1985 Audi Sport quattro homologation special up for auction

If you accused MOTOR of only being interested in fast or fun cars, you’d be pretty close to the mark.

If you said we only want the newest and most high-rolling cars to test, you’d be very, very wrong.

This 37-year-old example should set the record straight, as it got us all picturing how much fun it would be to wallop a 256kW German rally legend around in the dirt.

It’s about to find its next owner, thanks to RM Sotheby’s, and even the auction photos show it getting a glimpse of its potential.

Though we wouldn’t want to see it crash, there were only about 200 built, and 164 sold.

It’s had an upgrade, too. Shortly after it began its life, it had its engine swapped out for a steel block, as the originals tended to crack.

The original factory Sport quattro only put out about 30kW less.

While that’s not a lot by today’s standards, the lack of driving assistance makes for a more involved experience. It’s part of the reason the hot hatch craze was born in the ‘70s, but didn’t thrive until the ‘80s.

Sotheby’s says the car has, in recent times, undergone work on the front axle wheel bearings and drive shaft, been given a new distributor, spark plugs and air mass meter, and a new windscreen.

“Since 2012, this Sport quattro has been stored in a warehouse, having been moved regularly, and is thought to have travelled less than 10,000 kilometres in the last 10 years,” the auctioneer says.

“Prior to the sale, this car will be subject to a full Audi inspection, with all necessary work taken care of, including new belts.”

They're expecting it to pick up between 300,000 and 350,000 euros, or up to 522,000 of our own dollars.