Gallery & Videos
Image Gallery
The 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 really took the base car to another level, not least of all in the looks department. Sporting an aggressive aerodynamic kit which included massive front and rear overhanging bumpers, widened fenders and an enormous rear wing, the S1 always arrived on set looking the part. In my opinion, its iconic appearance is all the more justified by the impact the car has made in the shaping of automotive history.
See full 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 Gallery
Video Gallery
Here is a tribute video put together by YouTube channel, “NM2255 Car HD Videos”. It has almost 2 million views. Click to see (and hear) why.
A compilation by “5CylinderSound” of original footage starring the Audi Quattro Sport S1 – fully in its element – at the 1000 Lakes Group B Rally, can be seen below.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=cDRkHXMHqFo
Audi USA put together a documentary of the legacy of the 5 cylinder engine, which features the Audi Quattro Sport S1.
Audi France has provided in-car footage of legendary rally driver, Walter Rörhl, taking the Quattro S1 through its paces. His footwork and technique in piloting the car are simply astonishing.
In Detail
| type | Racing Car |
| released at | Rally Argentina 1985 |
| production | 20 |
| engine | Inline-5 w.Dry Sump Lubrication |
| position | Front Longitudinal |
| aspiration | KKK K27 Turbocharger |
| block material | Cast Iron w/Aluminum Cylinder Heads |
| valvetrain | DOHC, 5-Valves per Cyl |
| fuel feed | Pierburg-Bosch Mechanical Injection |
| displacement | 2110 cc / 128.76 in³ |
| bore | 79.5 mm / 3.13 in |
| stroke | 85 mm / 3.35 in |
| power | 355.0 kw / 476 bhp @ 7500 rpm |
| specific output | 225.59 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 436.7 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 480 nm / 354.0 ft lbs @ 5500 rpm |
| redline | 8600 |
| driven wheels | Quattro Permanent 4WD |
| front tires | 9j16 |
| rear tires | 9j16 |
| front brakes | Discs w/4 Piston Calipers |
| rear brakes | Discs w/4 Piston Calipers |
| f suspension | MacPherson Struts |
| r suspension | MacPherson Struts |
| curb weight | 1090 kg / 2403 lbs |
| wheelbase | 2224 mm / 87.6 in |
| front track | 1464 mm / 57.6 in |
| rear track | 1502 mm / 59.1 in |
| length | 4240 mm / 166.9 in |
| width | 1860 mm / 73.2 in |
| height | 1344 mm / 52.9 in |
| transmission | 6-Speed |
| top speed | ~220 kph / 136.62 mph |
| 0 – 60 mph | ~3.0 seconds |
Performance & Specifications Summary
| Engine | |
| Configuration | Straight 5 |
| Location | Front, longitudinally-mounted |
| Construction | Aluminum alloy block and head |
| Displacement | 2,110 cc / 128.8 cu in |
| Bore / Stroke | 79.5 mm (3.1 in) / 85.0 mm (3.3 in) |
| Compression | 7.5:1 |
| Valvetrain | 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC |
| Fuel feed | Fuel Injection |
| Lubrication | Dry sump |
| Aspiration | KKK Turbo |
| Power | 540 bhp / 403 kW @ 7,500 rpm |
| Torque | 590 Nm / 435 ft-lbs @ 5,500 rpm |
| BHP/Liter | 256 bhp / liter |
| Drivetrain | |
| Chassis | kevlar body on steel monocoque |
| Suspension (fr/r) | McPherson struts, coil springs, & shock absorbers |
| Steering | rack-and-pinion, power-assisted |
| Brakes | ventilated discs, all-round |
| Gearbox | 6-speed Sequential |
| Clutch | Dry, single plate |
| Drive | Quattro All wheel drive |
| Dimensions | |
| Weight | 1,090 kilo / 2,403 lbs |
| Length / Width / Height | 4,240 mm (166.9 in) / 1,860 mm (73.2 in) / 1,344 mm (52.9 in) |
| Wheelbase / Track (fr/r) | 2,224 mm (87.6 in) / 1,465 mm (57.7 in) / 1,502 mm (59.1 in) |
| Fuel tank | 120 Litre (31.7 Gallon US / 26.4 Gallon Imperial) |
| Wheels | 9J x 16 |
| Tires | 18/68 – 16 |
| Performance Figures | |
| Power to weight | 0.5 bhp / kg |
| 0-60 mph | 3.1 s |
Legacy Article
The Sport quattro, a 331 kW (450 bhp) front-engined car, made its debut at the end of 1984. The wheelbase was shortened dramatically by 32 cm in an attempt to make the car even lighter and more agile.
The Sport quattro, as it happened, was fated not to enjoy any great successes, even in its final evolution stage, the S1. Its technical features nonetheless earned a place in rallying history if only because of their extreme character. The officially quoted power output of the five-cylinder aluminium-block engine was 350 kW (476 bhp), but with the recirculating air system that kept the turbocharger turning over at a high speed, the true figure was probably in excess of 500 bhp at 8,000 rpm. With a moderately high final drive ratio, the S 1 (which weighed only 1,090 kilograms) could accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 3.1 seconds.
See full 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 Gallery
Some of the cars were equipped with a power-shift gearbox – a forerunner of today’s DSG technology. The car had a lattice-tube structure clad with sheet steel and plastic panels. For the sake of better weight distribution, the radiator, fan and alternator were banished to the rear of the car. Vast wings and spoilers had the task of increasing down force on fast sections of the route; the brakes had a water spray cooling system.
In the spring of 1986 came the end for the Group B cars with their boundary-pushing technology. Audi decided not to enter for any further events in the series. Following serious accidents, the international organizing body FISA resolved to change the rules and permit only near-series Group A cars to take part.
As it happened, the S1 was able to celebrate one final triumph: in 1987 Walter Röhrl took this car with its 441 kW (600 bhp) engine up the Pikes Peak run in Colorado, USA, with its 156 bends and maximum altitude of 4,301 metres.
This victory was already achieved by the S1 in the previous years by Michèle Mouton in 1985 and Bobby Unser in 1986, giving Audi a hat-trick in this imposing American hillclimb event, the “Race to the Clouds”. The best Audi time of 10 minutes 47.85 seconds remained unequaled for many years afterwards.
