Find of the Day: Bobby Unser’s 206-MPH Audi Speed Record Car

Every now and then, an Audi appears at auction that transcends collectability and becomes a genuine piece of motorsports history. That’s exactly the case with this remarkable 1986 Audi 5000 CS quattro Speed Record Prototype, which is headed to RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction with an estimated value of $250,000 to $300,000, and no reserve.

Long before Audi dominated Le Mans and became synonymous with modern performance, the company set out to prove the capabilities of turbocharging and quattro all-wheel drive in a very different way. Rather than attacking a rally stage, Audi took to the high banks of Talladega Superspeedway in pursuit of outright speed.

Adding Power and the Right Driver

Starting with a production-based Audi 5000 CS quattro, engineers transformed the sedan into a purpose-built record setter. Extensive weight reduction, aerodynamic refinements, and a heavily reworked 2.2-liter turbocharged inline-five boosted output to an astonishing 650 horsepower, an incredible figure for the mid-1980s.

Originally, rally legend Walter Röhrl was expected to pilot the car. However, because of his limited oval racing experience, Audi turned instead to three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser. It proved to be the right decision.

200+ MPH

After years of development and millions of dollars invested in the program, Unser exceeded 200 mph on his very first run at Talladega. On his second lap, he recorded an incredible 206.3 mph, helping the program establish 16 international speed records and cementing the prototype’s place in Audi history. What’s perhaps even more remarkable is how the car survived.

Rather than ending its life in Audi’s collection, the prototype was reportedly destined for the scrapyard. During a visit to Ingolstadt to pick up a new Audi V8, a father and son struck up a friendship with Dr. Werner Laurenz, Audi’s head of motorsport engine development. That relationship ultimately led to the record-setting prototype finding a permanent home in their private collection, where it remained for decades. During that time, the car benefited from refreshed paintwork and a professional engine rebuild, preserving one of Audi’s most significant engineering achievements.

Auction Details

Today, this one-of-a-kind machine stands as a reminder of Audi’s relentless pursuit of innovation. Long before RS models became household names and decades before electric performance entered the conversation, Audi was already pushing the limits of technology, turbocharging, and quattro on one of America’s fastest racetracks.

For Audi enthusiasts, opportunities to own an authentic factory competition prototype are extraordinarily rare. This isn’t simply an old Audi, it’s the car that helped prove just how fast an Audi could be. The RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction is scheduled for August 13 – 15 2026.

View the RM Sotheby’s listing here.