Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Perhaps a bit ahead of the market, six months after I initially wrote this 965 up it remains for sale at the same $74,995 asking price. It would seem that my original thought that it was a bit overpriced was on the mark. The color combination probably isn’t the most iconic 965 pallet, but it’s understated and pretty. What would you be willing to pay for this example?
The Quattro remains one of the few attainable halo vehicles from the 1980s. Consider the others; BMW M1s are on the verge of being million dollar cars while most of the rest of the M line appreciates rapidly. For Mercedes-Benz, there were no real “Halo” models for the 1980s in the U.S., but clean and original examples of their flagship models or indeed some of the rare AMG pieces are big business. Porsche has several, with the 930 and good examples of just about every other rear engined example rapidly increasing in value. What’s left? The Quattro should certainly be considered amongst those cars, for one. As a revolutionary piece of engineering, the Quattro firmly placed Audi on the map as a serious contender in the European and North American markets. The were legendary even before they officially raced, as one of the stage cars notoriously outpaced all of the race cars in its first unofficial appearance at a rally. The rest set the stage for the legend; the Quattro amassed 23 WRC victories and two World Championship titles before Audi moved towards road racing with the demise of Group B. Today, despite the top-tier reputation and recognition that it finally deserves, the Quattro remains an affordable option for classic German motoring:
If I’m completely honest, this was not the car that was originally slated for this spot. Rather, it was a excellent condition black 1991 200 20V quattro Avant – a rare specimen in any event given the less than 200 that made it here originally, but in near mint condition they’re especially rare. Alas, it was not to be; that car sold, and in it’s place I managed to find…another 1991 200 20V quattro Avant. Perhaps I should play the lottery, since best guestimates place only around 100 of these Audi super-wagons on the road today. This example is presented in the more common Pearlesant White Metallic that was the calling card of Audi in the late 80s/early 90s, but inside we find black sport seats – a nice treat on the 200s and substantially more comfortable than the “comfort” seats I had in my 1989 200. The rest…well, the rest reads a bit like a normal 23 year old Audi does these days…
While it’s tempting to throw the design laurels for Audi onto the later 200 20V quattro and S4/S6 models as we often do, it’s important to remember that they were really developments of the original Audi super-sedan, the 5000CS quattro. That model was, itself, a development of the earlier turbocharged version of the large sedan, as seen driven in by the father in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The CS quattro brought together the best elements of Audi’s designs; the revolutionary C3/Type 44 aerodynamic and futuristic design which provided excellent looks and fuel economy, the robust all-wheel drive system with locking differentials as seen in the World Rally Championship-winning Quattro and 4000S/CS quattro, and the turbocharged inline-5 that also powered the Quattro and had previously powered the front-drive sedan. But 60 Minutes managed to do a number on late 1980s Audi products, creating a scenario where Audi was nearly removed from the American market. That meant low residual values, and by many these 5000s were viewed as throw away cars for some time. It’s become rare to find good examples, and while this particular one isn’t showroom-fresh it is a reminder that the 5000 was a neat looking and performing package:
The E23 has always been a design which to me has been quite polarizing. As with the E12 and E24, Paul Bracq was heavily involved in the final design and it shows – in many ways, the E23 looks like a cross between the two that was scaled up 10%. The results of that in my mind weren’t always good. Growing up, my father had both E24s and E28s, clean looking, well proportioned designs, and when I first saw an E23 I remember thinking it looked a bit ungainly. In U.S. specification, the bumpers were too big and the wheels were too small, resulting in a car which appeared heavy, sagging and sad. When he’s really upset, my son manages to invert his lip and stick it out, tears streaming down his cheeks. It’s a look which nearly mimics the U.S. spec front end of the E23 I now recognize. However, in European trim the E23 made more sense – it looked lighter, smaller and better proportioned. While not as stately as the W116, it certainly looked a fair bit sportier outside and more modern. Couple those European-market looks with some great period BBS RS wheels and the look is just about perfect; throw in the turbocharged M106 motor and you’ve peeked much interest. Of course, unfortunately the M106 was only pared with an automatic transmission – but then, what would happen if you swapped that for a 5-speed?