1986 Audi Quattro Sport SWB Coupé
Registration no. C541 MGN
Chassis no. WAUZZZ85ZEA905206

One of the most influential designs of recent decades, the Audi Quattro brought four-wheel drive into the motoring mainstream. Introduced in 1980, the Quattro was based on the outwardly similar Coupé's bodyshell but used a different floor pan to accommodate its four-wheel-drive transmission and independent rear suspension. The engine was a development of the five-cylinder, 2.1-litre, single-overhead-camshaft unit first seen in the 200 saloon. Equipped with a KKK turbocharger, it produced 200bhp in road trim with considerably more available in competition tune. Phenomenally fast and sure-footed on the road, the Quattro excelled in international rallying, winning the Manufacturers' Championship for Audi in 1982 and 1984 and the Driver's Championship in '83 and '84, but its enduring legacy would be the demonstration of four-wheel drive's advantages for passenger cars. Since then Audi has gone on to apply its quattro 4WD system to many other models but only the original (or 'Ur') version is spelled with a capital 'Q'.

The Sport version of Audi's sensational Quattro was launched in the autumn of 1983, three years after the original's unveiling at the Geneva Salon had taken the motoring world by storm. It had a shortened wheelbase and was fitted with a new, lighter version of the five-cylinder engine boasting an aluminium block and a twin-cam 20-valve cylinder head, while anti-lock braking made its first appearance on a Quattro-equipped Audi. Running on Bosch HI-Jetronic fuel injection, the extensively revised engine developed a claimed 306bhp and gave this quite remarkable road car a top speed of around 155mph. Audi built only 214 examples of the Sport, though only 164 were actually sold to customers.

This particular Audi Quattro Sport was imported into the UK in March 1990 and registered to Mr M D Lindup of London SW20. The car passed to the current owner in September 1993 and is one of a pair of Sport Quattros he owns; the other resides in North America. It has thus been with its current owner for 22 years, covering fewer than 3,000 kilometres since acquisition. This car is a superb example of the Sport Quattro, in very good original condition and the best colour scheme in terms of the model's rallying pedigree.

The accompanying service book was stamped at the supplying dealer on 4th April 1986 and next by GTi Engineering on 26th April 1991 (at 36,870 kilometres) followed by Scotts Audi, London on four occasions between May 1997 (50,408kms) and July 2000 (52,578kms). Since then the car has been 'Carcooned' in a West London basement garage, started frequently using fresh fuel and run up to temperature but not driven on the road. The current odometer reading is 52,934 kilometres (approximately 32,900 miles).

'C541 MGN' is presently with AM Cars in Ilminster for a service, re-commissioning, MoT test, etc (see bill on file). Representing a rare opportunity to own a piece of Audi's rallying history, this ultra-rare Quattro Sport is offered with the aforementioned service book, handbook (in German), owner's plastic wallet, V5C registration document and a quantity of expired MoT certificates.