Audi Quattro is designed for winter. And for those of us in northern climates, Audi makes a litany of fun cars for winter driving. While I’d say Audi doesn’t make any true sports cars, the fact is Audi does make sporty cars, and they happen to be perfect for winter driving.

The Audi RS 3 is perfect for winter driving fun

Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about the new Audi RS 3. The turbocharged five-cylinder engine makes some of the best engine sounds on the market. And its 401-horsepower output never fails to deliver a smile. But it’s also a front-heavy sedan with cramped interior space and a bizarre rear differential that attempts to imitate a rear-drive sports car despite its all-wheel drive setup.

That said, the RS 3 and its Quattro system are perfect for fun winter drives. The same front-heavy balance and bizarre differential behavior make it well balanced on snowy roads. All together, it’s one of the more enjoyable winter cars on the market right now.

An Audi SQ5 is a high-octane SUV for winter

Generally speaking, SUVs aren’t exciting to drive. However, the Audi SQ5 stands out as an engaging and comfortable utility hauler. The turbocharged V6 isn’t the best sounding thing in the world, but that doesn’t matter when you unleash 349 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.

The added ground clearance means you won’t spend hours waiting for those snowy backroads to clear up. You can blast through the drifts with confidence thanks to Audi Quattro all winter long. Plus, the eight-speed automatic transmission shifts on command, and in dry conditions the SQ5 hauls itself to 60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.

Enjoy V8 power and Quattro this winter with a new Audi RS6 Avant

With battle wagon looks and a shouty twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 under the hood, the Audi RS6 is one excitable winter warrior. For 2024, the RS6 wagon ditches its paltry 591-horsepower setup for a 621 horsepower tune with 627 pound-feet of torque. Once again, Audi Quattro puts the power down in winter, and the air suspension lets you dial in some added travel for those snowy and craggy roads.

Importantly, the new Audi RS6 Avant comes with summer performance tires, so you’ll want to swap on a set of winter tires before the snow starts flying. Other than that, the RS6 Avant comes with plenty of fizz and all the agility and control you want for lovely year-round drives.

Find a daily driver supercar with the Audi R8

Sadly, the Audi R8 is on its way out. It also carries a cool six-figure price tag. But the V10 engine and Quattro combine to make the Audi R8 the ultimate winter sports car. Even better, you can still get the R8 with a manual. And because it’s built to be used every day, you can get into the driver’s seat even with a winter coat on. That may seem like a small task, but put on your parka and try getting into a McLaren. All around, the Audi R8 delivers more winter fun than it has any right to.

Audi specializes in fun winter cars

Truthfully, almost every new Audi model delivers a certain level of fun for winter driving. The rally history of Quattro makes these cars uniquely suited to snowy and icy conditions. Sure, these four are some of the best, but pick your budget and space requirements and there is an Audi for almost every winter driving scenario.