Audi 100 History

Introduced to the press on 26 November 1968 as the first true post-war Audi, the 100 was developed secretly by engineer Ludwig Kraus to fill the gap between VW's small cars and the larger Mercedes and BMW offerings. Its name originally denoted a rated output of 100 PS (99 hp). The C1-generation car was a genuine surprise — larger and more refined than anything Volkswagen had sanctioned — and established Audi's identity as an upmarket alternative.

Four generations followed the original C1 (1968–1976): the C2 (1976–1982), the aerodynamically slippery C3 (1982–1991, drag coefficient as low as 0.30 Cd), and the C4 (1991–1994). The C3 generation was particularly significant: its slippery shape underpinned Audi's reputation for engineering-led design, and a turbodiesel variant helped pioneer efficient long-distance European motoring.

The C4-generation Audi 100 was renamed the Audi A6 in 1994 when Audi adopted its current alphanumeric naming scheme, carrying the lineage forward. The 100-series nameplate was retired after 26 years and four generations.