1983 Audi Quattro

It’s strange to follow up Rob’s ostentatious 911R with a 1983 Audi Quattro and remember that, at one point, they were competitors in the marketplace. Though the basis for what made the Quattro legendary; inspired racey styling, boxflares, turbocharging and all-wheel drive with a near-luxury interior seems almost trite, the Quattro really was a revolution in design. Some ten times more dear than an E30 M3, in recent years the Audi has gained a lot more respect in the marketplace. There are those that say you can’t really compare the Quattro to the M3, or even the 911 – though the pricing was quite similar. But isn’t that the point? In period, the other car you could have bought for the same money was a basic 911. And the market spoke: in 1983, Audi sold some 240 Quattros in the U.S.. Porsche, on the other hand, traded 5,707 911SCs between the Coupe, Targa and new Cabriolet models. There was basically no market overlap with the other two major contenders – the 944 Turbo and the M3. Both those cars, and the 911, were finished to a higher level of quality with better components, arguably, but the real difference was the type of owner who bought the Quattro versus the 911. These cars were built to be used and abused, and many were.

But the difference in value has started to be erased because of the scarcity of the Audi in today’s market and a focus on being a bit different. I wonder, in all honest, if the 60 Minutes scandal had never occurred what the result on values of these cars might have been. Today, finding lower mile, clean and original examples like this Gobi Beige Metallic example might be a lot more commonplace:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on eBay

Year: 1983
Model: Quattro
Engine: 2.1 liter turbocharged inline-5
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 62,000 mi
Price: Reserve Auction

This is a survivor car that spent 20 years covered in a garage. 62,000 original miles. Gobi beige with factory decals. 5 speed manual with original 5 cylinder turbocharged engine. The car has been in my possession for the past 2 years. My son and I bought this car because he wanted to be an Audi mechanic. The dream has changed and now we need money for college. Our loss is your gain. This car is a UNICORN! Try to find the last time one of these sold! This car runs and drives, but is not currently a daily driver. We have replaced the timing belt, water pump, clutch slave cylinder, shift linkage, tires, brake pads and rotors, and all fluids. The front calipers are currently frozen, but I have the replacements. The car was Ziebarted by the original owner, so the only exterior rust is a silver dollar sized spot under the passenger door (see photo). The interior is in very good shape, with the exception of cracks in the dash. The interior is leather and the rear seats look like they were never sat in. It has a working sun roof.

Motivated seller, but no low-ball offers. Car is currently cross listed on Audi Club North America Facebook and the Quattro Quarterly.

Finding an original 1983 911 in this condition? No problem. Finding and original 1983 Audi Quattro in this condition? Near impossible these days. That was undoubtedly helped by the rust protection early in life, but it really appears that the car was loved by the previous owners. That said, it appears that lack of use has resulted in some issues like the frozen brakes (which frankly should be an easy fix). There’s also that small rust spot on the rocker that needs to be addressed, and if there’s rust in one spot on these, you’ll want to do a thorough check. Outside of that, the exterior appears to be very serviceable and the interior looks great. Under the hood, despite a bunch of recent maintenance, does look pretty crusty; expect some of those now 34 year old plastic bits to be quite fragile and hard to replace. But this one seems to have a lot going for it, and less excuses than the other 1983 currently on the market that we looked a few weeks ago. The Zermatt car has currently bid to $18,000, making the $20,000 Buy It Now this car originally appeared with a pretty reasonable sum on the surface in my mind. Still, no one pulled the trigger, so we’ll have to see where bidding ends.

-Carter