There are few rally cars that evoke a response from fans in the same way as the Audi Quattro. The humdrum machine from Ingolstadt rocketed to fame by dominating the world rally championship at the peak of its popularity. Now, German tuner Abt is going to build an Audi Ur-Quattro restomod for thirty lucky owners. Bad news is that they are all already spoken for. Abt planned to build just 25, but demand meant that the company had to lift its initial offering.

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First of all, we are delighted that this project has clearly struck a chord with our customers – it also gives us a little more courage to pursue some other ideas we have in mind. But fundamentally, it also reflects the spirit of ABT: we want to keep reinventing ourselves and moving into the future with fresh ideas and expertise in technology and design
– Hans-Jürgen Abt, CEO of Abt Sportsline

Click here to watch an Audi R18 going full throttle down the main straight at Monza and into the long right-hander that follows.

Family Affair

Abt is well known in the motorsport and tuning world where it works its magic on Audis. Hans-Jürgen Abt took over the company business from his father in the late 1980s. He holds the Ur-Quattro quite dear. It was his first company car, one that still resides in the company’s collection. So the Ur-Quattro was a natural starting for the company’s restomod creation. The Audi Ur-Quattro restomod joins the likes of the Lancia Stratos as reimagined by MAT (which we drove), the Lancia Delta Futurista by Automobili Amos, the Lancia 037 as remade by Kimera Automobili, the Subaru-based Prodive P25 and the Boreham Ford RS200 as the growing list of rally legends that are receiving a new life.

What’s New?

Well, it seems just about everything is. Abt starts with original Ur-Quattros, of which there are plenty around. Abt then reskins the car with Kevlar carbon-fibre body parts, which should drop the overall mass a little. Although, the company also includes an ‘invisible’ roll cage, which will counter the mass saving. The added safety is probably needed once you consider the powertrain upgrade.

Abt installs a 2,5-litre turbocharged inline-five under that bulging bonnet. The 390 kW they are promising is far more than when the Ur-Quattro left the factory, and probably more than the Audi rally drivers of the era had at their disposal. Abt is also installing anti-lock brakes and, we’re guessing, some other modern niceties. Interior trim will be as per each customer’s desires through the company’s customisation division.