do you like an audi quattro S1?
estimated price 1-1,3 million euros



The car for sale

In 1988, Michèle Mouton decided to organize in Montlhéry the "Course des Champions", in tribute to Henri Toivonen, who died in the Tour de Corse 1986. This first event takes place on December 4 and uses a route which borrows pieces from the official circuit and sections inside the speed ring, some of them in dirt. It hosts the last eight world champions and takes place in the form of a timed special, the drivers succeeding each other in the same cars loaned by the manufacturers. The "champion of champions" is rewarded with the Henri Toivonen trophy which, during this first edition, goes to Juha Kankkunen, ahead of Timo Salonen.
For the rest, let's give the floor to Olivier Quesnel, then director of the Hommell Group. "Michèle Mouton came to see us in rue de Lille, where the group's offices were located, and we helped her a little to complete the organization of the event, in terms of communication in particular." Moreover, the program is published in the form of a special edition of Auto Hebdo, one of the group's titles.
"Of course I went to Montlhéry on race day," continues Olivier Quesnel, "and I suddenly stopped in front of an Audi Quattro Sport S1. I said to myself," This one is for me! "I went to the stand to see the Audi manager, who told me that the cars were not for sale. I set off again, talking about my past at Peugeot-Sport with Jean Todt, asking Michèle Mouton for supporting me and specifying that the car was for a museum.
Finally, after a long harassment process, they agreed to sell me the car. I then went to Ingolstadt and there, in the courtyard, there were several racing cars under tarpaulin and, in the middle, the Quattro S1 which they reserved for me, without tarpaulin, with a sign "Welcome Olivier"! It was quite moving.
We did all the paperwork with Audi AG, including a long sales contract, and my team went to get the car to bring it back to Bruno Saby in Grenoble, for preparation, before it was installed at the museum. It turns out that that same weekend Bruno was organizing a charity event on the speed track that dated back to the 1968 Olympics. When he saw the Quattro pull up on the trailer, he managed to convince me to let him ride. I just asked him to be careful ... Then came Ari Vatanen, who asked me the same. And finally Michèle Mouton. I couldn't refuse! But the turbo broke. I asked Audi for another and, after repair, the car left for the museum. "

Today, the car file includes a letter from Audi Sport dated February 22, 1989 signed by HP Gassen and S. Krause mentioning the sales contract, as well as the invoice for the sale, dated March 9, 1989. This Ci specifies that the car left the factory on September 14, 1988 in the color "Alpinweiss" and that the odometer totals 1000 km. As confirmed by its release date and mileage, the Race of Champions is the only event in which this car has participated, in the hands of the best drivers who have followed one another behind the wheel. It was sometimes used by pilots passing through Lohéac and the engine was rebuilt in the early 2000s. It presents exceptional authenticity and history, confirmed by its remarkably preserved original condition, both outside and inside.

When he recently took over the wheel of this car at Lohéac, Bruno Saby told us, "I didn't feel any heaviness thanks to the power, which is a big part of the fun. Although the car was fitted with gravel tires, I could tell immediately that it was well balanced. Perhaps it had even more potential than our Lancias. "
Today, Quattro S1 are extremely rare. Some have been destroyed and Audi Tradition has several survivors. The opportunity to buy one that is in private hands is therefore exceptional, all the more so for a car so well preserved.


We inform buyers that all the vehicles in the collection have been little used in recent years as it concerns a museum collection. They are therefore sold as is, without technical control and should benefit from a general overhaul before getting back on the road.

https://www.artcurial.com/en/lot-198...ttro-s1-4058-9