Auto 100 / 200 Type 44: Advance through technology

The Audi 100 had existed before; but they were hardly competitive against the international competition and so the C3 generation with the internal designation Type 44 should be a big step. But right at the start there was a problem that the predecessor of the Type 43 already had. In order to move up from the indefinable mediocrity into the first league, the cylinder problem had to be solved, because in terms of image you only had a chance if you could hold your own against the powerful six-cylinders from Mercedes and BMW in everyday life. But a six-cylinder did not fit, or rather hardly fit, into the engine compartment of the new 44 model, and so it was to be fixed with well-known five-cylinders, which gave a charismatic sound and a good performance yield due to the combustion process and ignition sequence.

There was a lot going on at the brand with the four rings in the early 1980s. There was a big plan – the goal of moving up into the top league of German car manufacturers and thus playing at the forefront in Europe and worldwide. The supposed figurehead of the Audi 100 C3 of the Type 44 generation and its more powerful sister model, the Audi 200, with corresponding turbo engines, played a central role here. The major offensive started back in 1980 with the presentation of the Audi Quattro. It was the first mass-produced car with permanent all-wheel drive. How revolutionary and superior this all-wheel drive concept was was particularly evident in rallying: in 1982 Audi was the first German brand to win the manufacturers’ world championship, in 1983 Hannu Mikkola became world rally champion in an Audi Quattro and in 1984 Audi combined both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ world championships by Stig Blomqvist on himself.

The new Audi 100, which became world champion in a completely different discipline in 1982, was to build on this. With a drag coefficient of 0.30, the Generation 44 was the most aerodynamic series sedan in the world at the time. The range of engines included four and five cylinders with a power range between a slim 55 kW / 75 hp and an impressive 100 kW / 136 hp. The Ingolstadt company tried to compensate for the performance deficit compared to the competition from Munich and Stuttgart with low weight and good aerodynamics. Anyone who wanted more power could go for the Audi 100 2.2 Turbo in later years, which, thanks to supercharging, still delivered 121 kW / 165 hp, or they opted for the only slightly modified top model of the Audi 200 with over 182 hp and significantly better equipment. Other engine variants of the 200 made 136, 165, 200 or 220 hp depending on the market and variant. Those who wanted more space than in the sedan climbed into the Audi 100 / 200 Avant, which shone with an unusual design and a lavish cargo space.

But for many, the Audi 100 of the 44 generation is not only associated with aerodynamics, all-wheel drive and a fully galvanized body, but also with a hitherto unique commercial. The German rally driver Harald Demuth drove up the steep Pitkävuori ski jump in Kaipola, Finland, in a red Audi 100 CS Quattro – using only engine power and the appropriate spikes. This is how four-wheel drive got into the minds of potential customers. In addition to the basic C3 version and the somewhat more sporty Audi 100 CS, there were also the classier CC and especially CD variants with velor seats, electric windows, a sunroof or air conditioning. Many extras that were standard in the American sister model of the Audi 5000 and also became equipment details of the Audi 100, which was manufactured in China until 2004. FAW-Volkswagen had taken over locally and the four-door sedans were sold in different versions and with different drives up to a V6 engine under the label of the Chinese luxury brand Hongqi.

But while the Audi 100 C3, with production facilities in Germany, South Africa, Japan and China, became a citizen of the world over the course of its production period, it gave birth to the new European turbo diesel trend and the legendary TDI label with the 2.5 TDI. In September 1989, the Audi 100 TDI celebrated its public debut at the IAA in Frankfurt as the first car diesel with direct injection. The Audi 100 2.5 TDI with its 2.5 liter diesel engine delivered an impressive 88 kW / 120 hp / 265 Nm thanks to direct injection, exhaust gas turbocharger and charge air cooling.

The offer of the Audi 100 type C3/44 on the used car market is surprisingly small; good models and especially those with good equipment are rare. The top models with displacements of 2.2 and 2.3 liters and a power range from 133 to 165 hp are particularly popular. If you’re looking for a classic, you can’t avoid the CD equipment or the all-wheel drive, which was revolutionary at the time – also available as an Avant version. Cheap models start as front-wheel drive at around 5,000 euros; well-maintained vehicles with comfort equipment, four-wheel drive and an H license plate are already over 12,000 euros if the mileage is not far beyond 150,000 kilometers. Again and again, a converted US model of the Audi 5000 type strays onto the European market, which shines with luxury equipment, but is no beau due to its voluminous bumpers. His chances of appreciation are small.