Ciao everyone, here it's Marchettino and let's start the rally stage!
Today I'm behind the wheel of a real icon of the 80's, the Audi Quattro.
It's an icon that marked the history in rallies and also in Audi's history,
it's a car with a long history. It's been introduced in 1980 and it had success since the beginning because this
was a proper sports luxury coupè and high performance Audi.
Nowadats we find the word Quattro on most Audis but this word has its origin here,
Quattro is in fact the famous AWD system introduced by Audi.. guess where? Right here!
It's a very innovative car because this is the first european production vehicle to adopt an AWD system, and what an AWD!
This system made the Audi Quattro a popular and winning car in rallies.
It was indeed very innovative the introduction of the AWD systemby Audi in rallies
and this allowed to beat the competition, in fact Audi won 4 world championships with the Quattro,
2 constructors and 2 pilot titles by making this car a true legend!
Just think that in 11 years of production, Audi developed several variants and overal more than 11.000 Quattro have been built,
the car I'm driving is from 1982 so it's a first series and the engine is 10 valves,
this, being 10 valves, is the engine that allowed Audi to win rallies.
In front we have a KKK-turbo that reaches 0,8bar, it doesn't boost high and the power and it delivers 200hp and 285nm of torque.
It's an old-school engine which means 'till 3500rpms the turbo is dead and then all of a sudden you feel the power come rough
and here it does 'till about 6500rpm.
And the sound, my goodness I love this 5 cylinder!
This car is almost 40 years old, it's a lady to treat with respect!
Also because spare parts aren't easy to find and they ain't cheap!
I have to admit, behind the wheel of a Quattro around these mountain roads with the snow on the side, I feel like Klausner!
This AWD keeps the car literally glued to the road, also because the power distribution is 50/50
and in even worse conditions it goes pretty much everywhere thanks also to the different locks of the differential, something we don't find anymore on modern cars.
Back in time, this car was a proper car compared to Ferrari and Porsche also because
with the innovative AWD this car was much more daily driveable and enjoiable than the classic RWD exotics.
Compared to its rivals, this had lots of positive things.
If we want to be precise, the Audi Quattro is called ur-Quattro because this is a german word used to define that this, the first proper AWD car.
It's not quick to build up the revs but once the turbo boost, damn it!
To make all these corners with speed I need to keep it at high revs to have the turbo boost.
We've hit the top quickly!
This car is on summer tires but with this AWD, it's like anything can stop it!
Here we have no electronics, no TC, no ABS, ABS has been introduced a little later
behind the wheel, the AWD alone give a strong feeling of safety and traction.
Another thing that impresses me by driving around these twisty roads, it's the directionality
because by the look it's big, wide and seems heavy as well
but it's not true because it weighs about 1250kg.
Behind the wheel of the Quattro, I can't imagine how crazy it is to drive a Group B version with 2-3 times the power!
Back in time, this car had high performance it was able to hit 100kph in 6,9s with a top speed of 220kph.
Basically, the current performance of an Abarth 500 but this, back in time, it was able to beat more iconic and expensive exotics!
And here, 0 electronics, it's another flavour to feel these performance!
Probably also for this reason the Audi Quattro has a high market value.
Currently this car has a high value but also back in time, brand new this car was expensive!
Just think it had a list price of about 90 millions Lire, to make a comparison? The Delta Integrale was about 40 millions Lire, this car cost twice!
In that period, heading to the top of the mountain on winter time and overtake those with Ferraris and Porsches that couldn't reach the chalet well.. priceless!
Here's an hairpin, right-2, sadly the owner said I can't use the handbrake.. easy then!
No Klausner-style hairpin!
Spending a day with this old glory, whose rally version truly marked the history.. how fascinating, what a car!
Thinking what the road and rally versions have reached 40 years ago, it leaves me speechless!
Rally stage is over! Make sure to Like the video if you enjoy, subscribe to my YouTube if you haven't yet and as always thanks for watching, ciao!
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