Audi 80 Avant

Audi 80 B4 (1991–1995)

The B3 got a major facelift for the 1992 model year in 1991. It was from then on known internally as the B4 (or 8C). Changes from the B3 included a longer wheelbase, a fully redesigned gas tank and rear axle to enable the use of stowable back seats, 15'' wheels and more prominent wheel arches, redesigned and painted rear and front bumpers as well as higher-quality materials for the interior. The front grille was merged with the hood and given a bolder look.

In Europe, the 90 name was discontinued and all sedans were badged as 80, regardless of which engine they had. Audi of America went the opposite direction, and began selling the sedan as the 90. B4s for the American market typically offered more luxury even in the standard version, such as automatic transmission, cruise control, air conditioning and leather seats, all of which were merely optional at additional cost on European models.

European market cars were now available with a selection of 4-cylinder engines as well as the I5 and two different V6, although the V6s were the only engines available in vehicles sold in North America. As another first, Audi introduced a new high-torque, turbocharged diesel engine, the 90-hp 1.9 TDI. The standard 1.8 liter gas engine of the B3 was discontinued; a two-liter, 90-hp, 4-cylinder gas engine, a variation of the previously known 113-hp 2.0E engine, was now available for the base model.

All versions were available with quattro all-wheel-drive; at the time, however, it could only be combined with a 5-speed manual transmission. Additionally, Audi built around 4000 units of the Quattro Competition, a street homologation of the B4-based DTM race car sedan with all-wheel drive and a 140-hp, two-liter gas engine. Together with the S2 and the RS2, the Quattro Competition has become a highly sought-after collector's item.

Together with the sedan, Audi began making a B4-based station wagon and a convertible which was largely based on the B3 coupe, meaning that Audi now had sedan, coupe, cabriolet and wagon variants of the 80 available to European customers, though the last coupe sold to North American customers was in 1990 and 1991.

The B4 sedan was discontinued at the end of the 1994 model year; station wagon and Coupe followed suit a year later, the Cabriolet model however was carried on until 2000. Until then, the latter had undergone a few minor touch-ups, such as gently redesigned bumpers and instrument clusters and more options available. Both the Coupe and the Cabriolet were effectively replaced by the TT coupe and roadster, which as of November 2005 have been slated for replacement themselves.

The B4 platform sedans and wagons were replaced by the Audi A4 for 1995.