engine "cold" light

[Decsi Miklos <MDecsi@pgsm.hu>]

Hello,

 I believe my '83 Audi 80 Q has an engine "cold" light. Nost sure how it is
called, it looks like the engine hot light and it is just left from that
light, but it is not red, but green. The previous owner told me that the
light signals when the engine temperature is low. While it is lit up the
engine should not be stressed (ie high revs, etc...).

 Question: How should this light behave? When it is cold and I start the
engine, it is light up, but only with half brightness. As the engine is
getting hoter it is fading slowly. Is it normal? I thought that this light
supposed to light up with full brightness and should dissapear when the
temperature is ok for the engine. 

 I don't know why is there this light. Is it really so dangerous to the
engine when it is cold? I have never seen a light like this in any other
car.

 DM