March 19, 2023 – From the archives – Audi Sport Supertouring history – 1994 Audi 80 Competition STW
Story by Thompson Smith
Audi Club Sierra
Art Director, webmaster
Photography: Audi MediaCenter, RaceCarsDirect
I often wonder… what happens to the ex-Audi Sport works race cars? Looks like most of the special Audi racers are retained by the factory and stashed down in the Audi Tradition secret garage in Ingolstadt. Others are sold off and snagged up by privateer race teams for historic racing. I can only speculate wherever they end up, but here’s a glimpse into Audi’s Supertouring race efforts; 1990s France Super Touring Audi 80 quattro, 1994 Audi 80 “quattro Competition” homologated street version, a special 1994 STW (Supertourenwagen) race chassis number RT/13 owned by privateers and other factory Audi 80 Competition STW race cars.
1990s French Super Touring
Jump into the Hot Tub Time Machine, in the early 1990s Audi France entered the French Super Touring Championship with an early version of the Audi 80 quattro in blue, silver and red (Pioneer / Antar lubricants) graphic livery. This produced wins three years in row for 1991, 1992 and 1993. Showing awesome potential for further success, this Audi B4 80 quattro was the development chassis for the 1994 Audi 80 STW Competition in the new Supertouring Series. Celebrating these efforts and required for racing, Audi offered a 1994 commemorative street version that was homologated for the FIA in Europe and the RoW (Rest of World) named the Audi 80 “quattro Competition”.
1994 Audi 80 “quattro Competition” homologated street version
Imagine a lower powered S2 style 4-door sport sedan, this was the Audi 80 “quattro Competition” for the street. This 80 quattro had a 2,0L 4-cylinder 16v engine and some interesting race parts. FIA homologation noted an optional ABS front lower lip spoiler and adjustable rear wing with additional 70mm high spacer and thin fiberglass-reinforced wing extension (60mm). In addition to the trick front and rear spoilers, a full internal roll-cage designed and built by Matter GmbH was available for the race cars. According to the FIA Historical Database, Audi manufactured 2,500 units for the Audi 80 “quattro Competition”. [See FIA homologation PDF].
Specifications
– 4-cylinder engine: 16v, 2,0L (1984,5 cc), code ACE
– Power: 140hp @ 5,900 rpms / Torque: 185Nm @ 4,500 rpms
– Bosch K-Motronic Injection
– Maxiumum speed: 206 Km/h (128mph)
– Weight: 1370 Kg (3020 lbs)
– Torsen center differential with rear manual diff lock button
– S2 Style front and rear bumpers
– Rear aluminum spoiler
– 16″ 6-spoke Sport Rims
– Manual climate controls
Options
– Electric sunroof
– Heated Sport Seats
– Air Conditioning
– Onboard computer
Three colors offered on the street version were; Red, Silver or Black. Sport seat inserts and door panels had the “quattro” logo script Jacquard fabric along with a special “Audi Competition” dashboard badge. Front and rear bumpers were S2 style specific for this edition and the sport chassis was said to have had solid handling. Unfortunately, the street version 2,0L, 16v engine was underpowered and lacked the power and torque of the race cars. [The closest spec to this Audi 80 “quattro Competition” the US received was a 1993-1995 Audi 90 quattro CS with a 2,8L V6 –ed.]
Back in 1995 while I was the Art Director for Audi quattro Club, I took note of these racing efforts and used a 1995 Audi Sport race calendar photo of an Audi 80 Competition STW for the 10th Annual National quattro Club event. The Audi calendar also featured four main photos of Chassis RT/13, including when it raced in a different yellow and red livery design as Nr.2 in the Belgium Procar Championship. 1995 Audi Sport Calendar photos taken at that time in South Lake Tahoe with a Leica 35mm camera and tripod. We shot these before driving to the 1995 Virginia City Hillclimb
1994 Audi 80 Competition STW, chassis number RT/13
This Audi 80 Competition STW race car was listed for sale on racecarsdirect.com some time ago and has since sold. I’ve seen this listing in the past and always wanted to showcase what a unique, breakthrough race car this was at the time. It’s uncommon to hear an Audi quattro road course race car that doesn’t have that distinct 5-cylinder turbo sound [Audi 200 Trans-Am, Audi 90 IMSA GTO], but you’ll be very surprised how nice this 80 Competition does sound flat out. Chassis RT/13 has a very documented racing history, enjoy the videos and links below.
Specifications
– Audi Sport STW 4-cylinder engine: 16v, 2,0L (1998 cc), 121.8 cu in
– Power: 300hp @ 8,250 rpms / Torque: 250Nm @ 7,000 rpms
– Motronic MP1.8 ECU
– Weight 1050 Kg (2314.8 lbs)
– Kevlar oil catch tank
– Audi sequential gearbox
– Audi quattro drivetrain
– Digital Bosch display
– Sabelt 6-point harness
– Carbon Kevlar Recaro Profi SPA seat
– BBS 19 inch magnesium wheels
– Koni shock absorbers
– Fiberglass front fenders
1994 Audi 80 Competition STW, chassis number RT/13 (4:08)
(Video in French with English translation in comments)
Here’s a video of another 1994 Audi 80 Competition STW raced by Audi Sport Italia
1994 Audi 80 Competition STW – Racing at Nürburgring 2018 (2:26)
For the full Hot Tub Time Machine immersion, I’ve compiled the 1994 Italian Superturismo Championship Schedule and videos.
Round
01. 10 Apr – Autodromo Nazionale Monza
02. 17 Apr – ACI Vallelunga Circuit
03. 08 May – Autodromo di Magione
04. 22 May – Autodromo del Levante
05. 05 Jun – Circuito Internazionale Misano
06. 19 Jul – ACI Vallelunga Circuit (no video)
07. 31 Jul – Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello (no video)
08. 04 Sep – Autodromo di Pergusa
09. 18 Sep – Autodromo Riccardo Paletti di Varano
10. 02 Oct – Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello
1994 Italian Superturismo Championship results and team points.
1994 Italian Superturismo Championship Racing Videos
The quality is what you would expect from 1994 vintage VHS and in Italian. Note that not all races have been digitally recorded (missing rounds 06, 07). If you can make it through any of these, the racing is intense and very much worth watching the Audi 80 Competition STW in action.
Credits
Audi MediaCenter