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Tag: urQuattro

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Roll the Dice: 1983 Audi Quattro

Update 11/17/19: This Quattro sold for $18,600

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.

With only 664 brought here in total, and just 240 from the first model year, you’re going to have a pretty hard time finding one for sale at any given time – unlike the other three cars mentioned. That’s why it’s worth taking a look at one of the earliest U.S. chassis, even if it does come with a long list of needs. But that strong potential of heavy needs isn’t slowing bids down…

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on eBay

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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

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Coupe Week: 1983 Audi Quattro

I know what you’re thinking from the earlier post; “Really Carter? You’re going to do a Coupe GT and not a Quattro? Don’t be silly! Of course, the legendary and original turbocharged all-wheel drive Coupe is on my list for Coupe Week, and Paul spotted this stunning example on Classic Driver. It may be one of the lowest mile Quattros in existence, and certainly one of the best outside of the museum. While interest in the Quattro has surged thanks to Audi finally acknowledging in their ad campaigns that they made cars before the A4, the truth is that too long the Quattro was an unappreciated giant of automotive design. How unappreciated? Well, even as interest grows we’ve seen quite an odd trend; Europeans have been reverse-importing U.S. spec cars back to Europe. Such is the case with this example; originally a U.S. spec car that is back up for sale after returning to European soil:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on Classic Driver

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Afternoon Accessories: Audi Dealer Goodies

It’s always nice to spend a few minutes perusing old dealer brochures. Manufacturers spend countless millions on marketing, after all, and we should appreciate their efforts. Today I’ve rounded up some of the dealer goodies that Audi has given out – representing some milestones in the company’s history, no less. There’s the memorable poster celebrating the R8 win of the North American Endurance Championship (remember back when this was a new concept for Audi?), and the dominant RS6s run in the SCCA World Challenge. Then there’s a cool schematic showing the dimensions on the S4. I have a similar one for the Quattro and I love to look at it! Speaking of, there’s also a dealer brochure with a RR 20V Quattro fold out – what a pretty car. And let’s not forget the new – and wildly popular – turn Audi took when it launched the TT. All in all, some neat historic memories this afternoon! What’s your favorite?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Audi RS6 SCCA World Challenge Poster on eBay

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1984 Audi Quattro

To me, it’s pretty amazing that the Quattro hasn’t really received the attention of the E30 M3. The Quattro beat the M3 to the market by 6 years with its squared, chunky boxflare stance. It was all-wheel drive, turbocharged and cutting edge. It revolutionized the World Rally Championship and firmly cemented Audi in the halls of motorsports and enthusiasts minds. The offbeat 5-cylinder hanging in front of the wheels seemed an odd choice, but Audi has returned with an updated version of that power plant in some of its newer models, and the sound and performance is no less memorable than it was in the original. Indeed, in terms of what a single car did for a brand, the Quattro was much more influential for Audi than the E30 M3 was for BMW in my mind. Yet today, if you want to get a great condition E30 M3 with under 100,000 miles you’re looking at over $50,000 to play; if you want to get into the original Quattro, nice examples can be had for half that amount:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Audi Quattro on eBay

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