The original Audi Quattro is 30 years old and yet still sets the standard as a modern performance classic – at affordable prices, too

Life is full of compromises. Gain in one area and you lose in another – unless you’re an Audi quattro driver. This is the car that has it all; shattering performance, handling, grip, reliability and muscular looks – even relative economy. Bridging the gap between classic and modern, the quattro can theoretically be used every day as an equal to any modern or just for the occasional Sunday run. However, the spares situation is surpringly poor, with many parts available only on a used basis, so clocking up a high mileage could prove as expensive as it is unwise.

History

It’s rare that a car changes how people think, but the quattro did; before this, four-wheel drive was for off-roading. It also changed Audi’s image forever; until March 1980, the company produced worthy but dull cars. Then quattro debuted at the March 1980 Geneva motor show, with its four-wheel drive and turbocharged fi ve-pot engine, and production followed immediately after. The quattro went on to set the rally world alight with its performance and durability, the car staying in production for more than a decade. Books have been written on the car so we’ll be brief on this: quattro came about after Audi got hold of a 4x4 military VW proposal called Iltis in the mid 1970s and some bright spark wondered how the transmission would work as a performance aid and raise the image of the brand to catch up with BMW. When the quattro was introduced, after a remarkably short development spell, it was based on the Audi C (coupe) but with a 2144cc SOHC fi ve-cylinder turbocharged engine – good for 200bhp – and was offered with left-hand drive only. It was also one of the fi rst cars with an ECU. UK deliveries started in November, but these fi rst cars were only left hookers which made the £14,500 asked a bit hard to stomach. By March 1981 the original cable-operated differentials had become switch-controlled pneumatic items, then from September 1982 the fi rst right-hand drive cars were available. At fi rst these featured quad headlamps like the orignal, but after just 17 such cars had been built, single-piece Cibié headlights started to be fi tted. The rear anti-roll bar was deleted but the suspension’s ‘toe-in’ setting was altered to suit. From October 1983 the quattro was fi tted with digital instrumentation in place of the previous analogue dash, Bosch anti lock brakes became standard and the third and fourth gear ratios were revised and ‘sportifed’ too.

In March 1984, now a £20,000 supercar, the suspension was uprated and lowered by 20mm, while Ronal 8J wheels were now fi tted. At the same time, the magnifi cent short-wheelbase Sport quattro Group B homologation special arrived; 214 were built, including 164 road cars with a 20-valve 300bhp engine and fi ve-speed manual gearbox. The quattro got exterior revisions in September 1984, with sloped headlamps and grille, while the rear end got a colour-coded spoiler and smoked tail lamp lenses. By November 1987 the engine had been enlarged to 2226cc and the compression ratio increased from 7.0:1 to 8.6:1, while a smaller water-cooled turbo was now fi tted; peak power remained the same at 200bhp. At the same time, a Torsen centre differential was introduced, and a sunroof came as standard. The engine was upgraded further in October 1989; there was now a DOHC 20-valve unit with 220bhp and 228lbft. Twin three-way catalytic converters were also now fi tted and the interior trim was upgraded while the quattro tail badge was deleted. The last quattro came off the production line in Spring 1991, with 11,452 produced in total. Of those, 2710 were offi cially brought into the UK, the WR (pre-1987) accounting for 1994, the MB (1987-1989) for 421 and the RR (post-1989) for 295.

Driving

Compared with many modern cars that feature the likes if traction control systems, wide, sticky tyres and generous power outputs, Audi’s quattro may not appear all that impressive any more. But it is – deeply so and is one of the very rare classics (alongside the Lotus Carlton and Lancia Integrale?ed) that can truly cut it on today‘s roads with ability to spare. This car doesn’t rely on traction control to get the power down, because that power is equally transmitted to each corner of the car, ensuring that even on streaming wet roads there’s plenty of grip, while the chassis remains neutral when pushed hard into dry corners, in a safe if too understeery sort of way, although the Torsen diff helped on later cars and there’s scope for tweaking the chassis. It’s the four-wheel drive that’s the headline news of course; it’s this confi guration that has such a massive impact on the car’s dynamics. But this is no one-trick pony because the 200bhp engine also offers plenty of muscle (0-60 7.3 secs), so rapid cruising is effortless, although the power delivery isn’t as linear as in a modern car – it’s nothing like as laggy as some of its contemporaries though.

Despite its sporting pretensions, the quattro is comfortable too, with a ride that’s not as harshas you’d expect, while the seats offer support even when the car is being cornered hard. This square-cut coupe grants surprisingly acceptable 2+2 accommodation. As you’d expect, the press went wild over the Audi, although usually had a dig at its sombre style and gloomy cabin. The late lamented Fast Lanereckoned the 20V was ‘astonishing’while Autocar already hailed the Audi as a classic even when new and reckoned that given its user friendliness “had no equal”. Car summed the car up by calling it “an inspiring ground coverer and a standard for all the rest.”

Prices

Despite the quattro’s wide-ranging talents and competition heritage, a roadworthy example can amazingly be picked up for under £3000 although you need to take care here. Service history is vital irrespective of the price; a pre-1989 car can command up to £12,000 if it’s exceptional, although most cars fetch between £5000 to £10,000 – but a lack of history can cut a car’s value in half. It’s the 20-valve editions that everyone wants; even high-mileage examples fetch at least £7500. Expect to pay £14,000 for something worthwhile but a really special late car can be worth over £20,000. That’s still cheap compared with a Sport though; these spuerb short-wheelbase editions fetch £45,000 £65,000 depending on mileage and condition!

Improvements

The quattro is one of those cars that’s best left as it is, because it was so essentially right – if it‘s set up properly. However, poor or costly original parts supply and a desire to have something even more capable means some owners fi t upgraded brakes, suspension systems or exhausts. Such modifi cations are all well and good, but they’re often unnecessary – so before buying one that’s had signifi cant changes made, make sure it hasn’t been a track day hack. Our advice is to have the car carefully checked and set up by an expert which we’re told makes a world of difference.