AUDI
Since its formation AUDI has become one of the most
respected car producers in the world. Having preserved their originality in
production every time they come up with a new idea has made then interesting and
unique.
AMAZING RIDES takes a tour at the best of their
productions ever seen.
1.
AUTO UNION TYPE D.
Partly
developed by Ferdinand Porsche, the Auto Union racing cars of the 30s (Types A
to C) won numerous grand Prix races, but the Type D of 1939 was the pinnacle,
the most refined and drivable of all the Auto Union cars, its career only
curtailed by WW2.
2.
DKW MONZA.
Technically
not an Audi, but this sports car from the late 50s was based on the 3=6
'Sonderklasse' built by DKW (one of the companies that merged to form Audi).
The glass-fiber-reinforced polyester coupe body had great aerodynamics, which
helped it set five world records in 1956.
3.
QUATTRO.
As
much an 80s icon as rolled-up suit jacket sleeves, the Quattro was the
road-going version of Audi's all-conquering rally car. A perfect blend of
contemporary design and performance, it wooed many buyers looking for something
original and different (four-wheel-drive cars were a rarity at the time).
4.
RS2.
The
first Audi to bear the RS designation, this Audi 80 Avant-based estate was a
collaboration with Porsche. Despite being built (in limited numbers) in the
mid-90s, it's still quick by today's standards: the 311bhp engine helps it
manage a 0-62mph time of 4.8 seconds.
5.
TT.
The
original TT quickly won widespread acceptance among critics and buyers, its
sleek shape having immediate appeal. So not only is it arguably one of the
first modern design classics of the 21st Century, and hence good to be seen in,
it was also good to drive.
6.
A2.
The
A2 doesn't have the performance of some of the other cars in this list, but it
warrants a place because of its innovative design and copious use of aluminum.
This latter aspect was also its undoing - repairs were so expensive, it was
often cheaper to write it off - but it was a bold move by Audi.
7.
S8.
A
big, fast executive saloon with the same engine as a Lamborghini sounds like a
brutal proposition - and it was. The range-topper for the second-generation A8
could manage 0-62mph in a barely feasible 5.1 seconds - especially as it
weighed in at almost two tones. Not that you'd know it when you floored that
throttle.
8.
RS4 AVANT.
The
last-generation A4's halo car was available in saloon, convertible and Avant
(estate) form: our preferred body-style was the Avant, as nobody expected a
family load-logger to be quite as quick as it was, its snarling 4.2-liter V8
making it a real wolf in sheep's clothing. It also handled like a dream.
9.
R8.
A
supercar? From Audi? The naysayers were many and vocal when the company
announced its Porsche 911 rival, but it turns out that a premium car
manufacturer can build a serious sports car, after all.
10. R10 TDI.
The
first diesel-powered car to win the Le Mans 24 Hours, this racer broke the mauld
and not only did it establish Audi as a serious force in Motorsport, but has
also led to numerous innovations that have made their way to the brand's road
cars.
