Audi UR quattro Restoration

The Audi Ur-Quattro was the first all-wheel drive Audi to be released; with ‘ur’ translating to ‘the original’ in German, and ‘quattro’ translating to ‘four’ in Italian. It was unveiled at the Geneva motor show on March 3rd, 1980 and was produced until 1991. It has had a legendary status ever since and it is not hard to see why.

Therefore, we were incredibly excited to find this timeless icon; a red 1983 Ur-Quattro with 155,000 miles on the clock. This car had been idle for a long time and needed major restoration; luckily, that is what our team of expert Audi-trained technicians do best.

This is the story of Tamworth Audi bringing an original Audi Ur-Quattro back to its former glory.



Mechanical restoration

One of the first jobs was to strip the car completely and all engine components were deep cleaned through steaming and sandblasting. Some parts didn’t make it through the clean, with several components having to be replaced: all seals, CV boots, shock absorbers, valve guides, manifold gaskets and intake manifold gaskets, for example. The real challenge though, was not diagnostic or technical, it was sourcing replacement parts.

Many hours were spent trawling through eBay or contacting specialists to try and remake replica Audi parts where the original components were simply impossible to acquire. We always knew this may prove difficult, but we never shy away from a challenge and knew that it was worth doing!





Wiring looms had to be repaired, brake lines, fuel lines and the fuel injector were restored, the radiators and intercooler were refurbished, tested and re-cored where necessary and some parts have been powder coated, e.g., the sub-frame.

This iconic Audi was named after and defined by the ground-breaking quattro system that revolutionized all-wheel drive technology. This system is reliant on a functional prop shaft; the prop shaft in this quattro had lost its bearing and all its joints had seized up. After a long yet sadly unsuccessful hunt for a replacement, we were left with one choice; to have a new one built which was identical to the original. This custom-built prop shaft is now at the heart of this fantastic original quattro UR, bringing it one step closer to being back out on the road.

Aesthetic restoration

From a more aesthetic perspective, the steering wheel has been completely re-leathered, giving the cabin a lovely original feel. The car seats have been completely re-covered too, using factory-original cloth. Headlining has been reinstated where an aftermarket sunroof had been installed (which has been removed in the restoration to return t­­­­he vehicle to its original state).

Paintwork has now also been redone and the quattro is once again back to its stunning best. It takes pride of place in our showroom at Tamworth Audi, and we are delighted to get frequent visitors coming to see this glorious, restored piece of automotive history.

One of the Technicians who dedicated an incredible amount of skill and hours to this project, Matt Gwatkin, proudly recalls the day he turned the key and fired up the restored engine, to triumphantly drive the car through a packed and celebratory­­ workshop. This moment encapsulates the way our team works together to achieve excellence. Without our incredible team of Technicians, this quattro would have remained idle and wasted. It is a testament to the dedication and talent of our masterful Audi-trained technicians and their love for the Audi brand and the passion they have for their jobs.

Unsurprisingly, the team do not want to stop here though. The next challenge is to make this 1983 Ur-Quattro road legal, and Matt is all too aware that his next challenge is getting hold of some original steering tie rods, to ensure steering is once again responsive and safe.

In the meantime, if you want to come down and see this piece of masterfully restored automotive history then we would be delighted to welcome you to Tamworth Audi!

The story continues…