Registration: LSU919Y
Chassis: 85DA900730
Odometer: 99,023
Transmission: Manual
MOT: Exempt

• Desirable Amazon Blue and a UK right-hand drive car
• Non-sunroof shell
• Ripe for restoration

A true legend, rewriting the rule book of international rallying (in motorsport trim) and forcing rival manufacturers to rethink what road cars with superior traction could - and should offer. Quite literally, it blazed a new trail. ‘Ur’ – the original.

The story began with Audi chassis engineer Jörg Bensinger, who spent a winter in Finland testing the Audi-developed Volkswagen 183 Iltis—a four-wheel-drive vehicle developed for the West German military, forestry and hunting. He discovered that, on snow, it could outperform every other vehicle regardless of layout or power. Inspired, Bensinger proposed a four-wheel-drive version of the Audi 80 Coupé to Audi’s leadership—and the rest, as they say, is history.

Re-designed from the existing Audi Coupe body by Ogle Design’s Martin Smith (fun fact – the Englishman designed the Luke’s landspeeder in ‘Star Wars’ 1977), the resulting car was unveiled to widespread acclaim at the 1980 Geneva Motor Show, before reaching European customers later that year. Initially, power came from a 2,144cc inline five-cylinder, 10V (valve) SOHC engine equipped with both a turbocharger and intercooler. For the first time, the mass market experienced the compelling combination of turbocharged performance and four-wheel drive—and the effect was nothing short incomparable.

The previous history of this particular Ur-Quattro is limited, although we have gathered what we can ascertain here, as best as we can. Finished in the attractive Amazon Blue Metallic, ‘LSU 919Y’ is a right-hand drive UK‑market Ur-Quattro with chassis number WAUzzz85zDA900730, which seems to correspond to a build date between 30th September 1982 and 31st October 1982 and first registered on 9th January 1983, therefore we understand it to be a relatively early UK right-hand drive car.

A ‘flat fronted’ iteration, it is also one of the early facelifted cars – visibly identified by the integrated high and low beam in a single headlight unit. It should be noted, it has a non-sunroof shell, often sought after for conversion to a Quattro used for motorsport.

Worthy of a restoration, this Ur-Quattro has been in its current ownership since 2022, although very recent plans to restore the car have unfortunately come to a halt due to ill-health. Recent ownership has been with a former area organiser of one of the Audi Quattro-related owners clubs. The interior appears complete, including the iconic Green/Brown velour seats, analogue dash, period in-car entertainment and that ‘turbo’ steering wheel. And, of course, it sits on Ronal alloys.

It is fitted with engine number WR003225 – the first production engine, found on the earlier cars, a 2,144cc inline 5, SOHC 10v (valve), turbocharged engine producing approx. 197 bhp and with mechanical fuel injection (K-Jetronic). We understand the car has been run in the last few years and won’t run on the key due to a vacuum issue in the K-Jetronic fuel injection system, quite common on this design of system.

This car could have stories to tell, from appearances only. We could ask the question ‘has it been breathed-on in-period, with existing visual signs that Brian Ricketts of BR Motorsport (est. c.1987) could have been involved in the tuning of this car? All we have is a Red-painted rocker cover of the 5-cylinder engine and the remains of the name ‘BR Motorsport’ in White. Or, could it just be a car enthusiast’s visual homage to the famous tuning specialist? Sadly, Brian and BR Motorsport aren’t around anymore, and records are limited to non-existent, however, a former editor of one of the premier VW magazines of the 1980s has stated that he understands that BR Motorsport tuned many 5-cylinder Quattros in the day.

Ripe for restoration, it sits well and is very complete and certainly fully deserving of putting back on the road. ‘LSU 919Y’ is offered with a detached chassis plate - that is numbers correct to those on the car - included in the history file, along with a few pieces of paperwork. The current V5C registration document is also on file and is dated from 2022.