1984 Audi Coupe GT

Update 9/16/23: Back in August 2020, I took a look at this nice and rarely seen 1984 Coupe GT. It’s back, now with an asking price of $18,900 – amazing, considering it sold for $6,500 a few years ago. Here’s what I thought back then:

Like the 1984 Audi 4000S quattro, the 1984 Audi Coupe GT was a bit of an odd bird in the U.S. market. The GT was a light revision of the earlier Coupe; the major difference that was noticeable immediately was the Quattro-inspired 14″ Ronal R8 wheel design and raised spoiler shared with its bigger brother. Coupled with the deep chin spoiler and 4-quad headlight design, the Coupe GT introduced in mid-1983 looked like a fitting tribute to the turbocharged halo model.

Power now came from a 2.1 liter inline-5 (code WE) which cranked out 100 horsepower. Matching its European “5S” counterpart, the U.S. spec GT got an overdrive 5-speed manual with a 4.90 final drive; it helped economy slightly, though the slab front end certainly didn’t. But the new close(r) ratio box over the early economy-minded 5 speed helped acceleration little. Despite the lightweight 2,500 lb curbweight, Audi claimed the GT could hit 60 in a little over 10 seconds and it was out of fizz at about 109 mph. Despite this rather tame performance for a ‘Grand Tourer’, the GT’s numbers were on par with the GTI and better than the Scirocco. Plus, the longitudinal engine layout with equal length driveshafts coupled with a longer wheel base made them quite fun to drive.

But what was really unique about these cars was that they were an intermediary; the end of the Type 81 Coupes before the Type 85 Coupe GTs launched with heavy revision and more power (along with bigger brakes) for 1985. So while the later Coupes were basically a front-drive quattro, the 83-84 Coupe GT was like a 5-cylinder powered VW in some ways. They retained the smaller 4×100 mm bolt circle on the hubs with 239mm (9.4″) front disc brakes and rear drums, which is a blessing for wheel and brake upgrades should you want to go that route.

But on an example like this ’84, I hope someone keeps it stock!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Audi Coupe GT on eBay

Year: 1984
Model: Coupe GT
VIN: WAUBA0856EA035436
Engine: 2.1 liter inline-5
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 66,385 mi
Location: Flanders, New Jersey
Price: No Reserve Auction

The car is mechanically great. It starts, runs and drives well. All fluids up to date. Engine sounds great and 5 speed manual transmission shifts well. Paint is in great shape for its age. No signs of accident. A few minor scuffs and scratches. Brand new battery. One very small spot of rust. Floors are solid. Interior is in mint shape. Seats, door panels, headliner and dash are great. Brakes and suspension are great. All glass and trim is great. Wheels are great. Rear wheels have some bends and curb rush. Good tires. Sunroof is perfect and does not leak. All major electrical components and gauges work.

More pictures, including interior, underside and engine bay are here:

https://www.ebayphotogallery.com/zdjecia/Galeria/10562582/1

The Audi Coupé was a liftback coupé version of the Audi 80, first shown in 1980. The bodywork was shared with the Audi Quattro. The Audi Coupé (B2, Typ 81/85) was a two-door coupé produced and sold by Audi from 1980 to 1988. It was offered as a less expensive version of its turbocharged, permanent four-wheel drive Audi Quattro without turbocharger(s) or four wheel drive. Later, quattro was added as an option (Typ 85). Typ 81 was the internal model code for front-wheel drive Audi Coupés. The Coupé was available as just plain “Coupé” or GL (four-cylinders only), “Coupé GT”, and “Coupé quattro” (without the GT tag).

The car is finished in silver over a gray interior and receives power from a 2.1-liter inline-five mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Recent maintenance include replacing the timing belt, water pump, camshaft seal, and valve cover gasket. The exterior is finished in silver and features a black rear spoiler. The cabin features patterned gray cloth contrasted by dark blue door and dash surfaces, and the front seats have been reupholstered in a tweed fabric. Amenities include power windows, an AM/FM cassette stereo, and air conditioning. Instrumentation set in the dashboard includes a 120-mph speedometer, a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline, and a six-digit odometer showing little over 66k miles (consistent with carfax). Power is supplied by a 2.1-liter inline-five paired a five-speed manual transmission. Service include the replacement of the timing belt, water pump, relay roller, accessory belts, camshaft seal, valve cover gasket, and PCV elbow. The 14” alloy wheels wear 185/60 Fuzion HRI tires. AC works but currently does not blow cold. I will try to charge it before auction ends.

The car is mechanically great. It starts, runs and drives well. All fluids up to date. Engine sounds great and 5 speed manual transmission shifts well. Paint is in great shape for its age. No signs of accident. A few minor scuffs and scratches. One very small spot of rust. Floors are solid. Interior is in mint shape. Seats, door panels, headliner and dash are great. Brakes and suspension are great. All glass and trim is great. Brand new battery. Wheels are great. Good tires. Sunroof is perfect and does not leak. All major electrical components and gauges work. Clean NJ title

$1,000 deposit is due within 24 hours. The rest is due within 3 days.

The car is sold AS IS with no warranty. You are welcomed to come and inspect it in person.

Due respect to the sellers, Typ81 is only the code for early (non GT) Coupes. The GT moved to the same Typ85 designation as the 4000 quattro and Quattro models in the US, which is easy to verify in the 7th and 8th digits of the VIN (85 here). My understanding is that the 81 designation remained on 4-cylinder post-refresh Coupes as well, but all 5-cylinder GTs were Typ85 in North America. That clarification out of the way, what an example! The outside looks reasonably preserved and while it’s not shining, it certainly doesn’t look forlorn. I believe the car is Sapphire Blue, which is a bit unusual to see on GTs. It doesn’t look like Zermatt Silver to me, and you can see the difference in the wheel color (which should be Zermatt). Sapphire Blue also usually was paired with a blue interior, which this car has in plastics and carpets. But it’s inside where the Karo tweed interior still looks surprisingly fresh, no small thanks to subtly different and reupholstered front seats. Under the hood is more of what you’d expect from this generation. It’s a bit crusty and more tired-looking, but it’s all there. Notable is that the radiator side cardboard is still in place – a bellwether for mileage and care on these cars. Sure, one piece of fiberboard doesn’t tell the story. But it’s also one of the first items to go. That said, there’s something funky with the fender mounting points – they should be body color.

Bidding is fairly good so far, with nearly $4,000 on the board already. That’s reasonably impressive on an older GT, as they are usually not the top of the pecking order. However, a greater appreciation for the package has come over the last few years, and I think we should see this one tick $6,000 or more before everyone is done, which is exactly where this particular car sold on BaT back in 2019.

-Carter