The oldest Audi quattro still in existence - Lord of burnt rings

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The oldest Audi quattro still in existence - Lord of burnt rings

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Created on March 4, 2021

Text:

Daniel Reinhard

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

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Audi quattro (1981) - Turn ashes into gold, or a rally legend

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Audi quattro (1981) - Used only once in the 1981 Corsica Rally

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Audi quattro (1981) - Greeting the cows in the rally legend

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Audi quattro (1981) - A powerful appearance

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Audi quattro (1981) - As wide as a Group B monster should be

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Audi quattro (1981) - rally and road version

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Audi quattro (1981) - The road version looks like a well-behaved angel next to the extreme rally sports car

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Audi quattro (1981) - It all began with it

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Audi quattro (1981) - in no way outdated

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Audi quattro (1981) - When cockpits were still real workplaces

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Audi quattro (1981) - A speedometer is completely unnecessary on such a monster

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Audi quattro (1981) - toggle switch, typical racing car

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Audi quattro (1981) - The pedals are almost artistic

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Audi quattro (1981) - The heart of the five-cylinder engine

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Audi quattro (1981) - This is what the wreck looked like before reconstruction

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Audi quattro (1981) - There used to be a steering wheel here

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Audi quattro (1981) - Work on the engine

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Audi quattro (1981) - The burnt-out brakes

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Audi quattro (1981) - The bodywork after initial treatment

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Audi quattro (1981) - The second wedding

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Audi quattro (1981) - The second wedding

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Audi quattro (1981) - Joining forces to find historical clues for the reconstruction

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Audi quattro (1981) - Joining forces to find historical clues for the reconstruction

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Audi quattro (1981) - Great emphasis was placed on originality

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Audi quattro (1981) - The quattro's second christening

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Audi quattro (1981) - The paintwork was the easiest of all

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Audi quattro (1980) - test drives together with VW Iltis in Turrach in 1980 - many parts of the quattro drivetrain had their origin in the Volkswagen off-road vehicle

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Audi quattro (1980) - The maker and his work; Ferdinand Piëch cannot hide his delight at the successful all-wheel drive coup

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Audi Quattro (1980) - how it was presented to the world

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Audi quattro (1980) - early press photo in the snow

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Audi Quattro (1980) - early photo of the series Quattro

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Audi Quattro (1980) - what is the Quattro doing in the vineyard?

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Audi Quattro (1980) - too many Quattro owners probably didn't hang a boat on the sports car, but it was possible

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Audi Quattro (1980) - colored upholstery for passenger and driver's seat

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Audi quattro (1980) - See-through drawing - All-wheel drive technology made visible

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Audi Quattro (1980) - sectional drawing shows the additional differential between front and rear axle

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Audi Quattro (1980) - Five-cylinder engine with turbocharger

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Audi Quattro (1980) - Original Quattro premiere at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show

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Audi quattro (1980) - Premiere at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show

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Audi quattro (1980) - World premiere of the 200 hp all-wheel-drive coupé - Geneva Motor Show 1980

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Audi quattro (1980) - Ferdinand Piëch at the presentation of the quattro principle at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show

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Audi quattro (1980) - Chassis with permanent all-wheel drive - Geneva Motor Show 1980

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Audi Quattro (1980) - Front suspension seen from the driver's perspective

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Summary

When a car collection goes up in flames, it is always a cause for mourning. But if one of the burnt cars is a car that made rally history, there is no other option, at least for a true enthusiast, than to rebuild the car as originally as possible without sparing any expense. This article explains how a burnt rally Audi quattro was restored and turned out to be the oldest Audi quattro still in existence.

This article contains the following chapters

Surprising realization
A look back at the 70s
Rally use
Long career until retirement
Elaborate rebirth
Repeated setbacks

Estimated reading time: 8min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Bönningstedt (Pinneberg district) - 20.01.2011 - 12:42 p.m. - Fire alarm due to automatic conveyor belt alarm system - large industrial hall is on fire - major alarm for 275 emergency services from 9 fire departments - the black column of smoke is visible for miles - it is impossible to enter the hall due to high risk of collapse - no rescue for inventory and furnishings - total loss. This hall also housed a top-class private car collection. The destructive power of the flames and the enormous heat destroyed almost everything, the super disaster had occurred. Countless exhibits, including ultra-rare rarities, one-offs and prototypes of inestimable value, as well as an original Audi works rally Quattro, were apparently lost. An enthusiastic collector and car enthusiast from Austria expressed his interest in the remains. As a Quattro enthusiast, he was inspired by the idea of resurrecting this motorsport relic.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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