Whilst the charismatic Group C era will be remembered for the battles between grandee manufacturers Porsche, Lancia, Jaguar and Sauber-Mercedes, its low-cost, privateer-orientated Group C2 category was just as competitive, with the likes of Spice, Tiga, Ecosse and Gebhardt vying for class honours and occasionally embarrassing many C1 teams with their pace and reliability.

With a background in industrial conveyor systems, brothers Gunther and Fritz Gebhardt took an unconventional route into motorsport, but their eponymous cars were to become a mainstay of the mid-1980s Group C2 and Interserie grids. A C2 class win at Le Mans in 1986 – courtesy of the British ADA squad – was a high point for the marque, although team stalwart Frank Jelinski and Stanley Dickens had already demonstrated the pace of the Ford DFL-powered JC853 earlier that year, winning their class in the opening round of the World Sportscar Championship at Monza. Gebhardt’s cars even appeared in the 1984–1989 opening sequence of the hit TV show Miami Vice.

This particular chassis, 872/1, utilised a five-cylinder turbocharged Audi engine, as fitted to the fabled IMSA Quattro, and ran as a Works entry in the 1989 Interserie Cup. Driven by Group C and Interserie regular Helmut Dundas, the combination achieved some commendable results, 4th place overall (behind three Porsche 962s) at Wunstorf being particularly noteworthy. This was followed by a 5th place at Siegerland, 6th at Hungaroring and 7th at the season-closing Österreichring round.

Nineteen-ninety saw the arrival of Momo sponsorship, which helped fund the team’s ambitious attempt at the Daytona 24 Hours. Mundas was due to share with popular Greek driver Costas Los and Gunther Gebhardt himself, although 872/1 was regrettably withdrawn prior to the start, having qualified 18th. However, the Trans-Atlantic sojourn was salvaged three weeks later when Los and Almo Coppelli shared the car in the Miami Grand Prix, finishing 11th overall and 6th in class. Returning to Interserie duties thereafter, Copelli took 4th at Siegerland and 5th at Most. Gebhardt secured 5th at Wunstorf and Mundas 6th at Österreichring.

In 1991, 872/1 once again returned to Interserie rounds, with two 6th places (Hockenheim and Most), a 7th at Brands Hatch and an 8th at Österreichring, rounding off its contemporary career – all courtesy of Mundas.

Acquired by the vendor in 2006, 872/1 has recently benefitted from a complete engine rebuild by VW/Audi specialists Lehmann Motorentechnik, and is equally ready to join the burgeoning Group C Racing scene in Europe, or to participate in the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona, for which it would be eminently eligible. It is accompanied by valid FIA HTP papers, and an extensive spares package.

For a complete list of spares available with this lot, please contact an RM Sotheby’s specialist.