[urq] Why should Audi care/urqs aren't worth jack...(long)

[MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM]

...well my $.02 is that Audi should care. It's a great marketing tool for them. Show the new Audi buyer what the quattro is all about. You can see a little bit of it in recents TV ads and print ads reminicing the racing hertiage of the quattro. So I think they should reproduce NLA parts or hand over the dies and let an aftermarket company take care of it. I mean someone mentioned why Audi should care if they are selling more cars in a hour than urqs in a year? Well, GM, Ford, BMW and Chrysler like selling new cars too but still support their past as well. GM may not make alot of the parts for say a 1957 Bel Air Convertable, but they allow aftermarket companies their original molds, dies, and skematics on parts to service the owners who still care (and still buy new cars). So I think that if talks go on with Audi Corporate, this should be addressed. If audi feels its a waist of time to concern them selves with reproducing tie-rods for a car that has only 11,000 production units
 worldwide over a ten year span, than give that opportunity to someone else who are willing to fabracate the part or parts to keep these cars running. 
 
As for worth, I think Bill pretty much summed it up. Only I feel that what people pay for a car is not what a car is worth. Just because A person pays $8000 for a Urq doesn't mean that's all that car is worth. It could be worth more if it's a VIN C or a VIN G. Other characteristics come to play when talking about a car's value like non-sunroof Urq's are rare and could drive the price up. The Urq in NJ with factory installed SQ seats is extremely rare and would be worth a little more than an average Urq. Urqs with a racing pedigree might drive their price up as well. Stuff like that helps the value up. Mods mean nothing as far as building up the value of an individual's car. I see all these cars getting converted to MC's and 20vt's, and it makes me think I should leave my WX in, because 10-20 years down the road my car should be worth more than a converted car. Then again we could have the Muscle Car craze from the 80's all over again with European sports cars. I think If Audi would
 have maintained a Turbo Quattro Coupe after the Urq, then our cars would be worth something. Much the way BMW has always had a hot 2-door coupe since the mid 60's (2002, 318i's, M3's). This allows the a person who can't afford the $50K price tag on a M3 to look at the models before it and choose a model to buy. Same relationship works with Vetts, stang's and 911's. Audi dosen't have this seeing they stopped importing them in 1985-86 so a potential Audi buyer who can't afford the $50k on a S4V8 may only go as far as the URS4 (not that there is anything wrong with URS4's) never knowing that hot quattro exsisted before that.
 
The funny thing is, the values of these cars should maintain some sort of value seeing they are rare, handbuilt, production model. I think that if WRC racing was popular in North America as it was in Europe, it would have maintained a certin value today. Unfortunatley, WRC didn't get much coverage so not many people in NA know about it. I get it all the time with people at car shows or just on the street. Another factor is new genration of drivers. The majority of younger drivers want sloopy looking sedans with navagation and DVD players (what, buy a car that doesn't have a cup holder!?!) So the urq looks too old for their taste. Luckly there are some out there who know what the Urq is all about and typically drive a 4kq or 5kq until they can afford a Urq.
 
As for UPG, it was designed to cellebrate the owners of these cars and the attention they give them. The parties are designed to bring this group of people togehter and enjoy the fruits of their labors on these cars. It has no intetion to try and escallate the value on these cars but I feel that as time goes on it may in fact have some effect on demand as new Urq owners appear or new Urq owners are generated.It is the preservation that we (Gary and I) wanted to build on when creating this group. Most people on this list and other lists spend alot of time keeping these cars alive and what a better place to show it off, with a bunch of our peers. Yes we generate interest at other shows (Lime Rock, Audifest, All German Car show) but its nice to hang with a bunch of people who apperciate what it takes to run a Urq. Again, it's just $.02 worth but 10 yrs down the road it maybe $.10 : )
 
Mike Cunningham
UPG co-founder
1983 Audi Turbo Quattro Coupe
1988 Audi 5000CS Turbo Quattro