100/200 vs. 5000 Series

[Ti Kan]

Sperry, Peter  A -Syntegra US writes:
> I realize that both are type 44 cars, but am wondering what was changed,
> upgraded, and fixed with the introduction of the 100/200 series?  
> I guess the bottom line is: Are the 100/200 series more reliable, better
> performing, fewer gremlins, etc. than their 5000 series counterparts?
> Are the 100/200's still plagued with bad bombs, racks, door locks &
> electrical glitches?  I'm interested in a comparison between the two.

Please realize the changeover from 5000 to the 100/200 nomenclature is
for North America only, the cars have always been known as 100/200
elsewhere in the world.

At any rate, when Audi decided to "normalize" its naming scheme, for
1989 it changed to the 100/200 name for North America, and at the same
time a number of improvements to the car were made (which the other parts
of the world also got, sans the name change).  The door handles went flush,
the interior was completely revamped with new dash design, new door panels
and there are lots of other detail changes too.  The new interior is
definitely the biggie, and gives the car a much more upmarket and modern
look & feel.

Reliability of the type 44 had improved over its production life, so the
later cars are better than the earlier ones.  I'm not sure if there is
a big jump in reliablity in 1989, although the 100/200s do seem less
trouble prone and exhibit more refined road manners than the 5000
predecessors.

-Ti
01 S4 2.7 biturbo quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
96 A4 2.8 quattro (sold but not forgotten)
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
   ///   AMB Research Laboratories, Sunnyvale, CA. USA
  ///    ti at amb.org
 //////  http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/
///