Clean 1991 Audi V8 Quattro

This car has made the blog rounds (deservedly so) and because I love the V8 Quattro (as they were simply called back then) I'm going to do my bit too.

The V8 Quattro debuted in 1988 and lasted until 1993. Audi were having a hard time in the 80s. Their lower range models were suffering from a media-induced hysteria over unintentional acceleration. 60 Minutes even went so far as to fabricate a report! The damage was unbelievable. Sales plummeted and I believe 1990-1991 was their all time low.

Wealthy people were missing out, however. The V8 Quattro had nothing to do with the acceleration debacle and offered one hell of an alternative from Mercedes and BMW. Firstly, it was fresh and new looking. Clean lines, squared off corners, minimal chrome, flared fenders and huge front and rear lights.

Second, it offered a mechanical combination no one else did: V8 power and all-wheel drive. BMW only offered the rather ridiculous V12 750iL and the underpowered 6-cylinder 735i, and Mercedes's biggest and most powerful was the 8-cylinder 560SE/SEL. But they were rear-wheel drive. Audi offered the power of eight cylinders with the traction of all-wheel drive. For people who didn't care about fuel consumption to start with and wanted an even more sure-footed driving experience, the Audi would have been a revelation.

Inside, occupants were treated to exquisitely carved driver-oriened shapes and surfaces with a whole bunch of extra analogue gauges for the geek inside. Seats were huge and comfy. Real wood was swathed everywhere.

Since it was a big expensive car that came out when Audi was unpopular and an economic recession was just setting in, very few V8 Quattro were sold, and even fewer survive today. Resale values plummeted and they were mostly acquired for very cheap in the 90s then abandoned as the price of parts surged. Interestingly, they rarely rusted away as other German cars from the 80s have because Audi brilliantly used galvanized steel on the handsome bodies.

All that makes this puppy a rare find. At 106k miles, it's already broken in, but the mileage and overall condition indicate it must have been pretty well take care of so far. Let's hope the next owner keeps it stock and maintained. It will guzzle premium gas like a truck and be pricey to fix, but it's a sweet vintage ride that won't ever let you get stuck in the snow.

Availble here on ebay for the pretty reasonable asking price of $3,900.

1984 Audi Ur Quattro

These are cult cars because they were raced in several rally championships, and were the first cars to do so using all-wheel drive. Audi hasn't really made anything like it since.

Although they were produced for over a decade, only 664 were sold here from 1983-1986. Fortunately, this example wears wider wheels and nicer headlights than earlier examples do. It also looks sharp in black (and mercifully not the often seen red or white) and seems to still be wearing the original decals.

Styling is not everyone's tastes and is more harsh boxy Volkswagen-ish than the soft curves Audi is better known for. Still, it's a great example of form over function, in that it looks exactly what it was intended to be: a high performance all-season hatchback sports car.

The seller is a classic car dealer who acquired this from a private party. Cosmetically, they state the paint is original and there is no rust. However, they do say there are some nicks in the paint and some light scratches and fading on the hood. Inside, the say the upholstery still smells strong but the driver's seat has some wear.

Mechanically, they note the engine is an original WX code turbocharged 10-valve 5-cylinder engine. The original displacement was 2.1 liters, but they upgraded it to 2.2.

They state the mileage as 150,000.

Fortunately, the seller says the vehicle is now running and shifting fine.

It seems ready to go.

There can't be many left, and the rally heritage boosts its value in the eyes of automotive aficionados.

Available here on ebay in Vergennes, Vermont with 29 bids at $7,700, reserve not met and 5 days left.

One Year Only: 1991 Audi 200 20v Turbo Quattro Avant

File this under 'cars I desperately want but are hopelessly endangered and outdated anyways by now '. In other words, I'll probably never own one.

Still, my pulse quickens at the sight of this Audi in the perfect shade of gunmetal grey that contrasts beautifully with the black plastic trim and gorgeous silver recessed cross-spoke alloys. Cars just don't have these sleek and tasteful details anymore. Heck, cars don't even have anti-ding side molding anymore. Why get rid of something when it served a great functional and aesthetic purpose? Oh the wisdom of horizontal lines on cars.

You also have to just 'get' this thing. Audi in the '80s were still pretty underneath the radar and not the upper-crust bling mobiles they are today. Their cars still shared a lot of DNA with Volkswagen, and the styling was extremely conservative but still more forward than old-world rivals Mercedes and BMW. Then there was also the acceleration debacle when a slanderous 60 Minutes report that was later dis-proven supposedly showed Audi 5000 cars with unintentional acceleration. Audi renamed the 5000 to 100 and 200, but the damage was already done. It hurt their car sales and reputation so badly Audi only came out of the darkness by the new millennium, around the time they introduced the TT and revived the brand. So an Audi car from the '80s is a rare, dark horse, best-kept secret kind of thing.

This '91 example comes from their their old heyday - or lowday if you consider that according to a comment on Bring a Trailer citing that only a mere 157 were imported for one year only, 1991. How many can be left? Half? A third? These were bought in colder climates with harsh weather and driven a lot, so finding any surviving, intact example is near-miraculous.

What makes this so special aren't just the depressingly low production and importation numbers. It's the car itself. This car has a 2.2-litre inline 5-cylinder 20-valve turbocharged engine producing a very healthy 220 horsepower powering all four wheels with Audi's patented 'Quattro' 4WD system and mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Try saying that in one breath. All packaged in an attractive body with power leather seats and a huge wagon/hatchback trunk. There aren't many other cars with that much power and practicality. In fact, there are just about none, save for perhaps Audi's latest wagons at unattainable prices.

Find the autotrader listing here and the dealer page via autotrader here in Sugar Creek, Missouri for only $2,500.