One to Buy: ex-Yoshikuni Okamoto 1984 Audi Quattro Sport
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Although Audi had produced evolutionary A1 and A2 variants of the regular Quattro which between them recorded ten WRC victories during 1983 and ‘84, the firm’s first proper Group B special based on their legendary all-wheel drive model, the Quattro Sport, didn’t emerge until mid-way through the 1984 season.
However, despite Audi winning both the 1984 Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles (to go with their ‘82 Manufacturers’ and ‘83 Drivers’ championships), the Quattro Sport ultimately secured just two WRC victories for the Ingolstadt marque (at the 1984 Ivory Coast event and ‘85 Rally Sanremo – the latter using a further uprated E2 variant).
The reason for this was largely Audi’s determination not start with a clean sheet for their Group B special unlike rival manufacturers Peugeot and Lancia. Instead, Audi management wanted a car derived from the normal Quattro as they reasoned a switch to an all-new machine in such a short space of time would reflect badly on the production model.
Irrespective of its limited WRC success, the Quattro Sport has since come to be regarded as among the most sought after Group B specials.
Just 214 were originally manufactured, a particularly interesting example of which is set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s sale at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix on January 25th.
One of 48 Alpine White examples built and possibly the only Quattro Sport originally delivered to Japan, chassis ‘905147’ was purchased new by Japanese industrialist and renowned collector, Yoshikuni Okamoto of Kobe.
Having today covered a little under 9000km, this unrestored Quattro Sport presents a rare opportunity to purchase a US-domiciled example of arguably Audi’s most iconic production model.
