We have it on good word that some very special Audi Tradition fleet cars will be visiting America for two events that will be happening very soon. That’s exciting news for enthusiasts who have an appreciation for iconic Audi racecars or the incredible Michèle Mouton. We expect official word to drop imminently, but until then we’re happy to share what we know.
FIRST. THE CARS.
1985 Audi Sport quattro S1 Pike’s Peak
For fans of Audi Sport or Michèle Mouton, this car is kind of a big deal. As with her victories in the World Rally Championship, Mouton is the only woman to have ever won the Pike’s Peak hillclimb. She managed that victory in this car. That it’s rather tame as compared to the apex predator winged look of Walter Röhrl’s 1987 S1 E2 that marked Audi’s final victory, Mouton’s car is notable for its simplicity. Michèle didn’t have the aerodynamic aids later victorious Audi drivers including Röhrl and Bobby Unser enjoyed. Even still, she set a record on the hill that day, marking Audi’s first outright victory there. As a result, she’s a notable standout on the Pike’s Peak Hillclimb website under the “Kings of the Mountain” tab (found HERE).
1989 Audi 90 IMSA GTO
Speaking of apex predators, this is a return trip for the GTO. The car was here in 2022 for the filming of Electrikhana 1, but in our opinion you can never get enough of it. Long before Audi went sportscar racing with its LMP prototypes, Ingolstadt took on IMSA’s GTO class with this turbo-fan equipped 90 sedan that was far from the production derived ’88 200 Trans-Am that had been declared an “unfair advantage” by the SCCA the year before. As a result, Audi stepped up to IMSA with the considerably more bonkers IMSA GTO with its high pitched blow-off valve call that almost sounds like chirping tires. Hurley Haywood once told us they never raced at the long races like Daytona or Sebring because they didn’t expect the extreme drivetrain to last such a long race. It did just fine in the shorter races though, where it followed the one-season-and-done 200 Trans-Am with a second championship and subsequent “unfair advantage” ruling that would see Audi again ejected from competition. Turns out the road racing establishment just wasn’t ready for quattro just yet.
NEXT. THE EVENTS.
F.A.T. International Ice Race, Aspen, CO – February 8-10,2024
Given it’s run by Ferdi Porsche (yes… that Porsche family), the GP Ice Race tends to be one of the most exclusive events on the calendar. Over the warm off-season, Ferdi acquired the naming rights to F.A.T. International
Formerly known as the GP Ice Race, the event shifted recently when the organizers acquired the rights to the F.A.T. naming rights. The F.A.T. International branding may be familiar to racing fans, as it was a logistics company that sponsored the Porsche Team at the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans when their Dauer-Porsche 962 won outright,
The Ice Race continues to grow, and was just held last weekend in its traditional location in the spiritual home town of the Porsche family – Zell Am See, Austria. For 2024, a second event has been added in Aspen, Colorado and Audi Tradition has confirmed to us that these two cars will make an appearance, while it is likely that Mouton’s ’85 car may even do some demonstration runs in the snow.
The Amelia Concours, Amelia Island, FL – March 3
If there’s an east coast rival to Monterey Car Week then Amelia is likely it. This year, the main concours event features a Pike’s Peak class, and Mouton’s S1 E2 will be part of that. We hear the 90 IMSA GTO will also be in the concours, and it’s possible the cars could see more display over the event weekend. For now though, we know for certain they’ll be in the main concours at the very least. Look for more news here as we get it.
More to Come?
Audi Club is actively meeting with Audi Tradition to see if there are other opportunities for these cars to make appearances before they go back to Germany. We will of course share any and all information on further events should they happen.
