Today, it’s hard to comprehend the impact
Audi’s Quattro made when it was introduced at the 1980 Geneva motor show. With
its four-wheel drive, turbocharged five-cylinder engine and electronic engine
management, the Quattro was synonymous with rallying, but its blistered-arch
shape has also become emblematic of that decade.
Barely a day goes by without a story of
Audi resurrecting the Quattro, but Roger Galvin of the Quattro Workshop
(quattrowarkshop.com, 91455 2088037) would like to see Audi increase its spares
inventory for the original car before it makes a new one. With the oldest
Quattros now in their 30s, sourcing parts has become problematic. Body panels,
exhaust manifolds, sub-frame bushes, ABS sensor caps and many other parts are
becoming hard find.
Audi
Quattro
About a quarter of the 11,452 Quattros
built came to the UK, where a dedicated group of owners and specialists helps
to keep the remaining cars on the road. It’s not as easy as it was, but Galvin
says quattrocorner.com is a good place to go for parts. “If they’ve not got it,
it’ll be difficult to find it,” he says.
Prices for cars and parts are creeping up,
though. It’s possible to buy a Quattro for around $7,500, says Galvin, but it’s
likely you’ll need at least that again to get it running right. Good examples
start at around $15,000, although the best cars can be double or triple that.
The SWB Sport Quattro, of which 164 road examples were built, exist in a very
different, and rarefied, price category.
The Quattro was offered in three guises,
known as WR, MB and RR. The original WRs were built from 1980 to 1987. The MB
was a short run between 1987 and 1989 and the 20-valve RR was built between
1989 and 1991. The earliest WRs were offered in LHD only, with RHD cars
arriving in 1982.
Post-1983, the quad headlights were
replaced by single-piece Cibie units, the Quattro gained a green digital
dashboard and the previously optional switchable ABS was made standard. A new
steering wheel and lowered suspension arrived in 1984 and the grille and
headlights were modified in 1985. A body-colored boot spoiler also featured.
Changes in 1988 brought a new orange digital display (Galvin says you should
never jump-start a Quattro, as the power spike blows the dash’s capacitors and
resistors, requiring its fiddly removal and repair.
Audi
Quattro interior
The WR came with a 197bhp, 2144cc, 10-valve
turbocharged five-cylinder engine; the MB’s capacity grew to 2226cc and gained
hydraulic tappets and a water-cooled turbo. It also benefited from electronic
fuelling and a Torsen center diff. the final RR retains the MB’s capacity but
features a 20-valve head and a pair of catalytic converters. Power grew to
217bhp.
A well maintained WR should needing a
rebuild (the canted-over engine has a tendency to wear its bores oval, with
high oil consumption being a tell-tale sign). A top and bottom-end rebuild will
cost round $8,250. The MB and RR five-pots are less prone to wear thanks to
higher compression ratios and lower boost pressure. Galvin reckons those cars
should give an additional 50,000 miles before requiring major attention.
Common problems in all are exhaust
manifolds, which crack and break up, ultimately destroying the turbo and
possibly the engine. Audi no longer stock manifolds, though Dialynx makes a
replacement. Galvin says it’s crucial to start any prospective purchase when
cold, as heat will expand the manifold and mask the problem. Inspection
requires removal of the offside headlamp and induction hose before using a
mirror to check for cracks.
Heads can crack between the valves, with a
rebuild costing anywhere from $3,000 to $3,750. MB and RR heads are more robust
than WRs. Turbo are relatively reliable, though, and servicing isn’t expensive,
but a cambelt change should be done every 45,000 miles or five years. Running
costs are commensurate with its age and rarity, but increasing part scarcity
means running one will require commitment. It is, however, well worth the
effort.
