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After Niki Lauda endured a fiery crash at the Nurburgring in ‘67, James Hunt amicably quipped, “You’re the only man I know who could be in a fire and come out better looking.” They were bitter rivals, friends and, eventually, legends. My history with the Audi 4000CS Quattro is less illustrious and, thankfully, less incendiary — but I can say, with friendly affection, that the Quattro running through the woods of Team O’Neil’s rally wonderland does look better after being scorched in a fire.
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Two weeks before I arrived at Team O’Neil, the equipment shed that the Quattro was parked next to inexplicably caught fire during the night. The Quattro suffered some burns, giving the generic-looking sedan a touch of character Ingolstadt never intended. It’s a good scar, because the problem with Audis from the ‘80s is that they are boringly boxy. They’re so squared off that the round wheel arches look like a mistake. Sure, the Ur Quattro was an icon, but it was an otherworldly Group B Rally car and had Walter Röhrl backing it up; fast race cars will always look good.
The equipment shed inexplicably caught fire during the night. The Quattro suffered some burns.
This slightly charred Audi 4000CS Quattro is heavy, stretches out with a long wheelbase and has a steering wheel that takes two turns, lock to lock. In its battered state, it’s forgiving and generous, like a well-oiled, broken-in mitt. Its tarnished looks make it easier to not care when it gets stuffed into a snow bank at 30 mph. And that’s why Team O’Neil keeps it around. It’s the go-to car for the novices learning the nuances of AWD rallying.
