Motor Car History
 Veteran - Vintage - Classic - Modern
Motor car history
Understanding the Automobile
Toggle Navigation
  • You are here:  
  • Motor Car
  • Make and Model
  • A
  • Audi
  • Audi 100 C1 1st Gen (1968-76)
  • Home
  • Makes and models
  • Motor car History
  • Motor Car Guide
    • Induction & Exhaust
    • Tyres wheels Brakes
    • Vehicle Body types
    • Electrical & electronic
    • Gearbox & Drivetrain
    • Engine Components
    • Suspension Types
    • Engines
  • Trivia
    • Advertising
    • Race events
    • Film & TV
    • Museums
  • links
    • Advertise your business
    • About us
    • Help with a donation
  • Log in
  • Register
  • Advertise
  • Motor Car
  • Make and Model
  • A
  • Audi
Categories
Audi
Motor Cars
1960s
Germany

History

Audi 100 C1 First Generation 

(1968 to 1976)

Audi 100 C1 First Generation  motor car history

Production 1970–1989 827.474 built four-door: 796,787 Coupé S: 30.687
Assembly Neckarsulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany
Body style 4-door saloon/sedan 2-door coupé 2-door saloon
Layout FF layout
Platform Volkswagen Group C1 platform
Engine 1.8 L I4 1.9 L I4
Transmission 4-speed manual all-synchromeshautomatic optional
Wheelbase 105.3 in (2,675 mm) (coupe)
Length 173.2 in (4,399 mm)
Width 68 in (1,727 mm)
Height 55.8 in (1,417 mm)
Curb weight 2,401 lb (1,089 kg) (coupe)
Designer(s) Ludwig Kraus
 

The Audi 100 was shown to the press on 26 November 1968. Its name originally denoting a power output of 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp), the Audi 100 was the company's largest car since the revival of the Audi brand by Volkswagen in 1965.

The C1 platform spawned several variants: the Audi 100 two- and four-door saloons.

Audi 100 C1 First Generation  saloon 1972 side

And the Audi 100 Coupé S, a stylish fastback coupé, which bore a remarkable resemblance to the Aston Martin DBS released a year earlier, especially at the rear end, including details such as the louvres behind the rear side windows and shape of the rear light clusters.

Audi 100 C1 First Generation coupe 1970

Audi followed up the introduction of the four-door saloon in November 1968 with a two-door saloon in October 1969 and the 100 Coupé S in autumn 1970. The cars' four-cylinder engines originally came in base (100, 80 PS or 59 kW; 79 hp), 100 S (1.8 litre, 90 PS or 66 kW; 89 hp) and 100 LS (1.8 litre, 100 PS or 74 kW; 99 hp) guise, while the Coupé was driven by a bored-out 1.9 litre developing 115 PS (85 kW; 113 hp). From April 1970 the 100 LS could be ordered with a three-speed automatic transmission sourced from Volkswagen.

The Audi 100 enjoyed a level of commercial success for which the company had not planned. As a distinguished German commentator pointed out, the rough engine note was unlikely to discourage buyers whose first car had been a Volkswagen and who aspired to drive a diesel powered (pre-turbo) Mercedes-Benz. Despite running the Ingolstadt production line at full capacity, supply fell short of demand to such an extent that during the summer of 1970 an additional production line for Audi 100s was set up in Volkswagen's own Wolfsburg plant, which made it the first water-cooled car to be produced in Germany's (and by some criteria the world's) largest car plant.

Audi 100 C1 First Generation engine view

Starting with model year 1972 the 80 and 90 PS versions were replaced by a new regular-petrol-variant of the 1.8 litre engine developing 85 PS (84 hp/63 kW); at the same time, the 100 GL was introduced that featured the 1.9 liter engine formerly used in the Coupé S only.

In March 1971 the 500,000th Audi was produced. By now the Audi 100 had become the most commercially successful model in the company's history, so it is unsurprising that the car in question was an Audi 100 produced at the Ingolstadt plant.

In September 1973 the 100 received a minor facelift with a somewhat smaller grille and reshuffled taillight lens patterns. The rear torsion bar was replaced by coil springs. For model year 1975 the base 100 was re-christened the 100 L and received a 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine (coming out of the Audi 80).

A four-wheel drive prototype of the Audi 100 C1 was built in 1976, long before the appearance of the quattro.

 Audi 100 C1 First Generation 1976 rear

Gallery

Gallery

Related

motor car on you tube

Also read (Members)
  • Audi 200 2nd gen C3 (1983-1991)
  • Audi A4 DTM (2004-2011)
  • Audi 200 quattro Trans-Am (1988)
  • Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO (1989)
Vehicles launched in 1968 | Audi 100 | Audi Quattro

Can’t see this article ?  >>  Register here. <<

Read more in this section (Registered)

Audi Type T (1931-1932)
Audi Type T (1931-1932)
Read more...
Audi S4 3rd Gen (2002-2005)
Audi S4 3rd Gen (2002-2005)
Read more...
Audi 100 C4, 4th Gen (1991-1994)
Audi 100 C4, 4th Gen (1991-1994)
Read more...

Back to Top

© 2023 Motor Car History