The Coupé, first displayed at the Paris Salon 1980, featured a similar body shape to the Quattro, but without the knife-edged fender flares of the more expensive car.

From 1986 until the end of production in late 1988, the Coupé GT was also available with the 110–112 PS (81–82 kW) 1.8-litre PV/DZ inline-four best known from the Golf GTi.

[3] The Coupé had originally gone on sale in the US late in model year 1981 with the 100 hp (75 kW) 2144 cc five-cylinder also used in the 5000 (Audi 100).

[5] The updated Coupé, introduced after the German industrial holidays in the autumn of 1984, was given new, slightly sloped radiator grille and headlights, a large wrap-around bumper with integrated spotlights and turn signals, plastic sill covers, and the large rear spoiler from the Audi Quattro.

Inside, the cabin was identical except that the centre console received a differential lock switch, and LED bargraph displays in place of the GT's three analogue-style gauges.

The quattro permanent four-wheel drive drivetrain was almost identical to that used on the Ur-Quattro - the main differences being the use of the Coupé GT front struts, smaller 256 mm (10 in) diameter front brake disks, and lower ratios in the gearbox and rear differential.

When introduced it was only available with either the ten- or twenty-valve 2.3E engine, which was later joined by the 115 PS (85 kW; 113 bhp) 2.0E and a number of other versions.

This was the only version of the Coupé sold in Italy, where cars of over two liters suffer a high tax penalty.

Another export-market special built during the same period was an uncatalyzed, fuel injected 112 PS (82 kW) 1.8-liter inline-four.

A naturally aspirated, 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) 2.2E was also sold in some markets until late 1991, including the United Kingdom and Spain.

It featured the well-proven 2.2-litre in-line five-cylinder 20-valve turbo petrol engine from the Audi 200 20V, and came standard with quattro permanent four-wheel drive.

It was powered by a detuned 164 hp (122 kW; 166 PS) version of the 20-valve 2.3-litre five-cylinder engine and was originally only available with a five-speed manual transmission.

Weighing 3,308 lb (1,500 kg) (1991 Coupé model) it was not a lightweight, especially in consideration of the 164 hp powerplant (slightly less than the European version).

These models came standard with 15" 6-star "Speedline" wheels, leather interiors with Zebrano wood trim, additional VDO gauges mounted in the bottom of the centre console, a carbon fibre centre prop shaft, and push-button locking rear differential.

[15] The rather heavy Cabriolet was solidly engineered to retain the structural strength of the Coupé, and its windscreen was reinforced to preclude the need for a roll bar.

[17][18] A power operated soft top was not initially offered; it would only become available from mid-1992 when the car was to be introduced to the all-important American market.

In November 1993, the 2.8-liter V6 equipped Cabriolet entered the US market, where it remained on sale until the end of the 1998 model year.