Audi

Known history from new, first registered in 1983 by VAG UK in Milton Keynes

• Thought to be one of just four Works Audi 80 quattros built at Ingolstadt

• Originally built by Audi Sport Germany

• Fielded by Audi Sport UK and David Sutton Motorsport in the 1983 British Open Rally Championship in Group B

• Converted by Audi Sport in 1984 to “Safari-spec”, and entered in the 1984 WRC Safari Rally, where it finished 1st in class, and 10th overall in Group A

• Fielded in the 1985 WRC Safari Rally, where it retired whilst leading its class

• Purchased by the consignor in 2014; restored to an extremely high standard from 2015 to 2016

• Participated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2017 and 2018, as well as Speed Machine in 2019

• Highly eligible for historic rally events including the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Rally Legends, and Slowly Sideways

• Accompanied by an impressive history file including FIA homologation papers and period photos, 1990 RAC Rally Pass, and restoration invoices

• Offered for £130,000 GBP

Announced in September 1978, the redesigned Audi 80 saloon began to reach European customers by October of that year. Based on the Volkswagen B2 platform, the body was penned by legendary automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who had previously designed cars such as the Alfa Romeo Alfasud, the De Tomaso Mangusta, and the Lotus Esprit. As part of a concerted effort to move upmarket, Audi intended for the 80 to compete directly with the BMW 3 Series in the compact executive saloon class.

Soon after the launch, Audi’s motorsport engineers turned their attention to the 80 platform, with a view to increasing performance and handling in order to participate in competition. Having already released the mesmerising four-wheel-drive Audi quattro B2—the all-conquering “Ur-quattro”, which shared the body shell and multiple components from the Coupé version of the Audi 80— the 80 line up became the first to receive Audi’s innovative four-wheel-drive technology. In 1983, Audi offered the 80 saloon in quattro specification, the top-of-the-range model further embellished by twin headlamps, a front spoiler with integrated fog lamps, a body-coloured rear spoiler, “quattro” script on the boot lid, and a twin-pipe exhaust.

On 2 March 1983, Audi Sport UK, in partnership with David Sutton Motorsport of Acton, London, announced that the Audi quattro and Audi 80 quattro would be entered in all rounds of the 1983 British Open Rally Championship. A copy of this press release is on file, with an image depicting three quattros and one quattro 80. The car offered here, chassis number 85DA126497, is the very example pictured in this 1983 Audi Sport press release.