Audi is a pioneer of all-wheel drive systems, which it first introduced to rallying in 1981 (development of the quattro system had begun in 1976), then to its regular production cars.

Over the years, their own range of vehicles has grown considerably, and now includes a whopping 140 different quattro variants. More impressively, around 43 percent of all new Audis bought in 2012 were fitted with its quattro system, up from 38 percent in 2010.

Currently, the only model in its range that doesn’t feature a quattro version is the A1, though, Audi did offer the special A1 Quattro hot hatch in limited numbers.

This is one of the many reasons why they have sold so many quattro models – five million, to be precise. Yes, that’s right Audi has now sold 5-million vehicles featuring the Quattro system, and car number 5,000,000 is an A6 Allroad, powered by a 3.0 TDI diesel engine, which will be probably ferrying a German family to a lodge in the Black Forest Mountains for many winters to come.

By Andrei Nedelea

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