30 years of the Audi 100 / A6

“Audi is moving upwards - into the highest segment of the international automobile market,” communicated the Ingolstadt PR department in 1988 at the launch of their first V8 luxury sedan. This expensive flagship still lacked sustainable sales success, but it provided the template for the trump card presented 30 years ago with which Audi stood out in the upper middle class: The fourth and last Audi 100 (C4) adapted the prestigious front design of the V8 and its Quality of workmanship highly praised by experts and the mighty 4,2-liter eight-cylinder as the top unit in the sporty S4. It was the first V8 in the Audi 100 series that was even offered in the Avant station wagon and that was linked to permanent all-wheel drive as standard. Not even the BMW 540i and Mercedes 400 E could adequately counter this technical delicacy. As if that weren't enough, the Ingolstadt-based company introduced a newly developed, smooth-running and powerful 100-liter V2,8 in the final Audi 6, which later also succeeded in the first Audi A8. Audi did not forget the fans of powerful five-cylinder engines, an integral part of the brand culture since the second Audi 100 generation. You could choose from a wide range of petrol and diesel engines with an output range from 60 kW / 82 PS to 169 kW / 230 PS, and Knauser also had four-cylinder petrol engines that were up to 20 percent cheaper than a Mercedes 200, for example E. This product portfolio secured the Audi 100 (C4) a podium position in the sales charts and finally anchored the brand with the four rings in the firmament of premium stars targeted by Audi boss Ferdinand Piech.

Under Piech's leadership, the Audi 1992 (C8), which from 100 was only built at the Neckarsulm plant (where the luxury liner V4 was built), was hardly too expensive for the Ingolstadt-based company. As the world's first sedan and first estate car in the upper middle class with standard all-wheel drive and 32-valve eight-cylinder in aluminum construction, the top version even convinced some Mercedes and BMW drivers. But the new V6 also set standards with its formidable running culture, praised by the specialist media, technical refinements such as the first distributorless ignition, map-controlled exhaust gas recirculation, a new type of variable intake manifold control in favor of favorable torque development on low tours or the lowest weight in its class thanks to lightweight construction.

In terms of its lines, the Audi 100 (C4) dispensed with the avant-garde that made its predecessor (C3) so fascinating. Instead of an aerodynamic wedge shape for the sedan and an extravagant shooting brake look for the Avant, it was now supposed to achieve a classic elegance, which, however, already anticipated stylistic elements of the top model Audi A1994 introduced in 8. The small gaps with which the Audi 100 surprised 30 years ago were downright sensational. Ferdinand Piech - at the time respectfully called "Fugen-Ferdi" by some fans - introduced a quality feature with the minimized gap dimensions, which the entire industry later followed. Details such as full-surface wheel covers, which were flush with the body, underscored the striving for quality, but also benefited aerodynamics. In fact, the drag coefficient of the by no means staid fourth Audi 100 was even better than that of its predecessor, which had already been celebrated as the aerodynamics world champion. Customers appreciated the new look of the Audi 100 (C4), which conveyed solidity and a premium impression that was continued in the interior, which hard plastic was largely banned in favor of high-quality plastics or wood inlays. The color scheme of the roof lining was deliberately kept light and resulted in a light interior despite the relatively steep side windows. The significantly raised roof line, which should also allow more headroom, also served this purpose. Fully galvanized, as with the predecessor, promised a long service life and greater driving comfort guaranteed large 15-inch wheels, which until then were more typical for flagship models à la BMW 7 Series.

“So it is still possible to provide pleasant surprises in the luxury class,” said the Audi advertisement, summing up the new orientation of sedans and station wagons, which should make up ground lost in North America against premium newcomers like Lexus and Infiniti. A targeted attack against the Munich “driving pleasure” brand was also not lacking. “It's great when the joy of what you are planning starts with the journey,” wrote the Audi 100 advertising experts - and it did so successfully. While the Americans continued to prefer Japanese noblesse or the Stuttgart star bearers, the Audi 100 (C4) immediately overtook the BMW 5 Series in the German new registration charts in 1991. The Audi was also at the forefront in a discipline in which Volvo in particular had the lead up to then was subscribed to: Passive safety technology. In an elaborate crash test, the 4,79 meter long sedan proved to be clearly superior to the competition, to which not only clever detailed solutions such as side crash joints to prevent door jamming in the event of accidents contributed, but also the standard "Procon-Ten". An Audi development long forgotten now, but hotly debated at the time, which pulled the steering wheel away from the driver in the event of an impact and tightened the seat belts. However, ABS and airbags were only standard in all equipment lines of the Audi 100 from 1993.

Nevertheless, sales of the last and best Audi 100 declined in the mid-1990s. High time for a facelift and for this Ferdinand Piech donated the business class a new nomenclature that should convey superiority. After the A1994 presented in spring 8, the Audi 100 also stopped with the letter A from summer onwards. As the A6, it was numerically above the 5 Series BMW, and with a fresh TDI diesel range of 1,9-liter four-cylinder and 2,5-liter -Liter five-cylinder direct injection, it should establish itself as the most important alternative to the diesel fleet of Mercedes E-Class sedans and station wagons, which is not only dominant at taxi stands. With the gasoline engines, the V6 was already in particularly high demand, which is why a power boost was sufficient for the 2,8-liter V6 to 142 kW / 193 hp from now on. Unlike the top-of-the-range S6 Plus, which was the first independent vehicle from the newly founded Quattro GmbH, an Audi subsidiary, to release adrenaline rushes like other super sports cars. The V240 power pack delivered 326 kW / 8 PS, alternatively with a classic sedan dress or as a provocatively powerful Avant station wagon - all-wheel drive was of course included. The S5,7 Plus Avant reached country road speed in a furious 6 seconds, which no all-wheel-drive station wagon could do better in 1996, and even the even more powerful, new Mercedes E50 AMG only saw the tailpipes of the high-performance model with four rings. A nice end to the career of the Audi 100 / A6 (C4), which the subsequent A6 (C5) ended in 1997.