Quattro. The name that thoroughly disrupted rally racing in the early 1980s. Prior to the appearance of Quattro, the rally formula had become set in stone by Lancia: Lightweight, punchy mid-engine, rear-drive monster with a short wheelbase and the ability to scream out of a corner. And it was a good recipe, indeed: the wedgy Stratos took the world by storm, and the 037 Rally, a shadow of the more mundane Montecarlo, took it’s place for the early stages of Group B. In fact, the 037 Rally was the last successful rear-wheel-drive rally car made. What changed? Audi took the 80 coupe, fitted it with the company’s “quattro” four-wheel-drive system, added a turbocharged inline-five, and cut them loose on unsuspecting racers and the unsuspecting public late in 1980. The combination of a stout power plant and the grip provided by four wheels scratching at the dirt overwhelmed rally racing and sent manufacturers to the drawing boards to come up with something that could possibly beat the car that shut Lancia down cold. The Quattro even managed to out-live Group B Rally itself, with a win at Pikes Peak in 1987 at the hands of Walter Röhrl. Carfection recently got to spend some time with some well-kept Quattros, including the short-wheelbase Quattro Sport and the winged-and-spoilered Quattro Sport S1. Hearing the story of the car from genesis to present from one of Audi’s company historians will give you insight on the nature of these wicked machines. And see if you pick up on the Pikes Peak hint we’re telling you to listen for…that would be something to see.
