How inviting does the thin-rimmed steering wheel of this immaculate Audi 80 Sport look? It’s got to be one of the best kept B3s out there, with a cabin that defies its 79,109 miles and 30 years of existence. In a world of infotainment screens and assistance systems bongs, the simply styled interior looks like a breath of fresh air - from a car that still oozes Audi's famed dependability and toughness. That it is finished in back-in-fashion green only adds to the rose-tinted allure, even if this is a front-drive 16v, and not one of the more desirable quattro 80s.
Still, with no drive heading rearward, the B3 80 Sport 16v’s longitudinally-mounted 2.0-litre faces less mechanical resistance through which to dispatch its 137hp, available at 6,000rpm. Perhaps applying the vendor's name - Pocket Rocket - to the eighties veteran (this 1991 car is a late run Typ 8A example) would be overstating it a bit, but the 80 Sport was brisk enough in its day. With standard-fit fuel injection for the naturally aspirated motor, it was a saloon to aspire to, with a galvanised chassis highlighting its quality.
Admittedly, the front-drive car was never able to facedown rivals like the BMW 3 Series when it came to enthusiasts, but that was never the car’s purpose. All the way through its life, Audi made the B3 saloon unashamedly sensible, with the stylish five-pot-powered Coupe trusted to win hearts. The firm was fostering an image of engineering prowess in the VW Group ranks. Not everyone watched rallying, after all.
That being said, Audi was always keen to highlight its acheivements – note the ‘Competition’ badge on this car’s dash – and the 80 Sport was suitably capable. It delivered a then-respectable nine-second 0-60mph time and top speed of 129mph. Yet it was a subdued as a solicitor's briefcase with simple, handsome lines, matched by a functional interior, with its oil temp, pressure and battery volts gauges low in the centre console. A leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel and five-speed gear knob finished it off nicely.
With the cloth seats, Audi-branded mats and surrounding cabin plastics all wonderfully fresh looking in today’s Spotted, it's hats off to the former keeper (or whoever returned it to this state). The six-spoke 15-inch wheels, wrapped in 500-mile-old ContiPremiumContact 2 rubber, are immaculate. Same goes for the paintwork, chrome bits and black exterior plastics. Only the modern Blaupunkt stereo falls short on ensuring 100 per cent authenticity, but there’s almost no denying the added functionality of the discreet modern system. It’s only going to help keeping this car in routine use easier in a world of digital signals.
Adding to the car’s usability case is the fitment of an aftermarket alarm system, and promise that all of the 80’s original switchgear and electrical items work without fault. There are said to be no warning lights displayed on the instrument cluster, which is so very old Audi. Were it the full 80s Sport quattro, no doubt this loveliness would come with a bigger price tag, but because this is the front-drive car, it’s up for a fiver short of eight-grand. There can’t be many better value, headache-free ways to transport yourself back to this era of concrete-solid German engineering, can there?
SPECIFICATION | AUDI 80 SPORT 16V (B3)
Engine: 1,984cc, inline four
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 137@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 133@4,500rpm
MPG: 24
CO2: 246g/km
Year registered: 1991
Recorded mileage: 79,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £7,995
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