Rear Axle

Front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive models required a new rear axle concept due to the large luggage compartment and the folding rear seatback. A unified body structure formed the basis for developing both the non-driven and the driven rear axle in all-wheel-drive models.

For front-wheel-drive models, a rear axle with trailing arms connected by a cross member and mounted to the body was selected. This design consists of two longitudinal trailing arms of tubular cross-section, which are rigid in bending and torsion, connected by a U-shaped transverse cross member that is rigid in bending but flexible in torsion. An additional anti-roll bar is located across the vehicle at an angle to the axle cross member and is pivotally attached to the body. This provides high lateral rigidity of the axle and optimal directional stability.

The shock absorber struts transfer vertical forces to the body. The springs are positioned as low as possible so as not to reduce the luggage compartment volume.

This design of the rear axle with trailing arms connected by a cross member mounted to the body ensures that, when the arms of both wheels move together, the axle behaves like an axle with trailing arms, and when the cross member twists, it behaves like an axle with diagonal arms.

The rear axle of all-wheel-drive Audi 80 models is fitted with a wheel guide system with double transverse links.

The wheel guide system consists of two triangular transverse links with an additional vertical link. The shock absorbers and springs are combined into compact shock absorber struts.

The position of the upper transverse links above the wheels helps to accommodate the lower trailing arms in the protruding wheel arches, which in turn is a prerequisite for an optimal luggage compartment shape. The rear axle final drive is bolted to the subframe, which in turn is bolted to the body via mounts.

Front-wheel-drive Audi 80 models have a so-called rear axle with trailing arms connected by a cross member and mounted to the body. Structurally, the axle consists of two tubular trailing arms connected by an elastic U-shaped profile.