Urq VIN numbers (was Re: beaten UrQ for sale in...)

[ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com (Fluhr)]

Phil Payne writes:
>The factory records are frankly incredible.  The second "D" in the
>VIN identifies it as a 1983 model year car, built after 1 August 1982.
>
>The records state that 85-D-900001 was built on 1 August 1982, and
>85-D-900593 was built on 31 August 1982.  592 cars in 30 days, from a
>plant capable of an absolute maximum of four cars a day?


It appears to me as if the factory started numbering U.S. production
urquattros built in February of 1982 with 85-D-900001.  Then in 
the August/September timeframe when they changed the Euro production
lines from the 1982 model year to the 1983 model year, they made the
same updates to the U.S. production models but just continued the
VIN numbers as-is.  This changeover occurs with the 85-D-900592/593/594
model cars (depending on what fiche/catalog you look at), and is
what most U.S. listers use to differentiate between the 1982 and 1983
U.S. urquattros (primarily the change to the 4000q style suspension).

Interestingly, my "new" urq is vin number 85-C-900087, built in 7/81
and delivered 10/81.   Audi list it as a U.S. production model tqc,
even though the fiche implies that U.S. production didn't begin
until 2/82.

Later
Eric
'85 CGT, '82 urq
---
Eric J. Fluhr                                Email:  ejfluhr@austin.ibm.com
630FP Logic/Circuit Design                   Phone:  (512) 838-7589
IBM Server Group                             Austin, TX