The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America and Audi 500 in some markets like New Zealand and South Africa) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C1–C4), with a two-door model available in the first and second generation (C1-C2), and a five-door model available in the last three generations (C2–C4).They also made an 100 Avant in the 1970s.
In 1982, the third generation Audi 100 achieved a remarkably low (for its time) drag coefficient of 0.30, featuring flush greenhouse sides with unique sliding window mountings.
The C2 and C3 models of the Audi 100 were marketed in North America as the Audi 5000 from 1978 to 1988, and in South Africa as the Audi 500.
In 1993, the models were mildly restyled, and renamed the Audi A6 series in conjunction with a general new Audi naming scheme, until they were replaced by a new generation of A6, internally code-named C5, in 1997. The Audi 100's traditional competitors include the Mercedes Benz E-Class and BMW 5-Series.
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Type numbers
In addition to the C platform codes, Audi assigned type numbers to their models:
- F104: C1; Audi 100 (1968–1976)
- Type 43: C2; Audi 100 (1976–1982); Audi 200 (1979–1982)
- Type 44: C3; Audi 100 (1983–1991); Audi 200 (1983–1992)
- Type 4A: C4; Audi 100 (1990–1994); Audi S4 (1992–1994); Audi A6 (1994–1997); Audi S6 (1994–1997)
Audi 100 (C1, 1968–1976)
The C3-platform Audi 100 was also produced in Changchun, China, by FAW (First Automotive Works, a Chinese automotive manufacturer) starting in August 1988. Most products in China were designed for government use at this time. All 100s manufactured as FAWs were front-wheel drive sedans with a 1.8 L inline-four motor or a 2.2 L inline-five motor.
In 1990, Politburo of the CCP approved a resolution to circumscribe car import and the engine displacement of cars equipped to officials. Furthermore, the resolution also prescribed that all cars of central departments of both Party and government must be domestically built. As the most luxurious and advanced cars made in China in early-1990s, FAW-Audi 100 and 200 had a high percentage of the Chinese high-class market of executive cars for nearly a decade, until the C3-platform cars was replaced by the C5-based Audi A6 in 1999.
During the negotiation between FAW and Volkswagen in late-1980s, Volkswagen acceded to FAW's suggestion of combining the C3 platform with previously introduced Chrysler engines in the new generation Hongqi (Red Flag). Hongqi CA7200 series with the technology of C3 were launched in mid-1990s, while most of C3 Audi 100 parts could be made in China. CA7200 were initially equipped with a 2.0 L or 2.2 L Chrysler four-cylinder engine, whose product line was introduced into China in 1987 - originally being intended for a version of the Dodge 600 to be produced there under the Hongqi brand. In 2005, new Nissan VQ20 engines replaced the original Chrysler unit.
A small number of C3 200s (originally with 2.6-liter V6 engine, later also with a turbocharged 1.8) were also built. The 200 entered production in 1996. Audi presented its first iteration of the Audi Duo (or Audi 100 Avant Duo) experimental vehicle, a plug-in parallel hybrid based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. This car had a Siemens electric motor which drove the rear wheels. A trunk-mounted nickel-cadmium battery supplied energy to the motor that drove the rear wheels. The vehicle's front wheels were powered by a 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine with an output of . The intent was to produce a vehicle which could operate on the engine in the country and electric mode in the city. Mode of operation could be selected by the driver. Ten vehicles are believed to have been made; one drawback was the extra weight of the electric drive, making vehicles less efficient when running on their engines alone than standard Audi 100s with the same engine.
In late 1991, Audi unveiled the second Duo generation – likewise based on the Audi 100 Avant quattro. Once again this featured an electric motor, a three-phase machine, driving the rear wheels. This time, however, the rear wheels were additionally powered via the Torsen differential from the main engine compartment, which housed a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.
Sales figures
{| class="wikitable"
|+Audi 100 US Sales Figures
!Year
!US Sales
|-
|1970
|6,557
|-
|1971
|18,179
|-
|1972
|26,703
|-
|1973
|31,065
|-
|1974
|23,984
|-
|1975
|20,334
|-
|1976
|11,553
|-
|1977
|7,671
|-
|1978
|537
|-
| -
|Named Audi
5000 from 1978-
1988.
|-
|1988
|1,167
|-
|1989
|2,777
|-
|1990
|
|-
|1991
|
|-
|1992
|10,546
|-
|1993
|6,685
|-
|1994
|7,149
|-
|1995
|9,568
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Audi 5000 US Sales Figures
!Year
!US Sales Variants include 'I'm Audi', 'I'm outtie', 'Outie 5000', and 'I'm Outtie five'.
In 2014 animated series All Hail King Julien, the titular protagonist refers to the car during an escape attempt, proclaiming, "We are so out of here: outie 5000!"
References
Sources
External links
- Audi recalls since 1977
- Audi 100 models USA 1990-1994