A motor car of considerable technical merit, the Audi Quattro has rapidly attained cult status during recent years. When introduced in 1983, the Quattro’s road holding was truly phenomenal and nothing came close to it on the international rally circuit. It was the Quattro and the imitators it spawned which led to the ban of the still-born Group B ‘Supercar’ class, due to a number of high-speed testing incidents. Finally, Audi themselves withdrew from international rallying having won every major championship and having no more to prove. They held genuine concerns for the safety of spectators, given the woeful crowd control at many events during the 1980s, and the ever-increasing speeds of the cars. Quattros continue to this day to be highly competitive in the hands of privateers in many events, including hill climbs and rallycross, whilst for those seeking a latter day classic of extreme competence, they currently represent sound value.
