Audi 80 B4 (1991–1995)

Overview

The B4 was the fourth and final generation of the Audi 80. Its familiar outline concealed substantial changes to the B3’s underlying structure. Audi records a wider track, longer wheelbase and redesigned rear axle, changes that enabled a saloon load-through arrangement and made an estate practical to develop.

• Generation introduction: September 1991.
• Avant market launch: August 1992.
• Saloon production end: summer 1994.
• Avant production end: August 1995.

These introduction, market-launch and production-end dates describe distinct milestones. Thus 1991–1995 describes the generation’s overall calendar span, not the production period of every body style or identical availability in every market. Audi Tradition’s B4 history, page 8.

Engineering and range

Six-cylinder engines extended the 80’s range in this generation. The S2 brought turbocharged performance to the saloon and Avant as well as the related Coupé, while the RS2 developed the estate concept further. These performance cars should be distinguished from the ordinary 80 range. B4 development and derivatives — ABT Sportsline.

Five-cylinder engines also remained relevant: the B4 80 2.3E from 1991 is described here as having a naturally aspirated 2,309 cc engine, but direct source support for that B4 application requires verification. The cited Audi URL names a B3 Coupé from 1984; the URL alone does not disprove the claim, but the supplied material does not resolve this apparent scope mismatch. It was distinct from the smaller-capacity, turbocharged five-cylinder used in the RS2. Shared cylinder count does not imply a shared specification. Audi five-cylinder engine history.

Performance variant

Place in Audi history

Audi’s own generation history classifies the B4 separately, although ABT describes its origins as an extensive B3 facelift. This library follows Audi’s four-generation classification. The B5 successor adopted the Audi A4 name; the RS2 remained an 80-based derivative during that transition. Audi’s model-line history.

Back to Audi 80

Sources

• Audi Tradition — B4 introduction, Avant launch and body-style production chronology (PDF, page 8)
• ABT Sportsline — B4 engineering, development and performance derivatives (PDF)
• Audi five-cylinder engine reference — URL names a B3 Coupé from 1984; direct support for the B4 2.3E application requires verification
• Audi — Audi 80 model-line and generation history
• Porsche — RS2 joint development and Zuffenhausen production account

Browse related records

Search Record type All typesvariant (1)

1 records

• Audi RS2 Avant (1994–1995)

  The turbocharged five-cylinder estate jointly developed by Audi and Porsche that launched Audi's RS lineage while retaining the practicality of the Audi 80 Avant.

  Variant