Audi 100

Second generation (C2)
Second generation (C2)
	;
Overview
Production	1976–1982
Assembly	Neckarsulm, Ingolstadt, Germany
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan; 5-door hatchback; 2-door sedan
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Volkswagen C2 platform
Powertrain
Engine	2.1l I5 (non-turbo and turbo)
Transmission	3-speed automatic; 5-speed manual

First generation (C1)
First generation (C1)
Overview
Production	1968–1976
Assembly	Neckarsulm, Ingolstadt, Germany
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan; 2-door coupe; 2-door sedan
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Volkswagen C1 platform

Audi 100/200
Audi 100/200
Overview
Manufacturer	Audi
Production	1968—1997
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size luxury car /; Executive car
Chronology
Successor	Audi A6

The Audi 100 was a mid-sized automobile from Audi, made between 1968 and 1994. The C3 model of the 100 (sold in the United States as the Audi 5000 until 1988) was controversial in that it was targeted by CBS News as being unsafe, but it was eventually cleared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

C1, 1968–76

The Audi 100 was shown to the press on November 26, 1968. Originally denoting a power output of Template:Auto PS, the Audi 100 was the range's largest car after the Audi brand was revived by Volkswagen in 1965. The C1 platform spawned several variants: the Audi 100 two- and four-door sedans, and the Audi 100 Coupé S, a stylish fastback coupé.

C2, 1976–84

The C2 Audi 100 was launched in 1976, with crisper styling and an unusual five-cylinder engine (the first gasoline 5 in the world — Mercedes-Benz had shown the way in 1974 with their three litre Diesel 5-cyl in the Mercedes-Benz C111). It was initially a 100 bhp (74 kW) engine offering "6-cylinder power and 4-cylinder economy", and later upgraded to 136 bhp (100 kW).

The Coupé was discontinued, but a five-door hatchback model, the 100 Avant, was launched as part of this generation. Two- and four-door models continued.

The 100 was sold as the Audi 5000 in the United States, in order to rebrand the car and avoid association with the C1. It was a sales success, allowing Audi to spread development costs over a much wider base than its Europe-only competitors.

In 1980, the Audi 200, a plusher variant that included a turbocharged model of Template:Auto bhp, available in 200 5E or 200 5T spec for the UK. The 5T or turbocharged model in addition of the 5E model featured heated seats, opening front quarter windows, cruise control, ski bag, green tinted glass, electric sunroof, and heated mirrors. It was available with standard 3-speed automatic. The only options listed in the brochure were 5-speed manual transmission at no extra cost, air conditioning, and leather seating. This car was marketed in the U.S. as the 5000 Turbo. The Audi 100/200 was succeeded by the C3 platform model in 1983, and the 200 followed one year later.

C3, 1983–92

Third generation (C3)

Overview
Production	1982–1990
Assembly	Neckarsulm, Germany Changchun, China
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan AVANT, a 5-door station wagon
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	Volkswagen C3 platform
Powertrain
Engine	2.3L 133 hp I5 2.2L 10V 165 hp I5 2.2L 20V 220 hp I5 2.0L 116 hp I5
Transmission	3-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	Template:Auto in (1988-1990 FWD & 200) Template:Auto in (1988-1990 AWD & Wagons) Template:Auto in (Pre-1988)
Length	Template:Auto in
Width	Template:Auto in
Height	Template:Auto in Template:Auto in (S)

Edging out the Ford Sierra as Car of the Year in Europe, the 1983 Audi 100 had a remarkable aerodynamic look, achieving a drag coefficient of 0,30 for its smoothest base model. The increased aerodynamic efficiency resulted in better fuel economy and consumers all over the world were waking up to this fact. This became a great marketing tool for Audi in the 1980s and marked a huge leap forward from the boxy shape of the C2 as well as the technology it introduced, including the Procon Ten safety system.

Audi was able to catch up to modern smooth look first seen in this sector on the 1975 Citroën CX. The Audi in turn influenced the Ford Taurus, an American-made sedan from 1986. This rounded look became the norm by the 1990s. It also set a styling trend of flush wheel covers, a thick black side door molding and blacked out window frames eventually adopted by a range of cars from the 1984 Honda Accord to the K cars. Audi innovated flush windows on the C3, a key area for aerodynamic drag that has been adopted by virtually all manufacturers today.

The two-door models were no longer available, and the Audi 100 Avant was reintroduced as Audi's first attempt at a station wagon. The 200 continued as the upmarket variant with several versions of the 2.2l turbo 5 cylinder available in different markets over its life ranging in power outputs from 121 kW (165 bhp) MC engine, through the 136 kW (180 bhp) and 147 kW (200 bhp) versions to the final 162 kW (220 bhp) 20-valve 3B engine available from 1990. The 200 20V was distinguished by its flared front and rounded rear wheel arches instead of the flat type used for the rest of the 100-200 range. The MC turbo engine was available in the 100 as well for some markets.

The 100 also featured a breakthrough diesel engine, one of the first to use direct-injection in the turbo-diesel model.

In the United States, the 5000 name was abandoned after Audi received very negative publicity over its "unintended acceleration" incident, a problem exacerbated by news reports from CBS News' 60 Minutes program. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concluded that the majority of unintended acceleration cases, including all the ones that prompted the 60 Minutes report, were caused by driver error such as confusion of pedals. CBS issued a partial retraction. A legacy of this are the intricate patterns many shifters use, and brake interlock mechanisms to prevent inadvertent shifting into forward or reverse, where the standard was a straight front-back pattern.

