It’s not every day that a 1984 Audi Sport quattro comes up for sale. With just 214 built in period to Group B rally homologation specification, they were exhorbinantly expensive in period and remain the top-priced modern production Audi in the market. Even still, some of these are extra special due to their specification or their history. In the case of Chassis WAUZZZ85ZEA90557, it has both.
The car you see here is one of the cars imported into the USA by Audi Club North America (Quattro Club USA) founder Frank Beddor, Jr. It’s remained in the possession of his family, and specifically his son Steve, all these years… effectively making it one owner by our measure as it’s never been sold outside of the Beddor family.
As Steve told us in a podcast recently, this particular Sport quattro is Frank’s personal car.
It gets better though, as this particular car was upgraded (again in period) by the Beddors, elevating the car’s original performance with Audi Sport rallying partners and fitting it with period racing equipment like hollow-spoke Speedline wheels used by the racing team.
Here’s an excerpt from the car’s listing on automotive auction website BringATrailer.com.
“This 1984 Audi Sport Quattro is one of 214 examples built to homologate the model for FIA Group B competition and is among five Sport Quattros purchased in 1985 by the seller’s father, Audi Club of North America (née Quattro Club USA) founder Frank Beddor Jr. After delivery of the car was taken by a family friend from Audi’s Ingolstadt factory, it was shipped to the US and modified by Andial Road and Racing in California to satisfy NHTSA and EPA regulations. With assistance from Audi Sport North America director Josef Hoppen, the car subsequently received modifications including the installation of a Heinz Lehmann-built turbocharged 2,133cc aluminum-block inline-five, a Kluge Motorsport-built five-speed manual transaxle, and custom suspension components. A refresh in the mid-1990s included an engine overhaul performed by Lehmann as well as a repaint of the composite body panels in the original shade of Tornado Red, while an additional overhaul of the cylinder head was completed in 2004. The car has lockable center and rear differentials, AP Racing slotted and ventilated disc brakes, white 15×9” Ronal wheels, Bosch Motorsport Motronic fuel injection, a custom stainless-steel exhaust manifold, Recaro seats trimmed in gray leather and suede, power windows, and a cassette stereo. This Sport Quattro is now offered with photos from its delivery in Germany, importation documents, service records dating back to the 1990s, owner’s literature, a removed roll cage, a spare set of hollow-spoke 15” Speedline wheels, and a clean Minnesota title in the name of the seller’s LP.”
It goes further to describe the car’s current condition.
“This example retains its original shade of Tornado Red and underwent a cosmetic freshening in 1995 that included repainting the bumper cover, roof, fenders, quarter panels, and rocker panels. The grille openings of the front bumper received further paintwork in 1999. Modifications made to accommodate US regulations in 1986 included the addition of US-specification running lights, door beams, bumper reinforcements, and revised windshield sealing.
“White-powdercoated 15×9” Ronal wheels are wrapped in 235/45 Pirelli P700-Z tires produced in 2019. Stopping is handled by AP Racing disc brakes with four-piston aluminum calipers, slotted and ventilated rotors, and Pagid pads at each corner.
“A matching full-size spare is secured in the trunk, and the car retains its factory tinted taillights and H4 headlights.
“The cabin houses a pair of Recaro sport seats trimmed in gray leather and suede, while color-matched upholstery covers the rear seats and door panels. Amenities include power windows and mirrors. The cassette radio is noted to have difficulty settling on a station while scanning, and the air conditioning system has been removed. Rear mounts from a previously installed roll cage are visible, the right-side grab handle is missing, and the seat heaters do not function.
“The 2,133cc DOHC inline-five features an aluminum block and is said to have been modified by Lehman Motorentechnik with a ported and polished cylinder head with a separate cooling manifold, a custom-cast intake manifold with a smaller-volume intake plenum and high-cast runners, custom camshaft profiles, and an aluminum oil pan. Additional Lehmann modifications include a custom stainless-steel exhaust manifold with expansion sleeves, removing the catalytic converter, a KKK K27 turbocharger with adjustable boost and the bypass system and idle stabilizer valve disabled, Bosch Motorsport Motronic fuel injection with a manifold pressure sensor, and provisions for two extra fuel injectors. The engine was overhauled by Lehmann in 1996, and the cylinder head was again rebuilt in 2004. An oil change was performed in preparation for the sale, and results of injector testing performed in May 2024 can be viewed in the photo gallery below.
“According to the seller, the Audi Motorsport height-adjustable springs and dampers were provided by Josef Hoppen early in the car’s life.
“A set of hollow-spoke 15” Speedline wheels is included in the sale along with a bolt-in roll cage, Sabelt four-point harnesses, removed air conditioning components, and removed ring-and-pinion sets. The seller notes that the roll cage does not meet the safety standards of any sanctioning body.
“The vehicle was delivered to the seller’s father by a family friend, a school teacher, who documented the process. Photos from the dealership and time in Germany are included in the gallery below, as is a letter from the friend describing his time with the car. Among documents included in the sale are importation paperwork, invoices from Andial’s federalization of the car, invoices and notes from repairs and testing dating back to 1991, and invoices from Lehmann Motorentechnik’s engine overhaul.”
There’s much more historical background on the Sport quattro in general, not to mention about 500 photos, including period photos of the car when new and during the delivery and importation process. All of that can be found on the BringATrailer.com listing.
At the moment, bidding is $265,000. Given normal examples of the Sport quattro have tended to command double that number, we doubt it’ll stay at that level for very long. And while sometimes modifications to vintage cars can hurt them, we suspect this car won’t suffer from any sort of questioning. Whether it’s the Lehmann engine, the Speedline wheels, the coilovers and more, so much of this was done to Audi Sport rallying specification or by Audi Sport partners that it all adds to the car’s provenance by our measure.
If you are serious about your Audi collecting and want a piece of Audi Motorsport and Audi Club North America history, check it out and snap it up HERE.
