Every now and again, we see a desirable collector car turn up at a new model car dealership. It’s always a bit of a head-scratcher because usually, the car in question could stand all on its own via a classified listing or auction site, yet the owner decides to let a dealer handle the details of brokering a deal for their prized possession. That’s not a ding against dealers, but more that it’s a shame this owner didn’t realize there’s likely far more profit in managing the sale himself. Regardless, this sought-after 1983 Audi Coupe Quattro has ended up here on the Audi of Denver website for $58,649.
You may think the price is high for an Audi Coupe but there’s a huge difference in just one word: Quattro. When Audi sold the Coupe GT, it was a cute but underwhelming front-driver. The performance was adequate but it wasn’t legendary; the racing pedigree didn’t exist with the FWD cars as it does with the ferocious Quattro models. The Coupe Quattro was sold in very limited quantities, and they are still formidable performers today with grippy all-wheel-drive and turbocharged engines. They were champions on the rally circuit and celebrated as both prized competition and road cars. Today, a Coupe Quattro is the crown jewel for many competition car collections, and certainly for Audi fanatics.
This car has clearly been loved in the best way possible, in that it shows signs of use but nothing approaching wanton neglect. The seller doesn’t tell us much about the ownership history other than that it has had just two owners from new and that the current owner purchased it with 27,000 miles on the clock. Today, the mileage sits at just under 79,000, so the second caretaker has clearly logged some good years and miles on his all-weather machine. The butterscotch leather buckets are in outstanding condition, as are the matching door panels and contrasting black carpets.
The Audi retains mostly stock appearances, riding on factory alloy wheels. but the seller has notated some modifications. These include a Schrick 274-degree camshaft; K24 turbo upgrade; 4000 Quattro transmission and rear differential; Intended Acceleration computer and wastegate spring; and a K&N air filter. All of these are very sensible upgrades for a turbocharged Audi and are hidden from outside view. They also speak to an owner who knew a thing or two about tuning German cars for maximum performance without alerting the authorities. It will be interesting to see if the dealership can make the sale of this specialty car and at what price.
My heart says “Buy!” but my budget says “Nope!”
I got to drive numerous Quattros — never, sadly, an Ur-Quattro — and enjoyed the daylights out of each of them. This one sounds like a jewel, and I’d be delighted to rack up the miles in this one. Assuming it’s in decent mechanical nick and not rusted underneath, the price sounds fair to me.
I worked on a UR Quattro at the beginning of my career. The owner was a baby doctor who used to make house calls in the Amish community. He needed a go anywhere car and the Quattro served him well. He was hard on the car though and despite schooling him he would go through a turbo every 15-20K. At the time I drove a 82 Coupe so it was fun to drive the cars back to back. Similar personalities but the independent rear suspension on the UR really made that car feel planted. I drooled over that car hoping someday to have the opportunity to own one. Think the selling price is very fair given the pedigree and rarity of the UR. Under a 100K miles is also rare since most I have seen were well north of that miles wise.
Buddy had an Audi 4000 sedan. He still says it was the Biggest lemon 🍋 he ever owned. And he owned a ton of cars.. from Subarus and Toyotas, to Hemi muscle.
These are cool looking cars, especially in full competition 😎 rally trim. 🏁
As for why this showed up at an Audi dealer, I’d reckon the last owner passed away, and the beneficiaries of their estate didn’t know or care what a special car it was. They just saw some old Audi parked in the garage and figured they could trade it in on a brand-new one. Hope they were at least credited somewhat fairly for it and won’t be too aghast if they see what it’s listed for.
Way overpriced. Any owner of them can feel a bit of the rally
experience from the past as Audi and Walter drove from win
to win.
The regular quattro are not so expensive except u want a
low production numbers S1 short sport quattro whose was
derivated from the very successful rallye car driven by the
rally legend Walter Röhrl (75 years today, he held the pikes
peak record for 16 yrs, 5 wins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWouPPE5dgk
The undrivable but very powerful (310 hp) swb cars are
expen$ive.
The first 3 years the quattro used analog gauges.
The first production years had problems with blocked drivetrain
as many fools who drove them did not follow Audi’s guidance
((yeah i have a quattro!…)) to unlock the two diff’s prior you
drive them faster then 40 Kp/h – unless the whole thing was
total locked. And a total rebuilt the result. 20 grand wasted.
As far i remember Audi then in 1984 re-engineered the drive-
train to automatic Torsen differential locks and this problems
where finally gone. The Audi 200 (C3) quattro also used the
same diff locks – major production and replacement costs
where at most dropped. Neatest version of all are the 4V/20V
The 5-cyl suffers from sucked-in engine oil into the intake
as the crank ventilation begun on the camshaft cover.
This old Audi’s had a mixed reliability but the build quality
is top as the haptic feeling. German engineering on top.
They took it on trade? Probably gave the person 5k for it. Not worth what they are asking.
Have owned a bunch of Audi Q’s and non-Q’s. (Now own a 2004 Ur Allroad 4.2) The most sure-footed of them all was a 4000q 5 cyl/5 spd. The flared fenders on this Ur give it away as special, very special.
I owned the US version of this car it had the non turbo 5 cylinder and a manual transmission the car was very good in snow and ice really comfortable to drive and reasonable performance. I liked it, very nice car.
I was working at an Audi dealer in 1983 and I got to drive the first or second one that came in. Much different car from the 4000 Coupe GT. These early versions had better fit and finish, as well as better over-all quality than most other new Audis. I recall that they were noticeably quicker and stuck to the pavement like glue.
A serious automobile.
Lovely car. I’d buy the car if I had the money and if I didn’t already have a car. Although I was way too young to drive a car at the time, I remember when Audi cars looked like this. I’ve seen plenty of Audi coupes, but never an Audi Quattro coupe. As nice as the car is, $58,000 is rather out of my price range. I’d pay close to $30,000 for a car this nice.