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Audi Quattro – The Game Changer

Audi Quattro - The Game Changer

The world of motorsports was a very different place in the late ’70s and ’80s. There was far less regulation, and various racing teams took full advantage of what would, by today’s standards, be lawlessness. This was especially true in the World Rally Championship. Audi was no different. When the rules changed, allowing for a 4wd system to be used in WRC, Audi jumped on the offer and created the now famous Audi Quattro. The system was immediately successful, prompting Audi to create a whole brand around it. That being said, not all Quattros are made equal. Please stick with us as we go over various Quattro variants and what they offer.

From Kubelwagen to Group B – A Brief History of Quattro

German war efforts have brought a number of engineering innovations to the post-war world. These innovations were sprinkled across the aerospace industry, manufacturing, but also the automotive industry. The one innovation relevant to our topic today is the original 4WD system developed by the VW for the German military. Despite being quite rudimentary by modern standards, this first 4WD system became popular enough to be used across a variety of German military vehicles, most notably the Kubelwagen.

But wait, what does a military 4×4 have to do with Audi’s Quattro? When the WRC changed the rules regarding what is and isn’t allowed in the ’80s, they’ve stated that 4WD systems were fair game going forward. Audi was one of the first teams to look into exploiting this new rule to their advantage seriously.audi quattro parts system diagram

Volkswagen Iltis

Fortunately for Audi, they’ve had a fairly successful system right in their back yard. Volkswagen took the development of a 4WD system for the military rather seriously. The Germans learned a lesson or two about the importance of such systems when the frozen Soviet landscape began to thaw. Not much could move in such a sticky, deep mud, not even horses and entire armies quickly got bogged down. To avoid similar escapades in the future, Bundeswehr had tasked VW with creating a 4WD drive for its light vehicles. 

By the time Audi started looking into 4WD, Volkswagen had gone through several generations and evolved its original system. The one they’ve presented the Bundeswehr with came in the form of VW Iltis – a light 4WD vehicle designed to navigate rough terrain.

All Audi had to do was take a close look at Iltis and see how VW had done it, and so they did.

Volkswagen Iltis

Ur Quattro

What Audi had come up with came to be known as the first generation of Quattro systems. The system became known as the “Ur Quattro”, where Ur is a German word for primordial or original. Many consider the release of the Audi Quattro Turbo coupe as the moment when the whole WRC changed.

From 1981, Audi had started dominating the rally scene. Then came the crazy days of Group B, which put the newly developed system through its paces for good. However, Quattro withstood everything and anything the sport had to throw at it.

Other car manufacturers quickly followed suit with systems of their own. They had to as nothing could keep up with Audi Quattro.

Ur Quattro

Modern Quattro Systems

The history behind Audi’s 4WD solution is an exciting one for sure. However, the days of crazy rally races are long gone. Since then, Audi has perfected the 4WD technology and used it to win a different kind of race – one that involved sales numbers and not stage times. As a result, models fitted with the Quattro system have become the epitome of fidelity and drivability. Even more importantly, modern Quattro isn’t a singular system as there are several different versions out there.

Quattro I

The original Quattro system rolled out with the Audi Quattro in 1981 was a purely mechanical wonder of engineering. It featured open differentials in the rear, front, and center, which could be manually locked for better traction. Once locked, the system would render the ABS system inactive and allow the driver to use the full extent of the system.

Audi had installed the first generation, Quattro, in the now legendary Turbo Coupe, the 80 B2 platforms, the 100 C3 platforms, Audi 4000, and Audi 5000. Although the system was bulletproof for the most part, it wasn’t all that practical in everyday use.

Quattro II

As 1988 rolled about, Audi had launched the second generation of their 4WD system. The main upgrade was the introduction of a Torsen type 1 center differential with a 50/50 power split under normal conditions. This was an automatic locking differential that could shift up to 80% of power to either axle on demand.

Aside from the Torsen type 1 center diff, the new system utilized a manually lockable open rear diff and a non-locking front differential. ABS was disabled when diffs were locked, but it would automatically unlock when speeds exceeded 15 mph.  

Although this second-gen setup was seen as a solid improvement on the original, it did come with one serious flaw. Namely, if either of the front two wheels ended up in the air, the 4WD system wouldn’t work. This was due to the nature of the Torsen (TORque SENsing) differential that would transfer power to the wheel with no grip.

audi quattro at eeuroparts

Quattro III  

Quattro III didn’t bring any significant improvements and was mainly designed for Audi V8 models released at the beginning of the 1990s. There were two types of third-gen systems. One had a planetary gear center diff, a Torsen type 1 rear, and open diff in the front. The other came with Torsen diffs in the rear and center while the front was an open diff setup.

The former was found in vehicles with the automatic gearbox while the latter was installed in cars with manual transmission.

Quattro IV and V

What defines the fourth and fifth generation of Quattro is the addition of EDLs or Electronic Differential Locks. The fourth-gen featured a Torsen type 1 in the center with its legendary 50/50 split, an open rear, and open front diff. In comparison, the fifth generation featured an improved Torsen type 3 planetary center diff with a 40/60 torque split favoring the rear, open rear and open front diff.

The addition of EDL has allowed for much more control over torque distribution laterally. The system was capable of detecting wheel spin using ABS sensors and redistributing torque as necessary. EDL was designed to work up to 25mph on less powerful models, while those with a bit more punch would have the EDL work until 50mph.

Being able to sense changes in torque and make snap corrections electronically has put the Quattro on a whole different level when it comes to performance and drivability.

Quattro VI

The sixth-generation Quattro system was introduced with the 2010 Audi RS5. Much like its predecessors, this was also a full-time all-wheel-drive setup, but unlike its predecessors, the sixth-gen didn’t use the Torsen differential. Instead, Audi has gone with a crown-gear center diff that would deliver a 40/60 torque split favoring the rear. This new diff featured automatic locking that could delegate torque front to rear in ratios from 70/30 to 15/85 depending on the conditions. Rear diff was an open type, so was the front diff.

Packed with electronics, the new system used solutions such as the Electronic Torque Vectoring to ensure proper torque distribution at all times. On top of that, the crown gear diff design had proven to be a much better solution than the previously used Torsen system. As a result, drivers could enjoy a more dynamic driving experience with precise cornering and surgical torque distribution. 

Audi Quattro VI

Haldex Technology

Although Torsen based Quattro is considered by many to be the only real Quattro, there is also the Haldex based version of the system. Haldex AWD brings several advantages to those who are less interested in performance driving and more interested in having an AWD system kick in when necessary.

The Torsen based version we’ve talked about earlier are all full-time four-wheel-drive systems. Although fun and practical, such a setup isn’t necessarily the most efficient when it comes to fuel consumption and power distribution.

Haldex solves that problem by technically being an FWD setup that can add the rear-wheel drive when necessary. The reason why Audi even considered a Haldex based system is the engine placement in models such as the A3 and the TT. Both of these platforms introduced several limitations that removed the traditional Quattro as an option. Although Haldex isn’t generally as good performance-wise, it is still a solid solution for most drivers.

Audi Quattro Parts and Maintenance

For all of its awesomeness, Quattro can be a pain to fix if something goes wrong, especially the more modern versions of the drive. Here at eEuroparts.com, we offer a wide range of parts and accessories for Audi Quattro systems. If you’re unsure which, Quattro system is in your Audi, head over to our store and use our VIN tool to find the parts you need.

If you have any questions regarding Quattro parts, please feel free to contact us via e-mail or by calling our customer support service. Our representatives are standing by to answer whatever questions you might have.

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