I drove an Audi UR-quattro today

[TFJ100]

For those who went to Motorclassica, there was an Audi quattro up for auction. It was passed in but I was able to contact the owner and take it for a drive.

Around the time when I was forming opinions about cars (c 1981), this one made a big impression on me (pre-Alfa days). As there are not many around, getting a drive of one to see what they are really like has not been easy. Since I have recently been looking for a 5-seater to replace my 2001 GTV V6, this one could have been an option. My basis for comparison was my GTV, newer, but more available in Australia.

The Audi's interior looked a bit crummy, but admittedly things like indicator stalks worked. A few things didn't like air-conditioning, and maybe the diff-lock. The seats and carpets were in good nick, as is the body.

In terms of a drive, maybe I am being too harsh comparing it to an 18 year newer car. A drive like this also makes you newly aware about what is good and bad about your own car.

The Audi's steering on pretty vague and the wheel shook in my hands (the GTV has very direct steering), the gearbox was slow in the 1-2 plane, although didn't graunch. Being an early turbo engine, you notice the difference between off-boost and on-boost. It really did have a bit of a steam-train feel if you floor it at 3500rpm. But, overall, you'd really take the Alfa engine every day of the week, even if just for the noise. The Audi 5-cylinder has some charm, but doesn't sing quite like an Arese V6.

You do notice the grip when flooring it out of tight turns but otherwise the steering blunted your ability to feel and enjoy what was going on.

So in summary, a car with potential, but let down by the disconnected feel of the engine/gearbox/steering. And therein lies the the story of the GTV - those three things are each strengths, and when you put them all together you can really hustle the car. Disregard that it has a harsh ride, its handling (particularly on a race track) does not have delicious balance, but you can appreciate the strengths it has.

And thus the quattro will probably fade away in my memory. Audi cunningly conducted its journalist-tests on snowy Alpine roads, where its strengths came to the fore, but on dry (relatively) straight Melbourne roads, its weaknesses overshadowed those strengths

Has anyone else ever driven their "dream" car only to come away a bit underwhelmed?

Torben

[alanm]

Hi Torben,

I don’t have a answer to the question you pose in regards to disappointing drives, but your interest in the Audi Quattro prompted me to think about 1980’s cars and the design philosophy that influenced their ‘look’.

Some giant generalisations – 1960’s was still largely about curves, 1970’s the wedge arrived (the antithesis of the curve) and then car designers like Ermanno Cressoni (Centro Stile) evolved this into a linear style. Some of the most extreme mass production examples of this design style must be the Alfa 75 and the Citroen BX, though I think you can see the influence in others such as the Lancia Delta and the Audi Quattro.

I like these cars because they are such a big design statement!

Cheers,
Alan

[David Mills]

Hi Torben

Not all cars survive their owners' ministrations into old age to the same extent.  I am a bit sad you didn't like your drive.  Maybe it was that car.

I owned one of the first GTV6's to come into the country in 1982 and my son still has one of the same vintage which was in my garage until just a few months ago so am I am familiar with them and love them.

I also have a 1983 URQ which believe me, is also great fun to drive and I wouldn't say it suffers from the faults you found.

Interestingly, on a Club Motori Italia economy run a few months ago, I took the URQ and he took the GTV6 and we achieved almost identical economy.  (Had to be disciplined to stay off the turbo though!)

Cheers Dave

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Thanks for the story Torben, very interesting.

I'm probably a very similar age to you, and the UR-Q is also a very iconic car to me, and I still think one of the best looking cars of all time.  It's disappointing to hear your drive was a bit underwhelming, but that one you drove is obviously a very early build (has the narrow wheels and the LHD wipers), so that may be a reason it was less than what might have been expected.  I remember at the time that the superlatives for the UR-Q didn't really reach fever-pitch until the 20v model came out in 1989, and from what I've read since the 20v is definitely the one to have.  Don't give up on them just yet!!

I haven't had the chance to drive too many of my 'dream' cars from the 80s, things like Sierra Cosworth, Integrale, 190E Cosworth, Countach......

I've been lucky enough to have decent drives of 80s 911 and 928s, and they more than lived up to expectations.  A couple of 'almost dream' cars I've driven that were a bit disappointing were the XJ-S and the Ferrari 400.  So sad I don't even want to talk about them.

[TFJ100]

AlanM,

I agree with you about the styling. I remember when the series 1 Lotus Esprit was replaced by the Series 2...and at the time I thought how much more modern it looked compared to the wedgy Series 1...

Nowadays with the fashion goggles removed, I think the Series 1 looks a million times better. Or else maybe I have the current fashion goggles on, where "edge" styling is back in fashion.

Sheldon, your story about a 928...I drove one of those once and found it pretty hard work...had a manual gearbox which was sloooowww.

Torben