Happy birthday to the Audi 80

The car that made Audi a name in everyday motoring, the Audi 80 B3, celebrates its 30^th birthday this year.

Before the 80 came along, Audi weren’t recognised much as a mainstream manufacturer, and had quite a vague identity aside from the Quattro and 100 Coupe. When the 80 turned up, it was full of the innovations that Audi have become known for. Perfectly aerodynamic, sleek body trim and a body full of refined curves; it was also the first car to use zinc-coated, galvanised bodywork. This means that even now, it is still possible to find 80s with little to no corrosion on the bodywork.

The 80 also featured Audi’s Procon-Ten safety system, which used an innovative crash structure that changed the way the vehicle would crumple upon impact; the inner wings would collapse and pull the bulkhead and steering column forwards and away from the driver, preventing more injury. Before airbags became a legal requirement, this was a particularly impressive feat.

The B3 truly changed the way that people saw cars in the eighties; from dependable and focused on usability, Audi made cars exciting and unique, with outstanding engineering and truly exceptional performance that can still be found in the full selection of top-of-the-range Audis available at Jardine Motors Audi to explore and test drive.