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1983 Audi Quattro

1983 Audi Quattro

Published August 15, 2016 by Carter

From what was arguably the least desirable Porsche product from 1985 yesterday, we move on to the most desirable Audi product from the same period. Contrary to popular belief, the Quattro did not pioneer many of the technologies it is credited with. What it did do, though, was for the first time marry turbocharging, full time all-wheel drive and a slinky coupe shape together with just enough luxury to partially justify its $40,000 price tag. For those not quick with inflation numbers, that’s just shy of $120,000 in today’s buying power – about the same as a lightly optioned 2017 RS7. What you got for that amount was surprisingly sparse; a manual sunroof, rear wash/wipe, and electric mirrors and windows – that was about it. Under the hood, the off beat inline-5 produced only 160 horsepower in U.S. trim, and toting around the best part of 3,000 lbs it was far from the performance produced by dollar-for-dollar equivalent models. You’ve often heard the expression that today’s Camry outperforms a 1980s Porsche? Well, a Kia Soul could give one of the U.S. spec Audi Quattros difficulty in a race. Coupled with a reputation for rusting and poor electrics, these expensive Audis were sold in sparse numbers and are a very rare sight today, especially with lower miles and original like this one:

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1983 Audi Quattro

1983 Audi Quattro

Published May 11, 2016 by Carter

At the first Audi Club track event I went to, I excitedly hurried my 4000CS quattro through the hills of Northwest Connecticut to Lime Rock Park. The year was 1997, and while I had been heading to the track for many years this was my first foray to an Audi event. Back in ’97, old Audis were pretty uncommon – hard to fathom considering how scarce they are today. So going to an all-Audi event promised to be a special collection of audacious Audis, and I was certainly not disappointed. There were no less than ten Quattros in attendance, and may have even been more – I struggle a bit to remember, but a fair chunk of the instructor core had them and even a few students showed up with the legendary cars. It was a bit like those nature shows of Ridley Sea Turtles arriving on Mexican beaches once a year to lay eggs; a baffling display of the entire world’s population arriving in one spot at one time when for the rest of the year they’re spread around the world’s oceans. Quattros, especially large numbers of Quattros, are like that. Let’s put some figures into perspective – E30 M3s are rare, right? Sure, only around 5,000 made it to the U.S. with a pretty good amount still being sold on eBay today being driven as they should. 190E 16V owners enjoy pointing out that their cars are much more endangered, as just shy of 2,000 made the Atlantic crossing. Low residuals mean a lower percentage of those original 1,953 still are dog-legging around. E24 M6, E28 M5, E34 M5? Sure, all very low production cars. But the Quattro? 664 came here, and how many are left today is a good question. I’d estimate the number of Quattros remaining alive and in good condition to likely be less than 2/3rds of the original 664 – figure maybe 400 are still around and serviceable. Think about the last time you saw an E30 M3 cruising along down the road (it doesn’t count if you own one or were at a show)? You’re at least ten times less likely to happen across a Quattro. Finally, they’re starting to be appreciated for their special nature, but they’re certainly still critically endangered in the U.S.:

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1982 Audi Coupe – REVISIT

1982 Audi Coupe – REVISIT

Published April 30, 2016 by Carter

Looking for something a little different in a classic car? A little over a year ago I took a look at this incredible survivor 1982 Audi Coupe in the rare shade of Surinam Red Metallic with Negro Tweed interior. Though the early Coupes lack a bit of the performance of the later Type 85 models like the 87.5 NG motored examples, the early Type 81 looks are a bit closer to the legendary Quattro but on a much friendlier budget. Back in February 2015, this car sold for an impressive $5,500. It appears to have changed little in the past 14 months and is now available in a no reserve auction with bidding currently well below $2,000. This is a really cool time piece from Audi’s early 1980s history that is quite affordable indeed but will help to set you apart from the crowd nonetheless.

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The below post originally appeared on our site February 23, 2015:

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1986 Audi Coupe GT – REVISIT

1986 Audi Coupe GT – REVISIT

Published February 20, 2016 by Carter

One of the nicest condition Audi Coupe GTs to come to market in the past year is back up for sale with a lowered “Buy It Now” price. It may seem a steep asking price, but in the breakdown of the two models I covered when you look at the number of expensive details necessary to bring a lesser example to this condition the asking price makes more sense. Will it find a home at $7,000?

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The below post originally appeared on our site January 23, 2016:

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Litmus Test Part 1: 1986 Audi Coupe GT

Litmus Test Part 1: 1986 Audi Coupe GT

Published January 22, 2016 by Carter

I’ve been part of a broader discussion about values on 1980s Audis over the past few years. In one corner, I’ve suggested that values have been steadily increasing and that very good examples of 1980s Audis – the 4000 quattro, the 5000CS quattro and the Coupe GT – are higher now than they have been since the early 1990s. But have they really been increasing? Hagerty, among others evidence we’ve collected, would seem to say yes. The problem is that few examples of 1980s Audis in really exceptional condition come up for sale. But today is part one in a mini-litmus test of the market on one of my favorite models – the Audi Coupe GT. I’ve suggested that really excellent examples of these cars are currently $6,000 – $8,000. The basis for my argument is twofold; one, it’s so uncommon to come across a really top-condition, low mileage Coupe GT these days, and two – that between no longer available parts and the cost of a proper restoration, you’re better off paying top-dollar for a no-needs example rather than trying to bring a lesser example up to show-ready quality. So, let’s take a look at part one – a reportedly “excellent” Coupe GT:

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