From The Driving Seat header. Classic Cars. Motor racing

Now available direct from this website, signed new copies of Jeremy Walton’s latest book:

quattro The race and rally story: 1980–2004.

Here is the front cover plus two typical spreads within 304 pages and 334+ pictures.

The word ‘quattro’, chosen by Audi for its pioneering high-performance four-wheel-drive cars, immediately captures glamour and excitement in the minds of all motorsport enthusiasts.

This book, published on the quattro’s 40th anniversary and written by a leading journalist and quattro devotee, explores 24 years of factory-prepared and


It is a tale that extends from rough rally stages to race tracks, from pine-fringed ice trails in the depths of European winters to the shimmering heat haze and melting asphalt of Texas street racing.

Along the way, it explains how quattros collected four world rally championships, five American driver/manufacturer crowns and a single-year haul of seven international touring car titles, plus numerous other honours.

factory-supported quattros in motorsport, from 1980 to 2004.

Copies signed by the author:

£50.00 + £5.00 postage & packing (UK only) — email us HERE for postage rates outside UK.

ISBN: 978-1-910505-43-4

Format: Hardback, 280x235mm

Pages: 304

Illustration: Over 334 photos, mostly colour

KEY CONTENT

As the five-cylinder turbocharged quattro in its original form, rallying in the early years yielded numerous wins, most of all in 1982 when seven victories in 11 world championship rallies brought the first World Championship title and Hannu Mikkola took their first World Championship for drivers the following season.

With the short-wheelbase Sport added to Audi’s armoury, 1984 became an all-action, all-conquering rallying season with two more world titles won, for drivers (Stig Blomqvist) and manufacturers (Audi Sport).

Three stunning Pike’s Peak wins were achieved in America in successive years, for Michèle Mouton (1985), Bobby Unser (1986) and Walter Röhrl (1987).

Starting with double championships for the 200 quattro in Trans-Am (1988) and the 90 quattro in IMSA (1989), racing success unfolded in America. Exuberant Hans Stuck was the star driver, but consistent team-mate Hurley Haywood captured that 1988 title.

Touring car campaigns during the 1990s brought huge success, starting with fearsome V8 quattro ‘racing limos’ in Germany. Global achievements followed with A4 quattros in many national Super Touring series throughout Europe and in Australia, including Frank Biela’s 1996 title-winning campaign in Britain.

Audi continued to win on track in the new millennium as race versions of the S4 and RS6 captured five SCCA GT Championship titles in America.

THE AUTHOR

Jeremy Walton is an award-winning author of more than 30 motoring books and one racing-themed novel. All matters Audi are an area of special expertise and his earlier books about the marque (2003, 2004 and 2007) are regarded as benchmark works and have been published in both English and German.


He has worked for Motoring News (weekly newspaper) and Motor Sport (monthly magazine) as well as Ford Motor Company’s competition and Advanced Vehicle Operations. Besides writing, his motoring activities have included TV advertising, automotive consultancy and race driving in touring cars.