Just this weekend, classic car insurer Hagerty released an article about the declining appeal of restoring long-neglected cars or trucks. It essentially pointed to the fact that preferences are shifting to turnkey cars, due to a combination of enthusiasts wanting to spend more time actually driving their purchase and because of a lack of young mechanics coming up in the pipeline to work on old vehicles. This 1983 Audi Ur-Quattro listed here on Facebook Marketplace has under 35,000 miles and the seller claims it’s been in storage since 1988, and he’s asking $120,000.
The response from the Audi community when this car was posted was somewhat abrasive, with many questioning the asking price. I can see both sides: this is a significant car in Audi’s history, and checks numerous boxes. Motorsports heritage, limited production, outstanding performance, and true engineering pedigree – a vehicle where the Audi team threw everything at the wall to dominate Group B racing. The Audi is powered by a 2.1L, 5-cylinder engine and power is channeled through Audi’s legendary Quattro four-wheel drive system. Performance was impressive, but the road-holding abilities were equally compelling. Still – is it enough to justify six-figures for a car that’s been off the road for decades?
One of the last Ur-Quattros to pop up for sale in project form was this car, famously (or infamously) part of the Rudi Klein “Junkard” collection in California. YouTube personality Tavarish bought this car and a second example on Bring A Trailer that was an unfinished restoration project with a clean body and interior. At last check, he had both cars listed for $30,000. The seller’s car obviously has a very nice body and the interior looks sound as well. But when a car that’s nearly new in the wrapper still needs as much mechanical work as the one that’s been sitting in a junkyard – it becomes a more challenging question as to which one is the smarter buy. Which would you choose?
I’m only seeing two photos in the facebook ad, none of the interior, or the engine bay. Seems a stretch for the price, especially considering the seller notes that his car needs TLC.
I would think that price would get one a fully restored — or fully operational, unmolested original — Ur-Quattro. Perhaps even one with Michele Mouton or Walter Rohrl’s signature on the glovebox door.
I love these, have driven one and found it to be a wonderful Grand Tourer, with plenty of traction, of course.
I don’t think the reason buyers are opting for fully restored cars is quite as simple as impatience or a lack of mechanics who can work on them. Just as likely, if not more important, is the lack of parts needed to restore them, and the proliferation of plastic components that take a great deal of effort to replicate. Not all of us own or have a access to a 3D printer that can turn out large replacements, or the skills needed to operate one. Other restoration parts, like upholstery and soft trim, are unavailable in many cases, too.
All that said, too many people are asking Bring a Trailer prices for whatever they might have in their driveway or garage, and few would want to attempt or pay for major work on a $120K Quattro, no matter how nice the basic car is. Unless, that is, is is a short Rally Quattro, in which case the sky is more or less the limit.
The other reason for not wanting to restore these rides is it now costs a LOT of MONEY. Especially for body work, it has made restoration a throw of the dice for the average person who wants to bring back their favorite rides. I don’t see it getting much better, the cars may come down in price but the costs to restore are continually going up.
The actual Ur-Quattro with race heritage was a short wheelbase car that were very hard to get. These Audi GT production cars were not uncommon, although they are certainly hard to find today as they wore about as well as a VW Scirocco. If this was a short wheelbase homologation car, I could see this price. Otherwise it’s a hmmmmm…
Ok, I give, I have been a huge fan of these cars. But have never heard the term Ur-Quatro. Where did the Ur come from and what does it mean? Pardon me for being ignorant.
“Ur”. is a German prefix for “original” or “the first” Since Audi has the Quattro badge on nearly every car they make,..the worldwide community opted for this….versus the age old question…”which Audi quattro do you own?”
Hope this helps.
The German prefix “ur-” denotes something that’s the original, prototypical or progenitor exemplar of its kind, hence the original Audi Quattro being known as the ur-Quattro, the original Audi S4 and S6 as the ur-S4 and ur-S6, etc.
Curiously for cars this designation only seems to be in common use for Audis, high-tune Quattro variants in particular, as I’ve never seen, say, the BMW E21 platform referred to as the “ur-3-series” or the VW A1 platform referred to as the “ur-Golf”.
Thank you sir. I drove the first one on the US. It was sent over from “the father land ” to gauge dealer response and mild US testing. My adopted father. (He adopted me into his family at my ripe young age of 19. I worked for him in college before he went to work at Porsche,Audi as head of Dealer Development for the midwest. (Before the split) He was responsible for my automotive competition habits.And whenever he was in the possession of the latest thing that was to be in the country, (or here for test purposes) he would tell me that I was coming over for dinner. He happened to be driving one of these when he was charged with driving the 924 “race car” around to deakers that was used in the movie Arthur. He had dealerships all over the Midwest scheduled for display purposes. However he needed a tow vehicle. So he used my fairly new Dodge van for a month or so. And I drove the US Quartro. So I am addicted to this car and I miss driving one and I miss Jim even more.
Ur stand for Original in German-as opposed to later brands of Quattro. My guess is that this guy placed this ad so he could tell his wife “Look dear, I really tried to sell it, but….” He can keep his garage space.
How did this person establish their asking price? Sheer madness.
I don’t remember exactly the year it was but I owned a twin to this one for like 5 years it was a 5 s pointspeed manual the drive system was pretty darn neat you could lock the front diff or the rear diff or lock both obviously your turning ability is zero at this point. Very good car and I live where it’s winter 7 months of the year and this car did very well!
Nice looking car. If only more pics were posted.
We’ll see what the market says, but that seems excessive to me. I do agree with RayT that newer cars are harder to restore because of the plastic components, many of which are no longer available. I’ve been a part of the Land Cruiser enthusiast community for 40 years and the issue with interior restoration is a huge one for us. The older more basic 40/45 series interiors are relatively easy to restore (steel, vinyl and minimal plastics, many of which are available as reproductions), but the latter 60/80/100 series start to get complicated and it shows on the pricing.
I’ve restored about six cars over the last 3 decades, and the cost of it is just insane now. And too many “restorers”, even the able ones, are just shady as hell about the cost of it. I’ve got stories from the past and recent experience too. It’s just not worth it. Buy the nicest example of whatever you want that you can find. But the cost of restoring will burn your house down.
“Er, Quattro”, “Yeah, Quattro, that’s the ticket” !