Audi celebrates 45 years of quattro technology at its signature event; Audi ice experience

2025 marks the 45-year milestone for Audi quattro, which has been a core pillar of the brand with four rings. The great success story starts from the manually lockable centre differential founded in 1980s. This technology later coined ‘quattro’ revolutionised rally racing with the first all-wheel-drive system, leading to multiple championship wins.  

Founded through this passion for motorsport, quattro technology now makes up eight out of ten Audi vehicles sold in New Zealand, including the Audi e-tron range which uses two electric motors on the rear axle to enable electric torque vectoring. 

Greg Leet, General Manager of Audi New Zealand says that Audi is extremely proud of the heritage quattro has built over the last 45 years. 

“Vorsprung durch Technik – Progress through technology. It is more than a brand claim. It is how Audi quattro came to be and it is the foundation that put Audi on the map. It is also what guides the brand today, we are driven by progress, and we are constantly searching of new ways to improve. That is why we want to celebrate this milestone by delivering an experience to customers that has never been done before.” 

Audi New Zealand looks to honour this milestone at its signature event, Audi ice experience running from the 10 - 17 August this year. The driving event hosted at the Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG) in Queenstown also has a strong heritage here in New Zealand as the first brand to deliver this event. This year will mark Audi’s 16th year of running the programme.  

To truly honour progress and innovation, Audi will deliver a brand-new programme, and New Zealand’s first ever customer Night Drive experience. Customers will have the opportunity to push Audi’s legendary quattro technology to its limits under the night sky. 

Richard Moore, General Manager of Downforce Auto Events & Training explains how the Night Drive experience will allow customers to make the most of colder temperatures, making for ideal driving conditions.  

“The Night Drive is an exciting initiative which will take part over two days, offering more driving than we ever have before. I have always found the most incredible part of the day up the mountain is the golden hour, just before and just after sunrise. It reminds me of driving training in Finland and Sweden where we start and finish driving in the dark with shorter days. The Night Drive will give guests the chance to experience both the beautiful sunrise, as well as the thrill of driving through till dusk where temperatures reach their coldest.  It truly is the best conditions for driving on ice!”