Few motorsport images are quite as evocative as the legendary period of Group B; flying machines spitting stones and belching flames as they skirted trees and rocks at breakneck speeds with crowds only inches away. The ever more powerful cars hurtled their drivers in increasingly lighter and more delicate evolutions of cars towards immovable objects – an act which is some cultures would probably be akin to ritualistic suicide. By 1985 the writing was on the wall; it was a deadly sport that needed to be reigned in. But perhaps more than any other period, this is the time that rally fans and motorsports fans in general identify as one of the most memorable and important periods in racing history. Obviously, the big winner of the period from a reputation standpoint was Audi. The car that helped to define and end the period of wild turbocharged excess, the Quattro has obviously been the spawn of many replicas, such as this one for sale today in England:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 Audi Quattro “Group B” Rally Car on eBay
Year: 1985
Model: Quattro
Engine: 2.2 liter turbocharged inline-5
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: Not Listed
Price: No Reserve Auction
1985 UR WR QUATTRO
BREMBO BRAKES, slave cylinders & master cylinders
LSD
GREEN INJECTORS
ILLUMINATION ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
UPRATED FUEL PUMPS
UPRATED INTERNALS
FORGED PISTONS
ALUMINUM SUMP
BIG TURBO
ADJUSTABLE BOOST
3″ FULL STAINLESS EXHAUST
FUEL CUT OFF
IGNITION CUT OFF
REAR FIRE WALL
SPEEDLINE COMPETITION ALLOYS x5
FIA ROLL CAGE
SABELT SAFETY HARNESS’S
FRONT MOUNT COOLER
LARGE UPRATED RADIATOR
BRAIDED HOSES AND FUEL LINES
SEAM WELDED
COIL OVER SUSPENSION
SPORT QUATTRO ALUMINIUM STRENGTHENING BARS
SPORT QUATTRO ARMS
SPORT QUATTRO BONNET
HIGH LEVEL BOOT SPOILER
THESE DONT COME UP OFTEN I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP IT
SAME OWNER LAST 20 YEARS
CAN DELIVER (@ buyers cost)
buyer to arrange shipping
CALL 07730880943
OTHER QUATTROS AVAILABLE (but not like this beast!!!!!)
cash on collection or bank transfer only
i will accept a cheque but car goes nowhere until funds are clear
Our reader Mike spotted this creation and sent it our way; it’s always nice to see these rally copies and this one is no exception. There are, however, some problems I have with the car, at least from a historical perspective. It’s a WR 2.1 road car that was converted; that’s not bad in and of itself, but then they backdated the livery to run the earlier colors of Audi Sport. By 1984/1985 Audi wore the HB Team Audi yellow, black and red over white colors. Okay, minor point, and the brown/black, red and silver were more popular and identifiable with the Quattro, so I get the livery. But the car is also referred to as “Group B Spec”, though in reality it’s more like the production-based Group 4 or Group A cars. Group B started up in 1982, so even though the Group B Audis are generally associated with the ’84 up short wheel base cars, there were long wheel base B-spec cars produced; they just weren’t as wild as the later evolutions. The hood is the wrong hood, being a street Sport Quattro replica hood; again, real rally hood replicas are available and didn’t look like this. By ’83, the real rally cars had the wider flared and vented arches and ran aluminum engine blocks; worth a pretty penny in today’s market. Though the Speedline wheels mimic the design of some of the period correct Speedline and Compomotive wheels, they’re just a little bit off – like the rest of this car – leaving me wishing they had run with the original 8″ Ronals in white or the 7″ Fuchs wheels instead. Ultimately, there’s a lot to like here and I’m nitpicking; I just wish the detail work was better. That hasn’t stopped high bidding; pricing is already in the $28,000 range give or take, meaning that this car is a bargain compared to the real rally cars from the factory but more expensive than most of the street versions we’ve seen. Regardless, it’ll draw a crowd of avid enthusiasts no matter how accurate it is, all wishing to recreate in some small measure the magical time that was Group B Rallying.
-Carter
I might be mistaken, but I did not think that the LWB Audi UrQuattro was a Group B car.
Only the SWBs with close to 600 hp were in this group. Maybe somebody can shed some light into this.
It also would be the ultimate steel to buy a group B car for less than a 100.000 Euros, Dollars or Pounds.
1982 was the first year of the Group B rules, so technically all Quattros from 1982-1986 that were rallied in WRC were Group B cars. The short wheel base models are most often identified as Group B, but are not the only Group B Audis. However, this car is not original; a WR car, it was a road model that has been converted for rallying (hence the low bidding). It is also not built to Group B specification – any of them, as far as I can tell.
AM Cars limited has built a few recreations (and offers many parts for Rally replicas); this one they built is much closer to a real LWB Group B Quattro (for reference):
http://www.amcarsquattro.co.uk/Stock/pictorial1.htm
Here’s another example of a LWB Group B – real deal here. The “A2” was the model that preceded the “S1/E1/E2” models you’re referencing (short wheel base)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Audiquattroa2.jpg
It’s pretty easy to spot a number of differences from the much more production based Group 4 cars from 81/82:
http://www.vwvortex.com/artman/uploads/003_045.jpg
@Carter – I know you’re a huge VW/Audi guy, but if you could have your pick of any one Group B car to own as a toy/vintage racer, what would it be?
I have to say that I think the Lancia 037 is the prettiest and probably the one I’d want! I actually don’t like the short wheel base Quattros (sacrilegious, I know); they’re out of proportion and a bit awkward. I appreciate them very much, but I think the RR Quattros are much “prettier”. The Delta S4 is stunning but silly at the same time, and the mid-motored Pugs are neat but ungainly. Lancia wins for me. Plus, the noise that thing made was close to the Quattro in ferocity.
Rally day on the net….there is an E30 M3 Rally car for sale in England as well that I came across this AM…..not a big rally fan…but a Lancia Fulvia Fanalone is on my bucket list of cars to own one day.