Whenever there is talk of a new Audi with the quattro system, the conversation invariably ends up with the original Quattro, which was introduced in 1980 and which forever transformed the world of rallying.
But much less known is the model that served as an «inspiration» for the one that was the first sports car to combine all-wheel drive with a turbo engine: the Volkswagen Iltis, or Type 183.
Yes that's right. If it wasn't for this jeep that Volkswagen built for the German army, to replace the DKW Munga, the Audi Quattro probably wouldn't have existed.
But let's go by parts. By that time, Volkswagen had just purchased Auto Union's various brands, including DKW, which was at the heart of Audi's resurgence.
And it was already in the development of the Iltis, in 1976, on snow-covered roads, that an engineer from the four-ring brand, Jorg Bensinger, realized the potential of the all-wheel drive system applied to a light vehicle, impressed by the Iltis' performance in conditions. precarious grip.
Thus was born the concept behind the creation of the Audi Quattro, a model whose impact is still felt today and which will always be part of the imagination of everyone who attended its gala exhibitions in the world rally.
And speaking of competition, the Volkswagen Iltis, despite its military origins, is also no stranger to it. Iltis is part of motor sport history books, more precisely it is part of the history of the Paris-Dakar Rally, which it won in 1980.
For all that, there would be no lack of excuses (or reasons of interest) to talk about this small all-terrain vehicle from the Wolfsburg brand, but this particular example that we bring you here is news for being in search of a new owner.
Built in 1985, this Iltis, curiously, is not (technically) a Volkswagen, but a Bombardier. It's not exactly identical to a Volkswagen Iltis, but it's part of a series built under license by Bombardier for the Canadian army.
On sale in North Carolina, USA, through the well-known auction portal Bring A Trailer, this Iltis adds only 3584 km (2226 miles) on the odometer, which according to the advertisement is just the distance traveled since a restoration. he suffered in 2020. The total mileage is unknown And… little more is known about him.
Sure enough, for now, this Iltis is in great shape, featuring a green and black camouflage paint and various elements that won't let us forget its military past, either outside or in the cabin, which still retains the operator's seat. radio on the rear.
At the time this article was published, there were only a few hours to the end of the auction for this model and the highest bid was set at 11,500 dollars, something like 9,918 euros. It remains to be seen whether the price will still change until the hammer — virtual, of course — drops. We believe so.