When looking for a surefooted and powerful sports sedan, few do it better than Audi. The all-new Audi A5 is a prime example. The German manufacturer has utilized its legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system in most of its models for the last 44 years or so, the setup ensuring the car it’s fitted to can make use of its power whether it’s dry, wet, or raining volcanic ash. One of the first sports sedans Audi produced has an interesting piece of trivia hidden in its DNA. Its meaty V8 was made by combining two engines from one of Volkswagen’s most popular hot hatches . CarBuzz decided to look deeper into its fascinating story.

The V8 Was Audi’s First True Luxury Flagship Sedan

Having spent a large portion of its early history playing catch-up to German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Audi started making good ground in the 1980s courtesy of its Quattro AWD system. First introduced in 1980 on the Quattro coupe, Audi showed that the technology could be used in road cars. Not only did it help performance by affording its vehicles greater traction, but it also improved safety in slippery conditions, especially in the days before dynamic stability control.

As it further perfected the system, and gained popularity with the public thanks to its success in the World Rally Championship, Audi was able to narrow the gap to its rivals further. As the end of the 1980s beckoned, Audi felt it was finally time to offer a full-fledged luxury sedan to rival models from BMW and Mercedes. Having never offered a V8 in any of its road cars before, Audi decided this project could change that.

Aside from being the first Audi road car to feature a V8 powerplant, it was also the first quattro-equipped vehicle to have the option of an automatic gearbox. It was first released in 1988 with a naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V8, an engine that could be had with an electronically operated four-speed automatic gearbox or a more engaging five-speed manual unit. Having not built a production V8 before, Audi decided to rely on its relationship with parent company Volkswagen, which grew even closer in 2020, to make the magic happen.

The Audi V8’s Engine Was Made By Fusing Together Two Golf GTI Engines

Key Elements Of The Audi V8’s Engine

• Aluminum block and cylinders to reduce weight
• Electronic fuel injection
• Bosch Motronic electronic engine-control system
• Forged steel crankshaft to enhance durability

By the late 1980s, the Golf GTI hot hatch was in its second generation. It had proven to be a huge hit with audiences all over the world, mainly due to the fact it combined speed and practicality in a reliable and affordable package. A large part of this was down to its peppy 1.8-liter inline-four engine, which was upgraded in 1986 with four valves per cylinder so that it produced an impressive 137 hp. Audi felt that the engine would be a great base for its upcoming V8, so it decided to essentially combine two of them to create a V8.

The result was a 3.6-liter powerplant that offered up a strong 247 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque, which compared well to the engines offered by its close rivals at the time. Mercedes-Benz had been in the V8 game for several decades by this point, but even so, Audi’s V8 had a similar power level to Merc’s 5.0-liter V8 found in its W126 model. BMW wasn’t even offering a V8 for its 7-Series at this point, with a 295-hp V12 being the range-topper prior to the brand reintroducing V8s in the early 1990s.

Audi’s V8 Was Full Of Modern Tech

In an effort to keep the unit as light as possible, which was important given it was placed ahead of the front axle line, the engine block and cylinders were made from lightweight aluminum. A forged-steel crankshaft was also utilized so that the extra grunt could be dealt with. Like the 1.8-liter I4 it was based on, Audi’s V8 featured Bosch electronic fuel injection. The inlet manifold was also tirelessly worked on to make sure the powerplant’s torque could be utilized low-down in the rev range, improving smoothness and throttle response. Aside from the fuel injection system, the V8 also used the latest digital engine-control system called Motronic made by Bosch.

Using a wide range of sensors located in key parts of the engine, Motronic could measure the temperature and density of the air entering the engine to work out the altitude and conditions the car was running in. It could then make alterations to the fuel delivery to make sure no loss of power was experienced, no matter where the car found itself.

The Audi V8 Took The Fight To BMW And Mercedes

While the V8 engine was critical, the model’s luxury pretensions were just as important in its fight to become the premier German luxury limousine. Audi’s engineers developed the spring and shock settings extensively to find a ride that kept the car level and comfortable across a wide range of road surfaces, while copious amounts of noise-deadening material was used throughout to make sure the cabin was as quiet and relaxing as possible when on the move.

The V8 also came as standard with power front seats and featured breathable black leather upholstery. Aside from this, the V8 got an advanced climate-control system to automatically cool or heat the interior to a preselected temperature, and insulated windows to keep the occupants warmer in the winter. Aside from the specially sculpted seats, the steering wheel was also trimmed in leather for an extra touch of luxury.

The V8 Was Also A Handy Racer

Audi visualized the V8 in more ways than just being its flagship luxury car, as it was also interested in making it fly the corporate flag on the racetrack, and entered it for the DTM. Standing for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, the DTM series was Germany’s premier racing championship and gave the car plenty of exposure.

During the 1980s, BMW used its iconic E30 M3 model, while Mercedes used its similarly-sized 190E to aim for title glory. Typically, manufacturers used smaller, more sport-orientated models when taking on high-profile racing series, such as the DTM, but Audi entered with its biggest car. Thanks to the engine’s grunt, and its quattro AWD system, it cleaned up. Having made its debut for the 1990 season, the V8 claimed the title at its first attempt courtesy of German racing legend Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Rule Changes Ripped Away The V8’s Advantage

Frank Biela repeated the feat in 1991, claiming six victories en route to the V8’s second successive title. By this point, the car had been subjected to significant weight penalties to try and cancel out its power and traction advantages, and it was becoming more difficult to keep the car competitive against its lighter rivals. Things came crashing down in 1992 as, alongside the added weight penalty, a modified crankshaft that was initially deemed legal by series organizers ITR, was declared illegal mid-season off the back of protests from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Audi withdrew on the spot, and wouldn’t return to the series as a full-fledged manufacturer for over a decade. As for the V8, it continued to be offered for another couple of years before being replaced by the all-new aluminum Audi A8 in 1994, which used a 4.2L evolution of the same engine that started its life as an inline four-cylinder under the hood of a humble Golf.

Sources: Audi .