Pre-production Right-hand drive Audi Quattro for auction

A pre-production right-hook Audi Quattro is up for auction in the UK, with a relatively affordable price tag attached.

If we’re talking rare classics, the £50,000 to £60,000 (AUD$90,000 to $108,000) estimation isn’t astronomical, especially given its believed only one other pre-production RHD car like it exists.

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If you’re wondering how a prototype exists two years after the original reveal of the Quattro, it’s because originally there weren’t meant to be right-hook examples. According to Silverstone, it was the UK that gave Audi grief until Audi succumbed.

“Audi was eventually persuaded by the UK importer to consider extending production and building right-hand drive models,” Silverstone says.

“As this was never planned, 12 prototype pre-production cars were built with features unique to the early ‘C’ chassis cars; quad headlamps, and different suspension and brakes. The production right-hand drive cars were launched as ‘83 model ‘D’ chassis numbers without these items.”

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This car is reported to have sat unused for two decades by a previous owner, before being restored to roadworthy condition via a ‘mechanical recommissioning’ in 2016, which was soon followed by a re-spray.

Silverstone is offering the car with its original rego combination, plus the 71,853 miles (approx. 115,611km) the car has racked up in the 15 or so years it was being driven.

Of course, the Quattro went on to be quite a successful rally car, with plenty of rally victories to its name from around the world, until it cumulated in the ultimate expression of the Quattro – the S1.