Some collector cars deserve more than restoration—they deserve preservation.
This original Audi Sport quattro arrived at CG Carworks from Sweden with one clear objective from its owner: create a true masterpiece while preserving everything that makes this legendary homologation special.
The owner has cherished the car for many years and has no intention of selling it anytime soon. This was not about preparing the car for auction. It was about bringing one of Audi's most iconic road cars as close as possible to the way it left the factory over forty years ago.
More Than Preservation
From the beginning we knew this project would be unlike any other.
Cleaning and preserving the car to concours standards was only part of the challenge. The real task was understanding exactly how Audi originally built the Sport quattro.
Factory reference material is incredibly limited. Detailed photographs of untouched cars are rare, especially of the underbody. Questions that seem simple quickly became difficult to answer.
- How was the underbody originally finished?
- Which coatings were applied by the factory?
- Where were the original inspection markings placed?
- Which paint dabs, stickers and assembly marks were present when the car left the production line?
Finding accurate answers became a project in itself.
Researching Automotive History
Over the course of the project we contacted specialists, collectors, restorers and marque experts from around the world.
Every conversation added another piece to the puzzle.
We were continually impressed by the willingness of the Audi community to share knowledge and historic information. Without their expertise it would have been impossible to build an accurate picture of how an original Audi Sport quattro should look.
Our goal was never to create an over-restored car. Instead, we wanted every detail to respect the factory appearance and preserve the authenticity that makes this homologation icon so significant.
The Legendary Audi Sport quattro
Introduced in 1984, the Audi Sport quattro was developed to homologate Audi's revolutionary Group B rally programme.
Compared with the standard Ur-quattro, the Sport quattro featured a significantly shortened wheelbase, extensive Kevlar and composite body panels, and a turbocharged 2.1-litre five-cylinder engine producing approximately 306 horsepower. At the time it was one of the most advanced and expensive production cars in the world.
Audi built only 214 production examples, making the Sport quattro one of the rarest and most desirable performance cars ever produced by the brand. Its direct connection to the legendary Group B rally era has secured its place as one of the most important collector cars of the 1980s.
Preservation Means Respecting History
At CG Carworks, preservation begins long before the first tool touches the car.
It starts with research.
Understanding how a vehicle originally left the factory allows every decision during preservation to be based on historical accuracy rather than assumption. That philosophy is what guides every project we undertake, whether we are preparing a concours contender, preserving a historically significant collector car or documenting an automotive icon for future generations.
The Audi Sport quattro represents exactly why we do what we do: preserving automotive history with authenticity, precision and respect.
Watch the complete preservation journey in our latest YouTube video and discover the extraordinary level of research and craftsmanship required to preserve one of Audi's greatest legends.
