Audi introduced the Audi Quattro in 1980, pioneering the use of permanent all-wheel drive in a successful modern rally car. The production coupe was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and shared its name with Audi’s four-wheel-drive system.
Before the Quattro, four-wheel drive was generally associated with off-road vehicles and some specialized competition machines. Audi demonstrated that the layout could improve traction and acceleration on loose rally surfaces while remaining suitable for a high-performance passenger car. The rally version soon transformed the World Rally Championship.
The Quattro’s competition success helped change the technical direction of rallying. Audi won the manufacturers’ World Rally Championship in 1982 and 1984, while drivers including Hannu Mikkola, Stig Blomqvist, and Walter Röhrl won titles in Audi Quattro cars. The name later became a broader Audi brand term for all-wheel-drive systems.