WRC Audi quattro Group B S1 E2 Tribute 1986

Some cars transcend engineering. They make history.

GP CARS 4 SALE has just acquired an exceptional Audi quattro Group B S1 E2 Tribute — a car that directly references the most extreme chapter in rally history.
This tribute was built as a homage to the legendary Walter Röhrl and his iconic 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2.

This is not a superficial replica, but a seriously engineered and technically convincing tribute, created for the enthusiast who values emotion, heritage and uncompromising performance.

Audi & Group B – when everything was still allowed

In the early 1980s, Audi changed the rally world forever with the introduction of quattro four-wheel drive. Within Group B, that technological advantage evolved into pure overkill: more power, less weight and increasingly extreme aerodynamics.

The S1 E2 represented the absolute pinnacle of this development — so extreme that Group B was banned shortly thereafter. Cars like this became legends even before their era had ended.

Audi rewrites the rules of rallying

When Audi entered rallying with four-wheel drive in the early 1980s, the competitive landscape was instantly rewritten. While rivals were still fighting with rear-wheel drive, Audi’s quattro system delivered traction, stability and speed in all conditions.

The result was dominance — and a technological advantage the rest of the field had to chase at full speed.

Group B: freedom without limits

The FIA’s Group B regulations (1982–1986) offered manufacturers unprecedented freedom:

• Virtually no limits on power

• Low homologation requirements

• Minimal safety restrictions

Audi pushed these freedoms further than anyone else. Each season, the quattro became lighter, more powerful and more radical.

The S1 E2: the ultimate weapon

The 1985 Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 marked the end point of this evolution:

• Shortened wheelbase for rapid directional changes

• Extremely wide bodywork with aggressive aerodynamics

• Massive front and rear wings generating serious downforce

• Five-cylinder turbo engine producing 500+ hp in factory trim

• Four-wheel drive that made this power genuinely usable

Even standing still, the S1 E2 was intimidating — looking more like a prototype race car than anything that had once been road-based.

Walter Röhrl & the human factor

While Audi became famous for brute force, it was Walter Röhrl who proved the S1 E2 was more than just raw power. Combining technical finesse with unmatched precision, Röhrl demonstrated that even this monster could be mastered.

His performances in the S1 E2 — particularly in hill climbs and short, technical events — are legendary and rank among the most iconic moments in motorsport history.

The end of an era

Precisely because cars like the S1 E2 became so extreme, Group B came to an abrupt end in 1986. Escalating speeds, safety concerns and machines that were simply ahead of their time sealed the fate of the category.

Today: a legend reborn

Original Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 factory cars are now museum pieces — priceless and effectively impossible to use. This is why high-quality tributes are so highly valued: they revive the sound, aggression and experience without compromising the original.

Today, the name Audi quattro S1 E2 stands for:

• Unrestricted innovation

• Pure rally brutality

• An era that will never return

About this Audi Quattro S1 E2 Group B Tribute:

KEY FACTS

• This Audi Quattro is an 1980s performance icon, extensively rebuilt as a faithful tribute to Walter Röhrl’s 1985 Group B Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2.

• Power comes from a 2.2-litre inline five-cylinder engine, featuring forged, lightened and balanced internals and a KKK turbocharger, reportedly producing up to 400 bhp, driving all four wheels via a five-speed dogleg manual transmission with straight-cut gears.

EQUIPMENT & FEATURES

• The S1 E2 was the final factory Group B car produced by Audi, embodying the extreme engineering that ultimately led to the category’s ban.

• Finished in the iconic HB International Audi Sport livery, this tribute features the S1’s shortened wheelbase and aggressive bodywork, including flared wheel arches, a large integrated rear wing and multiple air intake and extraction vents.

• Revised lightweight tubular subframes, reducing total weight to below 1,000 kg.

• White 16-inch five-spoke Compomotive alloy wheels fitted with Kumho tyres.

• Cabin equipped with Kevlar Recaro Pro SPA 2013 bucket seats, Sparco steering wheel, Sabelt safety harnesses, battery master switch, roll cage, digital dashboard, lightweight plastic windows and OMP passenger foot plate.

• Additional equipment includes a Tilton clutch and paddle box, Milltek race exhaust, Porsche brake discs, Group B suspension struts with Bilstein fast-road inserts, and a MaxxECU Pro management system.

• The doors are original Audi factory items from the period.

• Built using a September 1986 Audi Ur-Quattro donor car, originally first delivered in Germany (documentation present).

SUMMARY

This Audi Quattro is a true 1980s performance hero, rebuilt as a remarkable tribute to the 1985 Group B Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 driven by Walter Röhrl. Featuring a shortened wheelbase, lightweight bodywork faithfully executed to period specification and a modified inline-five turbo engine, it represents an outstanding addition to any collection of rally icons — and an exhilarating companion for historic motorsport events and festivals.