RESTORING A WRC CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING 1983 AUDI QUATTRO A2

Some of us are old enough to remember watching the Audi Quattro A2 Evolution demolish the stages of the World Rally Championships in the early 1980s. Many others will recognise it as a legend of its time.

The Audi Quattro A2 "won a total of eight world rallies, three in 1983 and five in 1985," says Wikipedia, while "Two examples of the same car completely dominated the South African National Rally Championships during 1984 to 1988."

This car truly is an icon. Pumping out around 350hp from its turbocharged inline 5-cylinder engine, this car was one of the fastest, most powerful and most sophisticated rally cars ever built. It competed in the notorious Group B World Rally Championship (WRC) that was notorious for big crashes and many deaths.

This car, in particular, was the first Group B Audi Quattro A2 Evolution model, and it won the WRC in 1983 with Hannu Mikkola behind the wheel. According to the LowMilage channel on YouTube, it was first raced at "the 1983 Tour de France and then the 1983 Ivory Coast Rally." Later, at the 1983 1000-Lakes Rally in Finland, Michele Mouton piloted the car into a lake, following Mikkola's advice after the engine caught on fire.

The video below is a compilation of images following the 10 year-long restoration process, from a filthy and rusted, almost forgotten piece of folklore, to an immaculate rebuild fit for the king that it is.

The craftsmanship, fabrication and attention to detail will leave you in awe, and make some modern-era modifiers look like fly-by-nights.