Audi's Iconic Race Cars at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Keeping the classics alive

Audi counts some of the greatest motorsport vehicles in history, within its heritage. From pre-war speed record-setting racers to the most iconic rally cars, Audi has designed, built and won with them all. And the brand keeps some of them in pristine condition, to showcase its technology journey - when the chance presents itself.  

The king and his four-ringed chariots

At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Audi proudly displays its rally racing legacy. The company's legendary Ur-Quattro rally car, and also the upgraded aero S1 version, draw huge crowds when they are put on display. Part of the allure is also the fact that rally world champion, Walter Rohrl - one of the greatest drivers in history - is always keen to revisit the cars which made him famous. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

The Audi racer that won over America

Many were skeptical that Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive technology and small-capacity rally engines could be competitive in traditional circuit racing. When its rally team ended, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and quattro drivetrain were redeployed to North America, to race in the IMSA series. The year was 1989 and the Audi 90 race car changed the way everyone thought about the brand, by winning most of the IMSA series races. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

The great American Audi racer lives on

Audi remains immensely proud of its IMSA success, achieved with the Quattro 90 race car. At Goodwood, it still runs in perfect conditions, with the turbocharger whistling and wastegate actively dumping boost. In peak race trim, this 2.2-liter Audi was good for 700hp. And it also happens to still look great, even three decades on. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

The German Trans Am

This was the car that should have sounded a warning that Audi would become unstoppable in American sportscar circuit racing: the 1988 200 Trans Am. Although it was less powerful than the IMSA quattro, the 2.1-liter engine was still good for 510hp. What it lacked in radical aero, it made up for in fantastic all-wheel-drive traction. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

The great rally car that never was

What you're looking at above is the very rare and never raced Audi Group S rally car prototype. Disarmingly cute and mid-engined, it was Audi's secret weapon for the 1987 world rally championship, but a spate of incidents, which killed-off the Group B rules, made it stillborn. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

Where it all started

The greatest Audi racer of them all. And possibly a candidate as one of the most iconic racing cars ever. In the pre-war era, Auto Union was setting speed records and winning races all over, with its striking cigar-shaped cars. They ran V16 engines and were never seriously challenged. Today these Type-C and Type-D Auto Unions are kept going by a team of dedicated specialists at Audi headquarters. And when they are run in public, it is a thrill that witnesses never forget. 

>>Join the conversation about Audi's race cars over the years right here in the Audi World Forum!

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