Audi Quattro Ur-Quattro (20V Turbo)
The Audi Quattro changed everything. Before it arrived in 1980, all-wheel drive was for tractors and off-road vehicles. The idea of using AWD for performance — for traction on tarmac, not just mud — was considered absurd by the motorsport establishment. Audi proved them wrong, spectacularly.
The Quattro was the brainchild of Audi engineer Jörg Bensinger, who realized that Audi's connection to the military Iltis (which had permanent AWD) could be adapted for a road/rally car. The concept was simple: a turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the Audi 200, the Quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system with center and rear locking differentials, and the body of the Audi Coupe. The result was a car that could put its power down in conditions where rear-wheel-drive rivals were helpless.
In rallying, the Quattro was a revolution. Hannu Mikkola and Michèle Mouton (the first and still the only woman to come close to winning the WRC) dominated the 1981-1984 seasons. The sight of a Quattro launching off a snow-covered Scandinavian jump, all four wheels spinning, became the defining image of Group B rallying. Audi won the WRC Manufacturers' Championship in 1982 and 1984.
The road car was equally significant. The turbocharged inline-5 produced 200 hp initially (later 220 hp with the 20-valve head), and the Quattro system's all-weather capability made it a genuine year-round performance car. The distinctive wide-hipped body, flared arches, and purposeful stance made it immediately recognizable.
The Ur-Quattro (Ur = original, in German) was produced from 1980 to 1991. The later 20V (20-valve) models (1989-1991) are the most refined and desirable, with 220 hp and improved dynamics. Total production was just 11,452 units.
The Ur-Quattro is a specialist purchase. Key issues: rust in sills, inner wings, and front subframe mounting points (galvanized from 1985). The 5-cylinder turbo engine is robust but turbo failure, wastegate issues, and boost control problems are common. The Quattro drivetrain is durable but differential lock mechanisms can seize. 20V models are most desirable and expensive. US-spec cars are rare (~664 units). Check for accident damage (many were rallied or driven hard). The digital dash (later models) is a desirable feature.
Total production: 11,452 units (1980-1991). 10V models (1980-1989): 200 hp. 20V models (1989-1991): 220 hp, ~1,200 units. The US received the Quattro from 1983-1986 only (~664 units). Audi Sport Quattro (1984): shortened wheelbase, 306 hp, 214 units — the ultimate homologation special. The Quattro system eventually spread to most of Audi's range.