1989 Audi UR Quattro 10v MB

We’re always impressed when an owner has the confidence to drive their classic car to our HQ near Abingdon – but we’ve never had anyone bring one all the way from Jersey!

But then this Audi Quattro proves how versatile modern classics from the eighties and nineties can be, offering iconic looks allied to near-modern levels of performance and reliability.

Previously registered here in the UK as ‘G457 BPB’, this 1989 example has been in the seller’s care for the past eight years. It is currently on Jersey plates as ‘JI 3045’, shows 64,000 miles on the odometer, and is currently here with us at our Oxfordshire HQ.

Beautifully presented thanks to a recent high-quality respray and a valet that included having the engine bay cleaned with dry ice, it also drives very well with strong performance and no untoward knocks or rattles.

It’s easy to forget just how damned goodlooking the original Quattro is – until you see one that’s been as beautifully conserved as this.

Admire then the boxy flared wheelarches which covered the wider wheels in the most elegant (and cost-effective!) way possible. The deep chin spoiler too, and the rear wing which work in concert to keep it planted at high speed.

Alpine White is a great colour, not least because it emphasises the Quattro’s shutlines, which show up like Sharpie-drawn lines against a white background: Audi is known for the tightness and consistency of its panel alignment but we hadn’t appreciated how far back that accuracy went because there aren’t many cars of the era as well screwed together as this.

Mind you, it probably helps that the seller is a professional body man, and he resprayed the Quattro back to its original colour around three months ago.

This appears to have been done to a high standard as we couldn’t see any drips, runs, or orange peel to the finish, only a small amount of overspray on the boot and one window rubber and sanding marks on the driver’s door.

There are no dents or dinks to it either, nor any ripples along its flanks – and it hasn’t even had time to accumulate the inevitable stonechips. There are receipts on file for new side decals too, and the door and window seals all look to be still nice and plump.

The sunroof also seals tightly, and it appears to still be waterproof as there are no stains on the headlining. It also works smoothly, including the tilt function.

Oh, and anyone who was about in the late eighties and nineties will recognise the armour door plates we had to fit to stop scallywags jemmying them open with a screwdriver. (You’ll also recognise the door handles, which were used on pretty much every VAG car of the era.)

The original equipment 8Jx15 alloy wheels are in a fine condition with only a little paint loss around their rims – and it does look paint loss rather than kerbing scars – marring an otherwise flawless condition.

It sits with a great stance too; purposeful but not so low as to make it unusable, it is still every inch the rally weapon.

The tyres are a matching set of 225/50R15 Toyo Proxes TR from 2023. All have good tread left on them, but then they have only covered a couple of thousand miles since being fitted.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The Cibie headlamps are clear and free of chips and cracks, as are the smoked rear lamps and the Perspex panel that links them.

As for flaws, the nearside front bumper is a bit wobbly where it meets the adjacent wing. It has also had a localised repair made to it and is held in place with non-standard fasteners.

The nearside door has a small chip on its trailing edge, and the same sill has a minor scuff. The side windows are also quite badly scratched, and the offside boot hinge is missing a cover.

You’d expect a car with the Quattro’s performance to have good seating and that’s exactly what you get; firm and supportive, the pronounced side bolsters on the half-leather seats will keep you and your passenger pinned firmly in place no matter what high-G shenanigans you get up to.

Of course, the downside to having such a heavily-sculpted shape is the wear ‘n’ tear that’s caused by simply getting in and out. So, these do show the usual creasing and loss of colour on its outer edges of the driver’s seat, along with a little softening to the offside lower bolster. Both front seats also have loose seams on their base cushion.

The rear seats are in an impressive condition with nothing more than the odd dimple in the leather to betray their age. They might not be quite as supportive as those in the front but it’s only a matter of degree and they’ll still cradle their occupants better than most.

The carpets are in a very good condition, including the plastic heel protector. And they’re protected by Coupé floor mats.

The headlining is in good order with none of the drooping we sometimes see. It’s also free of stains and damage, including the section that covers the tilt ‘n’ slide sunroof.

The head unit is a more modern Sony CD player/radio and the matching CD multichanger is fitted in the (large, well-trimmed, and very clean) boot. The boot also contains a full-size and matching spare alloy wheel, which is fitted with a 195/55R15 Nankang tyre. The boot floor appears to be solid and still wearing a decent coat of black paint.

An auxiliary oil pressure gauge has been fitted near the driver’s left knee, which seems like a good idea.

The door lock buttons feature the legend ‘POWER LOCK’, which is a lovely 1980s touch even if it highlights the warped trim at the top of the nearside door card.

Everything we tested works exactly as it should, which leaves the only other faults being missing pixels on the dashboard, an AWOL driver’s mirror adjuster, a loose instrument cluster, broken plastic inside the ashtray, a stain on the nearside front carpet, a worn steering wheel, and marks on the central switchpanel.

The handbrake warning light also comes on when the car is under boost. No, we can’t explain that either.

Our man describes the engine bay as being “close to perfection” which isn’t an expression we ever thought we’d hear.

But then we rarely hear him say that it “drives perfectly” either, so either he’s been sniffing the PRITT stick again or this is an unusually good example of the breed.

Our money is on the latter because A.M. Cars of Axminster carried out a £2,800 service in December 2023, which included four new strut top mounts, a new fuel filter and pump, and fitting four new tyres.

In fact, the seller rates the firm so highly he sent his Quattro to them to have it checked over when he bought it first. Sadly, that invoice has been lost.

It’s clear the Quattro has received the best possible care, no matter how inconvenient because when an engine mount failed and cracked the inlet manifold in July 2020, he sent it all the way to Highland Quattro in northern Scotland to be fixed.

There are also receipts on file for new induction cowls and hoses from earlier this year.

No surprise then that the 10-valve ‘MB’ engine starts on the turn of a key and settles into an immediate idle. It goes on to rev smoothly with that distinctive five-cylinder beat, and makes all the right noises from the exhaust.

The auxiliary gauge shows good oil pressure at idle, and this builds in line with the revs. The only dashboard warning light is for (we think) a bulb or other lighting problem, and we didn’t see any excessive or coloured smoke coming out of the exhaust.

Moving underneath, the underside has been recently spritzed with black wax, a substance the seller prefers over underseal. This leaves the only visible corrosion being to the offside front wheelarch, the area around the offside front footwell, the offside sill seam, and the reverse of a body panel (photo 58/64).

The Audi does not have an MoT certificate, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for having been exported.

The history file includes MoT certificates dating back to 1995, tax discs spanning the years between 1997 and 2014, and many, many receipts for parts over the years.

The Jersey registration document lists the car as being purple. This is probably related to the time the colour was changed to a grey by a previous owner, who took it to live with him in Portugal for a while.

UK duty and/or VAT might be due, even though it was previously registered here. Obviously, this wouldn’t be the case if it were to return to Jersey or be exported elsewhere before the end of the year.

True icons are rarely than you think; say ‘911’ and the name could mean different things to different people: Say ‘Quattro’ though, and everyone will picture the same car.

The hard part is finding the right example, one that’s been looked after yet kept as original as possible.

A car like this, in fact.

Recently resprayed in Alpine White and still fitted with its original half-leather interior, the fact there are a few minor jobs still to do – including registering it here in the UK – could actually work in your favour by keeping the price down.

Because our estimate is that it will only sell for somewhere between £35,000 and £40,000, a sum that could leave you grinning in satisfaction in the not-too-distant future.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.