Audi 80: four generations from the B1 to the B4

The Audi 80 is a compact executive car that Audi built in four generations from 1972 to 1995. It replaced the F103 range and became the Audi A4 in 1994, which carried on its B numbering.

Audi 80 at a glance

History of the Audi 80

B1 (1972)

The first Audi 80 appeared in Europe in 1972 and reached Australia and North America in 1973, where it was sold as the Audi Fox. It was offered as a two- or four-door saloon and effectively replaced the F103 range, giving Audi a rival for the Opel Ascona and the Ford Taunus. The B1 introduced the 1.3- and 1.5-litre SOHC four-cylinder engines of the EA827 family and used MacPherson struts at the front and a C-section beam axle at the rear. It won the 1973 European Car of the Year award, and in September 1973 Audi added the two-door 80 GT with a 1.6-litre carburettor engine of 100 PS. A facelift in autumn 1976 brought square headlights, 1.6-litre engines and the fuel-injected 80 GTE with 110 PS.

B2 (1978)

The redesigned 80 on the B2 platform (Typ 81) was presented in September 1978, with deliveries of the four-door starting a few weeks later in Europe; the fuel-injected GLE and the two-door followed in early 1979. The body was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and there was no Avant, because the Passat filled that role while the 80 moved upmarket to rival the BMW 3 Series. Four-wheel drive arrived in 1983 with the 80 quattro, essentially an Ur-Quattro without the turbocharger and with saloon bodywork. The 1984 facelift brought the Audi 90 with five-cylinder engines of 2.0 and 2.2 litres, alongside the 1.6-litre turbodiesel shared with the 80.

B3 (1986)

In September 1986 Audi released the Typ 89 for the 1987 model year on a new platform that ended the link with the Passat. The B3 introduced an aerodynamic shape and a fully galvanised bodyshell, and from 1991 the procon-ten safety system was standard: steel cables behind the gearbox pulled the steering wheel away from the driver and tightened the front seatbelts in a crash. The Audi 90 returned in 1987 as the more luxurious version, and from 1989 to 1991 it offered a 2.3-litre 20-valve engine with 170 PS. The Audi 80 16V arrived in 1990.

B4 (1991)

The fourth generation was the last Audi 80. It was the first to be offered in Europe with the Avant estate body, and in North America every B4 saloon was badged Audi 90. In 1994 Audi replaced the 80 with the A4, which continued the B numbering as the B5, although the Italian sources give 1995 as the end of Audi 80 production.

Design and features

• EA827 engines: the 1.3- and 1.5-litre four-cylinders of the B1 were the first of the EA827 family.
• quattro: the 1983 80 quattro brought four-wheel drive to the range, with twin headlamps, a front spoiler and a rear spoiler.
• procon-ten: the cable system of the B3 was a precursor of the airbag, pulling the steering wheel in and tightening the seatbelts in a frontal impact.
• Galvanised body: the B3 was the first 80 with a fully zinc-coated bodyshell.

Audi 80 versions

• 80 GT and GTE: the 1.6-litre sports versions with 100 PS from 1973 and 110 PS with fuel injection from 1976.
• 80 quattro: the 1983 four-wheel-drive saloon with the 2,144 cc five-cylinder engine.
• Audi 90: five-cylinder 2.0 with 115 PS and 2.2 with 136 PS.
• Audi 90 20V: the 2.3-litre 20-valve engine with 170 PS, sold from 1989 to 1991.
• 80 16V: the 1990 sixteen-valve model, also available with quattro.

The 80 was replaced by the Audi A4 and sits below today’s Audi A3 in size; more models are in our Audi collection.

Video: Audi 80 Avant B4 Kombi Diesel 1.9 TDI

Video by MrTk348 on YouTube.

Sources

• Audi 80, English Wikipedia: B1, B2 and B3 development, engines, quattro
• Audi 80/A4, German Wikipedia: end of the 80 and start of the A4
• Audi 80, Italian Wikipedia: generations and body styles