The Very Best Of: Audi

Welcome back to the new, improved Ignition Blog! I've taken a few weeks off to come up with new content and ideas to improve the blog, and this is the first of a new series where I look at the very best cars from pretty much any division, whether that be the brand, the era, the class, or anything else! Today, we have a look at Audi. While the classic history of Audi is nothing like rivals BMW and Mercedes, they have a very respectable back catalog, particularily in the last 20 years. Let's look at the absolute best of Audi.

Type D (1939)

RWD Cars (Wikipedia)

One of the four constituents who merged to form Audi in 1969, Auto Union were, in addition to being a mass manufacturer, completely dominant in the 1930's Formula 1 world. The Type-D was their ultimate evolution, their final dominant F1 car before World War Two brought their downfall. While the Type C had a hilariously large 6-litre V16 engine, the Type D had a 3-litre V12. It won many races, and with Mercedes was one of the two dominant forces pre-war. This was also the last Audi F1 car ever, although as we'll see later on, they have had a few more racing cars...

Quattro (1980)

Alex Holyoake (Unsplash)

Audi's name lay dormant for several years after the war until four brands were united under the Audi name in 1969 (NSU was also later absorbed). The first passion this new brand had was rallying. Indeed, Audi truly revolutionised rallying with the Quattro; after its introduction, only one car (the Lancia 037, which is a story for another article) won the World Rally Championship with two wheel drive ever again. The engine was slightly unconventional, a 2-liter turbocharged five cylinder engine. The road car was a hoot, and thanks to its low weight and engine, it's a brilliant car. Even more insane was the Group B car; featuring a truly monumental front splitter and rear wing, nearly 500hp from that five cylinder and capable of doing 0-60 in 3 seconds, it was one of the truly best, and it won two WRC championships and 2 Pikes Peak Hillclimbs. The Quattro also has a brilliant list of drivers; Michele Mouton, Walter Rohrl, Stig Blomqvist, and Hannu Mikkola. Overall, one of the top 3 rally cars of all time.

RS 2 (1994)

Vauxford (Wikipedia)

This was really the first time Audi made a purpose built road performance car... except they didn't. This car was actually a parts bin special from Porsche. That's evident in the wheels, which are the same you'd find on a 964 Turbo (as is the side mirrors, although that's less noticeable). However, they may have overdone it a bit. This 'family car' had a 300hp I5 (yes, same 5-cyl engine as the Quattro) that accelerated as fast as not just the 911 of its time, the next generation of 911 after its release as well. Even more impressively, it got to 30mph in just 1.5 seconds, faster than the McLaren F1. The chassis, suspension and brakes were all done by Porsche, which when partnered with Audi's four wheel drive system, ensured sublime handling as well. It was still very usable; it had five seats just like the regular Audi 80 which it was based on. 3000 were built, but just 200 in right hand drive, and unfortunately for me none came to Australia.

R8 V10 (2012)

Nathan Trampe (Unsplash)

Probably Audi's most notable model of the last fifteen years is their R8 supercar. Its vice is usability; Jeremy Clarkson once described it as being as easy to drive as a Golf, while it was given World Performance Car of the Year in 2008. This didn't distract from it's performance goals, as the PCOTY proved, while Jacky Ickx also said it was "the best handling road car today". It had a sweet 4.2L V8 too, producing 420 horsepower. This car was excellent, but the V10 model in 2012 took the sublime chassis and put in a bigger engine, a 5.2L V10 producing over 520 horsepower. This really took it from a Porsche 911 killer into Ferrari territory, where it held its own. Another place the R8 has held its own is on the track; the R8 GT3 has won pretty much every major endurance race there is. Its exploits at Bathurst are particularily notable; having won 3 12 hour races, including the first two consecutively in absolute dominations. The R8 is now onto a second generation that, if anything, is even better than the original.

R18 (2012)

TheSuperMat (Wikipedia)

Now, to Audi's halo car in its entire history. The R18 is one of the fastest cars ever, a LMP1 car that slayed in Le Mans. It won Le Mans in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, only ceding to Porsche from 2015 on. It was just 900 kilograms, and featured over 900 horsepower from it's hybrid 3.7L V6 turbo diesel and electric combination. In addition to the four Le Mans wins, two drivers and constructors championships (both in 2012 and 2013) of the WEC were won by the R18. In 2012, it was won by the de facto 'younger driver' car of Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer, and Marcel Fassler, while the more experienced lineup of Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Loic Duval took out 2013.