However, with the damage to its US reputation done, the 5000 once again became the 100, or the 200 depending on engine configuration, for the 1989 model year. Audi sales in the US would not return to the same level for 15 years. During its last year of production for the 1991 model year, the 100 and 200 featured a larger, more rounded rear wheel-well opening. This minor styling revision was something of preview of the styling of the upcoming fourth generation model that was waiting in the wings and, in appearance, further dissociated the model from that of the 5000 with its damaged reputation.

At the end of the decade, the Audi V8 was announced. This was essentially a 200 Quattro with an engine derived from two four-cylinder Volkswagen Golf GTI engines put together. Although styling was similar to the 200 on which it was based, with the exception of the roof and doors, body panels were NOT shared. The V8 was available with a 3.6 and a 4.2 liter engine. It was the first Quattro model to have an automatic gearbox, featuring a ZF 4-speed unit with a viscous coupling centre differential, combined with a TORSEN rear differential. The manual gearbox Quattro's across the range continued with a conventional rear diff, and the TORSEN centre diff.

The 5000 S/Turbo was on Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 1984 and 1985. The CS Turbo Quattro was on that list for 1986 through 1988.

C4, 1991–97

Fourth generation (C4)

Overview
Production	1990–1997
Assembly	Neckarsulm, Germany
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 5-door station wagon
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	Volkswagen C4 platform
Powertrain
Engine	2.3L 130 hp I5
Transmission	4-speed automatic 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	Template:Auto in (FWD) Template:Auto in (AWD)
Length	Template:Auto in
Width	Template:Auto in
Height	Template:Auto in Template:Auto in (AWD Sedan) Template:Auto in (FWD Sedan)

A heavily revised C3, the C4, was introduced in 1991. The C3-platform V8 continued to be sold as a separate line. The major change was the introduction of a 2.8l V6 engine. It was later joined by a 2.6l variant (Interestingly the 2.8l is a 60 degree V and the 2.6l is a 90 degree V). They are essentially the same engines offered in the 1992 Audi 80. The option of quattro all wheel drive was an option across the range, and the Audi 100 quattro was available with a ZF 4-speed automatic gearbox.

For the 1995 model year, Audi dropped the 100 nameplate, calling it the A6 instead. In addition, what had previously been sold as the S4 became the S6, however the two models became completely independent each other after Audi's replacement of the 80 with the A4 model, also in 1995. The V8 was eventually replaced by the A8 in 1994.

The actual Audi 100 design continued until early 1997, when it was replaced by an all-new A6.

Type numbers

In addition to the C platform codes, Audi assigned type numbers to their models:

F104: C1; Audi 100 (1968–1976)
Type 43: C2; Audi 100 (1976–1982); Audi 200 (1979–1982)
Type 44: C3; Audi 100 (1983–1991); Audi 200 (1983–1992)
Type 4A: C4; Audi 100 (1991–1994); Audi S4 (1992–1994); Audi A6 (1995–1997); Audi S6 (1995–1997)

Chinese production

File:Hongqi.jpg

An example of Hongqi CA7200, seen in Shanghai

The C3-platform Audi 100 was also produced in Changchun, China, by FAW (First Automobile Works, a Chinese automotive manufacturer), for many years during the 1990s. Since most products are for governmental usage, all of China-made 100s are front-wheel drive sedans with a 2.0l 4 cylinder engine or a 2.3l 5 cylinder one.

In 1990, Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC approved a resolution to circumscribe car import and the engine displacement of cars equipped to officials. Furthermore, the resolution also prescribed that all cars of central departments of both Party and government must be homemade ones. As the most luxury and advanced cars made in China in early-1990s, FAW-Audi 100 and 200 have possessed a considerable percentage in Chinese high-class market of executive cars for nearly one decade, until the C3-platform cars was replaced by Audi A6 in 1999.

During the negotiation between FAW and Volkswagen in late-1980s, Volkswagen acceded to FAW's suggestion of combining C3 platform with previously introduced Chrysler engines in the intending new generation Hongqi (Red Flag). Hongqi CA7200 series with the technology of C3 were launched in mid-1990s, while most of C3 Audi 100 parts could be made in China. CA7200 were initially equipped with Chrysler 2.0l or 2.2 l 4 cylinder 488 engines, whose product line was introduced into China in 1987. In 2000s, new Nissan VQ20 engines replaced the original 4 cylinder petrol engine. [1]

A small number of C3 200s (with 1.8T or 2.6l V6 engine) and some early C4 100s (largely in European style but with tail lights in American style) were also assembled in Changchun from

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Audi Duo

In 1989, Audi produced its first iteration of the Audi Duo (or Audi 100 Avant Duo) experimental vehicle, a plug-in parallel hybrid based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. This car had a 12.6 bhp Siemens electric motor which drove the rear wheels. A trunk-mounted nickel-cadmium battery supplied energy to the motor that drove the rear wheels. The vehicle's front wheels were powered by a 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine with an output of 136 bhp. The intent was to produce a vehicle which could operate on the engine in the country and electric mode in the city. Mode of operation could be selected by the driver. Just ten vehicles are believed to have been made; one drawback was that due to the extra weight of the electric drive, the vehicles were less efficient when running on their engines alone than standard Audi 100s with the same engine.

Two years later, Audi unveiled the second Duo generation - likewise based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. Once again this featured an electric motor, a 28.6 bhp three-phase machine, driving the rear wheels. This time, however, the rear wheels were additionally powered via the torsen differential from the main engine compartment, which housed a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.

References

Covello, Mike, updated by, Standard Catalog of Imported Cars: 1946-2002, Krause Publications, Iola, Wisconsin, U.S.A., 2002.

External links