Find of the Day: This 1986 Audi 4000 CS Quattro Is an AWD Time Capsule

There are faster Audis, more valuable Audis, and certainly more technologically advanced Audis. But if you want to experience what helped establish quattro as one of Audi’s defining technologies in America, this 1986 Audi 4000 CS Quattro currently up for auction on Cars & Bids is awfully tempting.

Finished in Zermatt Silver Metallic over a black leather interior, this 4000 CS Quattro has covered just 66,400 miles in four decades. Better still, the seller reports no notable modifications. That means you’re looking at a remarkably original example rather than one that’s been lowered, engine-swapped, or otherwise transformed over the years.

Don’t expect modern Audi performance, though. Under the hood is a naturally aspirated 2.2-liter inline-five producing just 115 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. That power goes through a five-speed manual transmission to all four wheels. Those numbers sound almost comical compared with today’s RS models, but outright speed isn’t really the point here.

The hardware is arguably more interesting. This Audi has locking front and rear differentials, operated in an era before sophisticated computers became responsible for figuring out where the power should go. Equipment also includes delightfully modest 14-inch wheels, heated front seats, a sunroof, power windows and locks, and air conditioning.

It isn’t concours-perfect. The listing notes various dings and scratches, faded exterior trim, wear on the seats and other interior surfaces, and some corrosion on the exhaust system. Frankly, that might make it more appealing. This looks like a preserved 40-year-old Audi you could actually drive rather than something destined to spend its life underneath a car cover.

The seller says the car was previously part of a collection of Audis and other European cars and has recently been driven sparingly while stored in a climate-controlled warehouse. It comes with two keys, owner’s manuals, and service records.

Modern Audis are quicker, quieter, safer, and vastly more sophisticated. But this 4000 CS Quattro takes you back to when the formula was wonderfully simple. Five cylinders, five speeds, four driven wheels, and a couple of differential locks. Sometimes progress isn’t everything. Bidding ends on Tuesday, September 8.

View the Cars & Bids listing here.