 valves in total)
  • 225 kW (306 PS; 302 hp) at 6,700 rpm
  • 350 N⋅m (258 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 3,700 rpm
  • The engine was improved a bit in 1989 from 2144 cc to 2226cc, and the car was able to hit top speeds of about 143 mph

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Conclusion

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Via: Hotcars

Very few cars from the '80s attained legendary status, but the Quattro is one of the few privileged ones to do so. Though the car opted out from rallying due to many accidents that threatened to put a dent on its illustrious name, the street-worthy version was still a beauty to behold (and drive).

The S1 has been remodified to meet modern-day tastes and to hop on change in technological advancements, and some designs from the original version have been kept in the modern version. Like they say, 'one shouldn't forget their roots'.

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