Audi Quattro® AWD System In Memphis, TN

For decades, the secret behind the Audi legacy of performance has continuously been the Audi Quattro® all-wheel-drive technology. Back in the early 1980s, this technology was a landmark in the automotive world, and continues to be a standout piece of Audi all-wheel drive technology in today's world.

History of the Audi Quattro® all-wheel drive system

The origins for the quattro® all-wheel drive can be traced back to a single desire of the Audi team of engineers: to mass-produce cars with traction to all four wheels. To accomplish this, early Audi quattro® systems utilized three differentials in order to distribute torque between the front and rear wheels of an Audi vehicle. This allowed power to be equally distributed throughout the four wheels of the vehicle. At the time, no other automotive producer was creating technology as refined as this.

Still, Audi is constantly looking for ways to improve upon itself. So, to increase the Audi all-wheel drive performance, Audi introduced a refined version of the quattro® all-wheel drive tech in the late 1980s. This system added a Torsen (short of torque-sensing) differential. Using this new component, the quattro® all-wheel drive tech could automatically split power between the front and rear wheels without the need for a manual component.

The modern adaptability of the Audi quattro® all-wheel drive system

As the Audi lineup of vehicles changed over the years, so too did the Audi quattro® all-wheel drive system. Eventually, the modern version of this all-wheel drive system emerged, and it remains the crown jewel of the Audi engineering division.

Currently, Audi offers five different versions of its quattro® all-wheel drive system, one to best match each of its various vehicle categories. For example, medium and large vehicles that use the Audi MLB evo architecture have a version of the quattro® all-wheel drive system to best match their Tiptronic and S tronic transmissions. Most recently, Audi has introduced a version of the quattro® all-wheel drive system that is paired with its emerging line of e-tron electric vehicles, proving that even as the Audi line drastically changes, the quattro® all-wheel drive system will remain a part of it.

Learn more about this important piece of Audi performance technology when you speak with our team of experts at Gossett Audi.