Few rally cars are as legendary as the Audi Sport Quattro. The fire-spitting, all-wheel drive pioneer was raced by some of history’s greatest drivers, broke records, and changed rallying forever. Most road-going iterations of Audi’s legendary rally car are incredibly expensive to own, with the most recent one sold on Bring A Trailer costing $446,000. Most owners are reluctant to drive them hard, so perhaps the best Audi Sport Quattro is one you make on your own, by cramming three different Audis together.
This Audi Sport Quattro S1 replica was made by Polish tuning shop Dytko Motorsports for Austrian Paralympian and racing driver Reini Sampl. Since he’s had the car, Sampl has used it as a winter driving instructor, taken it on windy roads, and even brought it to race tracks. And since it’s far from a classic under its iconic-looking skin, he can do so guilt-free.
To build this replica rally car, Dytko Motorsports needed three Audis: a recent Audi RS3, an Audi 80, and a B2-generation Audi Coupe. First, the RS3’s chassis was stripped down and had its body parts replaced with those from the other two Audis. The Audi 80 served as the basis of the front end design, while the Audi Coupe formed the rest. A Sport Quattro S1 body kit was then fitted, along with a roll cage. Then, it was time for the legendary S1 livery.
All of the important mechanical bits, such as the engine, dual-clutch transmission, Quattro-branded Haldex all-wheel drive system, brakes, and electronics, came from the Audi RS3. It even has an RS3 dashboard and steering wheel, which looks especially out of place in this otherwise very ’80s-themed machine. However, since Sampl is paraplegic, the S1 Quattro replica is fitted with hand driving controls along with a hydraulic hand brake.
While this replica isn’t quite as charming as the original, since it’s essentially a modern RS3 underneath, it’s still awesome. And the fact that it’s made with hand controls for a Paralympian makes it even cooler.
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