The Audi Quattro, also known as the ur-Quattro (the original), wasn’t the first car to use four-wheel drive, yet it was the model that truly brought the technology into the spotlight. Its achievements in the World Rally Championship - and the wild derivatives that followed, such as the Sport Quattro S1 - helped turn it into an icon. Just as importantly, it shaped Audi itself, laying the foundations for the brand identity the company is recognised for today.
Auction result at The Classic Car at Silverstone 2021
Even though Audi Quattro values are already high in the classifieds - with some examples changing hands for more than €90,000 - the roughly €192,500 paid for this particular car at auction appears to set a new benchmark.
The exact hammer price was £163,125 (the currency used for the sale). The car was sold at The Classic Car at Silverstone 2021, an event run by Silverstone Auctions over the weekend of 31 July and 1 August.
The last Quattro
The reason for such a steep figure isn’t solely down to this Audi Quattro’s pristine condition, even if that likely reflects the fact it shows just 15,537 km on the odometer.
According to the paperwork supplied with the car, this Quattro was the final one to leave the production line in Ingolstadt - Audi’s home - in 1991. Since then, it has had only two owners: the first kept it for 17 years, while the second owner (who has now sold it) looked after it for the following 13 years.
Because it is a 1991 car, it aligns with the model’s final year of production. Manufacturing had begun back in 1980, and over its long run the coupé went through several updates, with the last evolution arriving in 1989.
Audi Quattro 20V mechanical upgrades
That 1989 update brought a major mechanical change. The in-line five-cylinder engine that defined the model throughout its life (starting at 2144 cm³ and later growing to 2226 cm³) gained a multivalve cylinder head - four valves per cylinder - which is why it adopted the 20V designation (20 valves).
This lifted output from 200 cv to 220 cv and sharpened performance: 0–100 km/h dropped to 6.3s (from 7.1s), while top speed rose to 230 km/h (from 222 km/h).
It also came with a Torsen centre differential, a more effective solution than the centre differential on early Quattros, which used manual locking via a cable-operated system with levers positioned beside the handbrake.
Mileage and preservation
In reality, this Pearl White Audi Quattro 20V with a grey leather interior has barely covered enough distance to properly demonstrate those improvements.
The little over 15,000 km recorded were accumulated entirely by the first owner. The second owner did not add meaningful mileage, instead keeping it preserved in a controlled environment - literally in a bubble - in a similar way to the BMW 7 Series we reported on last year. To underline how little it has been used, the tyres fitted are still the original factory items: Pirelli P700-Z.
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