In the late 1970s, Audi’s boss wanted to breathe new life into the brand. Then there is the question of orienting it more towards sports and competition, to better distinguish it from Volkswagen, the parent company. Quattro, which is now known for its four-wheel drive and 5-cylinder engineentered Group B in 1980. Two years later, she won the constructors’ title, followed by the driver’s title in 1983. This is what prompted the same year to the creation of a new division that is fully engaged in the design and development of sports models: Quattroinspired by the model of the same name, emerges from the ground.
From Quattro to Audi Sport: the “RS” saga
It is to her that we owe the most radical Audi models: from DTM to WRC, from Le Mans to Dakar ! For us common motorists, the Quattro was first and foremost at the origin of some of the sportiest production cars of its generation: RS. Although there is no such name appeared on the serial Audi only in 1994 – the then RS2 Avant, equipped with a 2.2-liter 5-cylinder engine with a capacity of 313 horsepower. – Audi today wanted to pay tribute to this long line of RS, which has a total of 38 models! 10 of them were brought together at the Po-Arnos circuit in Béarn, where the manufacturer celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Quattro division.now renamed Audi Sport.
Audi “born on the track, created for the road”
From the first Quattro to the latest R8 LMS GT3, it’s all there a very beautiful piece of Audi sports history presented here, moreover, in a very symbolic place. The one that represents the “zero point” of Audi Sport, the legendary Quattro, is presented there in a very attractive shade of red. If you look (below) to the right, you’ll see the very first Audi RS: the famous RS2 wagon that made the ‘RennSport’ (literally ‘race’ in French) badge famous!
RS4 convertible, RS6 sedan, the first TT or the last R8this retrospective highlights the wide variety of models that Audi Sport has worked on over the years. Today there are 14 c range, some of which, thanks to the transition, are now 100% electric. Whatever happens, Audi assures us: electric or not, all cars that pass through the Audi Sport pool are “Born on the track, made for the road”…
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Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.