Pristine Audi Quattro Turbo Grabs $96K At Auction

The car has been sold for £72,050 (about $96,600) at Classic Car Auctions' biggest one day sale of the year, thus managing to fetch double than the original lower estimate.

Audi produced just a little over 11,000 examples of the Quattro sports car between 1980 and 1991. First making its debut at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show in 1980, the Quattro quickly cemented itself as a force to be reckoned with on the world rally stage – and now collectors are yearning to relive the glory days.

This particular Quattro, a low-mileage, two-owner, right-hand-drive 20 V is heading to auction as part of the Classic Car Auctions (CCA) September sale. The pristine Audi has driven just 32,233 miles (51,857 kilometers) since new, and remains in completely original condition, everything from the engine bay to the interior.

The body is finished in a unique Tornado Red, while the interior features the original three-spoke steering wheel design, leather covered door arm rests, glove boxes, center console, door pockets, and partial leather seats with 'quattro' stitched upholstery. It even comes with its original cassette player.

Power comes courtesy of the same 2.2-liter inline-five engine that came from the factory, which first made its debut in the Quattro in 1989. Brand new, performance would be somewhere in the neighborhood 217 horsepower (162 kilowatts) with a top speed of 143 miles per hour (230 kilometers per hour).

"Finding an original 20 V Quattro is hard enough in the current marketplace, but one with low mileage is a truly special proposition," said Richard Greenhalgh, classic car specialist at CCA. "With world rally winning pedigree and a growing cult status, the demand for low-mileage Quattros is surely going to increase for many years to come."

Early estimates suggest that this example could go for anywhere from £35,000 to £40,000 ($45,220 to $51,000) when it crosses the auction block next month. The CCA September sale will take place at the Warwickshire Exhibition Center in the U.K. on September 23rd.