The short-wheelbase Sport Quattro from Audi from the 1980s has become legendary. Based on the earlier Quattro coupe, the Sport Quattro was developed as a homologation special for Group B rallies and was produced in limited production as a result. Only 214 were made over a two-year period, and many of these never made it into public hands. It means it’s next to impossible to find an original one for sale unless your pockets are really deep.
However, German company LCE High Performance, based in Markdorf on the shores of Lake Constance, may have the next best deal, and entry prices start at a reasonable €140,000 (about US$147,000). The company offers Sport Quattro replicas that are built from the ground up for either street use or rallying.
One of the replicas was recently spotted testing at the Nürburgring, complete with flames spewing from the tailpipe.
LCE’s Sport Quattro replicas have a lot in common with the Audi S2 Coupé, the model that replaced the Quattro, and all come with turbocharged 5-cylinder engines. Known as Variant 1, the base package produces 220 hp from a 2.2-litre engine and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox and all-wheel drive. Even this basic package includes items like a Kevlar body kit and a roll cage.
Upgrading to the Variant 2 package, performance begins to rival that of the original Sport Quattro. With this package there is 350hp and the option to increase that to 450hp by adding a 2.5 liter engine. A standard carbon fiber body kit helps keep curb weight down to around 2,200 pounds, and custom KW suspension combined with a Brembo brake package means the car should handle like a demon on the track.
The performance escalates wildly from there. Buyers can choose an engine that delivers 750 horsepower or enough momentum for 0-60 mph acceleration in nearly three seconds. There are also rally-ready versions that match the design of the later Sport Quattro S1 E2, and even one inspired by the Pikes Peak Special that Walter Röhrl drove to a record-breaking mountain in 1987.
