Re: UrQ option code 764

[Bryan Gunn <bgunn@voicetek.com>]

> > I wonder if this isn't written backwards. In other words, it's the information
> > and parts necessary to convert a Euro version to a California (USA) version.
> > In other words, it's was the parts and information necessary for a grey-
> > market importer to make the car meet US specs. The "special sales incentive"
> > stating that if you bought an ur-q in Europe that you could take it to the
> > US and Audi would supply the parts necessary to federalize it. This being
> > the "incentive" to the buyer using US-import feasibility as a criteria for
> > purchasing.
> > 
> ... I've seen it on the fiche as well.  I've thought that the reason such 
> an option could have been created was that there was an inventory of cars 
> that could not be sold in the USA ... so they changed them back to Euro 
> spec and sold them elsewhere.  I've seen so much variation amongst the 
> "USA/CA spec" ur-quattros that it probably wouldn't be out of place to
> simply test pipe the cat, swap the ECU & cam and call it a euro-spec.  I
> s'pose they'd have a problem doing a RHD conversion though ...
> 
> It would be interesting to see a parts list for that option kit ... I 
> have never seen anything other than the option code listed on the fiche.
> I have seen things that interest me on the US spec ur-q fiche ... like 
> aux waterpumps for the WC turbos and 20V turbo engines ... but then they
> leave out the part numbers for those goodies ...

This is possible. Although, converting the car to Euro-spec is trickier
than that. For example, the fuel filler necks on the US cars are smaller
to only allow unleaded gas. So that would have to be changed. The instruments
would have to be changed from US customary to metric (or the car made RHD),
the fuel distributor has to be changed to one without a freq valve, plus 
the weight and cosmetic issues associated with the US bumpers. And the lack
of neat stuff like a rear fog light and driving lights. And the car cost
like $10K less in europe anyway. I don't know if it would be worth Audi's 
while to do this. Oh, and the box sections in the trunk reduce the amount
of room in the already tiny trunk and make the spare tire hard to get in
and out. Would a European buyer be willing to accept these limitations in
order to get money off a car that wasn't all that expensive to begin with?
Maybe so. What sort of demand was there for these cars when they were new?

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