Having conquered the world of rally racing in the early 1980s with the Audi quattro, the Ingolstadt firm turned their attention to the tarmac seeking to set speed records with a series-production automobile.

A display of the Audi’s technological capabilities, the 5000 CS was chosen as the basis of a project that would push turbocharging, all-wheel drive traction, and aerodynamics to the limit. The vehicle was extensively lightened and modified to meet the task at hand. Under the hood, a strengthened and revised 2.2-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine produced a whopping 650 horsepower.

Rally legend and member of the Audi faithful, Walter Röhrl, was originally slated to pilot the speed attempts around the world’s fastest circuit, Talladega Superspeedway, but his lack of familiarity racing ovals led Audi to call upon the skills of the recently retired three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Bobby Unser. By this point in the project, Audi had spent three years and millions of dollars trying to hit the 200 mph record with nothing to show. Bobby Unser’s experience paid off immediately when he arrived at Talladega in March 1986. With his setup applied, the racing veteran cracked 200 mph on his very first run. On his second time out, he set a single-lap speed of 206.3 mph and ultimately recorded 16 world records when it was all said and done.

The Audi would later find its way into private hands in the 1980s. A father and son had arrived at the factory in Ingolstadt to collect their new Audi V8 and were provided a short tour of the facility by Dr. Werner Laurenz, the head of motorsport engine development. This interaction was the basis of a decades-long friendship and one day, the doctor visited the family’s home in Dortmund with the 5000 CS records-holder on the back of a trailer. Roadworthy but slated for the junkyard, the family decided to purchase the Audi for their collection. During their ownership, the paintwork was refreshed and the engine was rebuilt by a specialist.

An incredibly unique automobile and a piece of automotive history, this Audi 5000 CS Quattro Speed Record Prototype would make for a fascinating addition to any collection.