Audi Tradition celebrates 25 years of Sport quattro
Audi Sport quattro Group B rally car and five series-production Sport quattros at the Techno Classica in Essen. Starting signal for future Audi Tradition limited edition model car of the year.
The Audi Sport quattro has just turned 25 years of age. In 1983, the “Shorty”, as it was affectionately known, caused a sensation as the most powerful series-produced German car. It is thus logical that Audi Tradition will be represented at the 20th Techno Classica in Essen, Germany (from 26 to 30 March 2008) with the motto “25 years of Audi Sport quattro”. The five featured series-production vehicles will not be the only highlights on the Audi stand in Hall Seven. As a special feature, Audi Tradition will be presenting the latest addition to its own historic collection: the Audi Sport quattro Group B rally car. There are only five remaining examples of this race car worldwide. New from this year: Audi Tradition will now be offering a strictly limited edition (333 units) 1:43-scale model car of the year, the first of which can be purchased at the Techno Classica. In 2008 this is an Audi Sport quattro in orange.
The Audi Sport quattro has a very special story to tell. In order to keep ahead of the rally competition, the “Ur-quattro” was taken, the wheelbase was shortened and a twin-camshaft engine with four valves per cylinder was developed. To race such a car in Group B rallies, the international rules governing the sport stipulated that at least 200 units had to have been produced. Exactly 214 units left the production halls at Ingolstadt, and were sold all around the world for just under 200,000 German marks each. For a very long time it was the most expensive car Audi had ever put on sale. But the customer certainly got something for his money.
The vehicle oozed high-performance technology. When it was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983, the 225 kW (306 hp) “Shorty” was the most powerful series-produced German car. The engineers succeeded in bridging the gap between a pure race car with breathtaking performance data and a reliable car for use on public highways. The body of the Sport quattro was made of aramide- and fibreglass-reinforced plastic and carbon/kevlar composites. The racing version of the car performed well in the rally world championships in 1984 and 1985, but did not produce the technical breakthrough the Audi team had hoped for. At the time, 22 cars were manufactured by Audi Sport, just five of which still exist today. In late 2007, Audi Tradition succeeded in acquiring one of the rare Audi Sport quattro Group B rally cars. There are still about 140 of the 214 series-production Sport quattros built. The prices offered for these vehicles now are close to the original price when the vehicles were new.
On the Audi Tradition stand in Hall Seven of the Techno Classica, the race car will be set in a 1980s rally service station. No less exciting are its “little brothers”, five series-production Sport quattros – in the four original colours of the time: tornado red, copenhagen blue, malachite green, alpine white, plus the special black paintwork.
Important for collectors: in 2008, the model car section of Audi Tradition will start the Audi Tradition model of the year. A strictly limited edition of just 333 units will be available for the first time at the Techno Classica – a 1:43-scale model of the Sport quattro in orange. The Audi museum mobile at Ingolstadt, the August Horch Museum in Zwickau and the Audi Club International (ACI), the umbrella organisation for all Audi enthusiasts clubs and for clubs for the predecessor brands, will also be represented on the Audi Tradition stand.
