Guide Price: £7,000 - £10,000
Highlights
・Freshly recommissioned Audi Coupe
・Stunning condition with rare interior trim
・Refurbished alloys
・Full leather
THE BACKGROUND
The Audi Quattro ‘B3’ was an eighties technology leader, with innovations including galvanised bodywork and its ‘Procon-Ten’ safety system, which used a very clever crash structure to pull the front end of the car way from the passengers in case of an accident.
It was the car with which Audi pioneered it ‘Vorsprung Durch Technik’ catchphrase, meaning ‘Forwards Through Technology’ – a sentiment that has been true to the brand ever since.
The B3, though, was the car that started that all off – and the Quattro Coupé model is the B3 at its absolute best. A striking, rounded three-door with class-leading aerodynamics and exceptional build quality, it was a great car in 1990 and it still is today.
THE HISTORY
This example was acquired by its current owner in May 2019 and he has worked hard over the past two years to take it from the “dry stored car” which he discovered, to the remarkable condition it is in now.
Prior to his ownership the car was owned by an Audi specialist engineer, who had intended to refurbish the vehicle. How-ever lack of time and finances prevented the project from being started; until the car was spotted by the current owner, who purchased the vehicle and financed the full refurbishment that can be seen and purchased today.
THE PAPERWORK
In terms of paperwork the V5C is in the vendor’s name and a MOT certificate is valid until January 2022. A recent receipt for the four-wheel laser alignment is available and a host of photographs that shows that “no expense” has been spared to ensure the car is one of the best available today.
The vendor has acquired many new parts for the Audi, these include a new front windscreen glass, secondary cooling radiator, new moulded side trims imported from Germany, new Clutch, an engine rebuild with the head skimmed and new crankshaft all fitted by the “Audi specialist engineer” to identify only a few.
The original alloy wheels have been refurbished with new tyres, all brakes have been refurbished and a refurbished Started Motor and Alternator have been fitted, in fact more than £9000 has been spent to bring the Audi to the condition it is today.
THE EXTERIOR
The photos show the car is in really excellent condition and the car has been stripped down as required to professionally repaint the car in the original colour of Audi Alpine white. Without question the Audi's galvanisation body work had ensured no corrosion at all was evident, a testimony to the Audi Quality concept. Quite incredible that the 30 - year old Audi Coupé had survived to this day in entirely rot-free condition.
Given the attention to detail it has since seen from the vendor, it will hopefully remain that way for a long time to come. As well as cleaning and detailing the paint, he has fitted new exterior trim has had the original brushed steel alloys refurbished and fitted with new tyres.
It's an amazing looking car that's in superb condition and which looks terrific from every angle.
THE INTERIOR
A similar story unfolds inside the cabin where the black leather seats are in fine fettle. The vendor reports that when he acquired the car, it needed a thorough and deep clean but when carrying this out he discovered that beneath it, the car was in truly exceptional condition.
It has rare tartan-patterned door cards and a series of supplementary gauges to show oil temperature and pressure and battery charge. There's also a switch adjacent to the handbrake with which the differentials can be locked to give full four-wheel-drive traction and this is fully operational.
A lovely period Blaupunkt radio with Blue Tooth and new Speakers is fitted in the cabin, a useful concession to modernity if you wish to use the car on a daily basis.
Also worthy of note is the electric sunroof which opens and closes in both directions and operates perfectly.
THE MECHANICS
With 163bhp on offer the Audi is quite lively for a car of its era and the vendor reports that it drives exactly as you'd expect it to. It starts at the first turn of the key and idles steadily, holding a good and even temperature.
One of its more charming features is its distinctive five-cylinder burble, which is brimming with character. The 2.3 power plant is a 10- valve unit which is renowned for being tough and reliable and although this example has covered almost 170,000 miles, with the recent engine rebuild it could easily be good enough to do the same mileage again.
The seller reports that the car is in great mechanical order and that the steering, brakes suspension and four-wheel-drive system all work as they are supposed to.
THE APPEAL
This is a lovely, well-presented and largely original example of one of the more unusual executive coupes of the 1990s.
Audi Quattro B3 Coupés are getting harder and harder to find, especially in a condition like this, which is an exceptionally clean well-presented and evidently well-sorted car that will be both a reliable and truly enjoyable slice of depreciation-proof 1990s retro for its next owner. Grab a true bargain now and enjoy “as this is a real future Classic” at an affordable price.
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
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