Currently reading: 30 years of the Audi Quattro
Autocar celebrates 30 years of the Audi Quattro by being driven by Walter Rohrl at the Col De Turini

Audi is commemorating the 30th anniversary of the iconic Audi Quattro this week.

Autocar's Vicky Parrott was taken for a ride by Walter Rohrl at the Col de Turini and you can see the video by clicking on the link below. We've also assembled pictures of Quattro rally and road cars in action and you can find the link for the gallery below, too.

Video - watch the Walther Rohrl and the Audi Quattro in action on the Col de TuriniVicky Parrott blog: Why the Audi Quattro is such an iconSee the history of the Audi Quattro in pics

The Audi Quattro, which was unveiled at the Geneva motor show 30 days ago this week, is well known for pioneering full-time four wheel drive in road cars when it first arrived in 1980, but it was in Group B rallying that the Quattro really made its name as a performance car.

Walther Rohrl - my heroes

The Quattro began rallying in 1980, and took Hannu Mikkola to the driver’s World Rally Championship title in 1983. It was then modified for the 1984 season, when the straight-five, turbocharged 2110cc was uprated to around 265bhp and 332lb ft of torque.

Read Autocar's original road test of the Audi Quattro 2.0T 3dr

Lightweight Kevlar wheel arches were also used to save weight, and by this point the Audi Quattro A2 WRC car was capable of 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds. It went on to win the drivers’ and manufacturer’s 1984 WRC titles at the hands of Stig Blomqvist.

Though Audi doesn’t compete in rallying any more, the German maker still uses the Quattro name for its four-wheel drive cars and in 2009 over a third of the 931,007 Audis that were produced used Quattro technology.

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jhonsonb 8 August 2019

Turbocharged

Engines are all turbocharged, and there’s a very strong mix of petrol and diesel options depending on your mileage & Air Conditioner Installation awesome, your need for speed, and your quest to run four rings around the tax man. 

Peter Cavellini 6 March 2010

Re: 30 years of the Audi Quattro

Yes, whole heartily agree, and he sounds a gentleman too!, wish i had a tenth of his with ease talent, sign of a good driver, smooth , relaxed, awesome!!!

AndyRAC 5 March 2010

Re: 30 years of the Audi Quattro

Man and Machine in perfect harmony!! Perfection.

How good is Walter Rohrl, even now. Legend!!