In September 1977, Hannu Mikkola visited Audi to test a secret prototype, the A1. The Finnish rally driver was so impressed with the car's performance that he signed  a contract there and then, to drive the car as soon as it was ready.

It took almost 15 months before the first Quattro made its international competition debut. The Quattro opened its account in Austria, at the Janner Rally with a convincing win, with Franz Wittmann rather than Mikkola at the wheel.

Later in 1981, Mikkola went on to win the RAC Rally by a massive 11 minutes despite having rolled the car, he also won the Swedish Rally. The same year saw Michelle Mouton take her Quattro to a win in the Sanremo Rally, making history as the first woman to win a world championship event.

After a mere 12 months of competition it was clear that Audi had proved the value of 4wd and were to become responsible for the most fundamental revolution ever seen in the field of motorsport.