When the Audi 100 Coupé S hits the market in October 1970, Audi NSU Auto Union AG – the precursor to today’s AUDI AG – is still in a difficult financial situation. Between 1965 and 1969, production of the VW Beetle helps keep the Ingolstadt plant busy, but it isn’t until 1968, with the unveiling of the Audi 100 C1 – developed without the knowledge of parent company Volkswagen – that Audi’s future in Ingolstadt seems assured. In 1969, the brand with the four rings presents the coupé version, which is clearly inspired by contemporary Italian design, at the IAA in Frankfurt. The interior of the Audi 100 Coupé S captures the fashion of the time, featuring plush corduroy seats and decorative wood trim. Under the hood, the model debuts with a 115-PS four-cylinder engine. The book “Audi 100 Coupé S” details the development of the Audi 100 C1 Sedan and provides an in-depth look at every aspect of the roughly six-year career of the Audi 100 Coupé S. With a total production run of just 30,687 units, the elegant yet powerful sports coupé remains a cult favorite and collector’s item among enthusiasts and individualists alike.
Dirk-Michael Conradt: “Audi 100 Coupé S.” 256 pages, 594 photos and illustrations, Delius Klasing Verlag, Bielefeld / Edition Audi Tradition. First edition 2025. ISBN 978-3-667-12975-8. The book (in German) is available for 39.90 euros from the museum store of the Audi museum mobile in Ingolstadt, from the Audi Tradition Shop at the Audi Forum Neckarsulm, from bookstores, and from the Audi Tradition online shop. A 1:43 scale model of the Audi 100 Coupé S is also available to go with the book.
