It turns out that the "clothes" of the Audi TT RS are not simple.

On March 3, 1980, the Audi quattro racing car made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. This year marks the 40th anniversary of its birth. Recently, Audi officially released the Audi TT RS 40 years of quattro special edition to commemorate this special year. The new car will be released in a limited edition of 40 units, each priced at 114,000 euros (RMB 899,100). Unfortunately, the new car will only be sold in the German market.

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Speaking of the Audi quattro racing car, we have to talk about the famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which is what every rally cross-country driver most wants to conquer. place. It is also the second-oldest vehicle racing event in the United States, second only to the Indy 500 held annually in Indianapolis.

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) originated in 1916. Top rally off-road riders from all over the world gathered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA ( At the foot of Pikes Peak (Pikes Peak) outside Colorado Spring. The starting point of the race is located at 11.2 kilometers on the Pikes Peak Highway, and the race continues towards the top of the mountain. The entire track is close to 20 kilometers. It includes an 18.8-kilometer-long uphill section and a 1.2-kilometer-long downhill section, with an average gradient of 7% and a vertical drop of 1,439 meters. It is very difficult and many riders have left their precious lives here.

(Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Route Map)

Different from other international events, there are many types of participating cars in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, ranging from ordinary production cars to From motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (UTVs) to off-road vehicles, professional rally cars, and now electric vehicles, the participating categories are constantly being revised almost every year.

In 2019, Ducati rider Carlin Dunne unfortunately passed away while participating in the motorcycle category. This also caused the organizers of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb to begin discussing whether to continue to hold motorcycle categories in the future. . Megan Leatham, race director of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, said: "After all, on this mountain road with 156 turns, there is almost zero buffer space for motorcycles, and driver mistakes may very well cost their lives."

(Ducati driver Carlin Dunne)

A tribute to the Audi Sport quattro S1 championship racing car

In 1980, Audi quattro introduced four-wheel drive into rally racing for the first time, and it started from then on Entered "cheating" mode. The following year, Michèle Mouton won the World Rally Championship (1981 Sanremo Rally in Italy) driving the first-generation Audi quattro rally car, making her the first female driver to win the event.

(Legendary female driver Michèle Mouton)

Between 1982 and 1984, the A1 and S2 versions of the quattro series defeated Lancia 037 and Peugeot 205 Turbo ?16 and other previously dominant rally cars. During this period, *** won 24 World Rally Championship championships, and the quattro series cars were consistent winners in countless small rally competitions across the country.

(Audi quattro?A1)

(Audi quattro?S2)

In 1984, in order to qualify for the Group B rally, Audi developed the quattro Upgraded model——Sport quattro S1. Compared with the mass-produced version, the maximum power of the Sport?quattro?S1 engine has been increased to 450 horsepower, and a large amount of Kevlar fiber is used in the body covering to reduce the weight of the vehicle. You can see the livery of the Audi TT?RS?40?years?of?quattro special edition, which is a tribute to the Audi Sport?quattro?S1 championship racing car.

(Audi Sport?quattro?S1)

(The white 20-inch wheels also imitated the appearance of that year)

The following year, Michèle Mouton Driving the newly developed Audi Sport?quattro?S1 racing car, we launched an attack on the top of Pikes Peak. In the end, she successfully reached the top in just 11 hours, 25 minutes and 39 seconds. Not only was she the fastest racer in 1985, but she also set a new world record, which has not yet been broken by any female driver. In 1987, the Audi Sport?quattro?S1 once again became the fastest car in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Race.

(Michèle Mouton won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Championship in 1985)

Dominic Fraser, a British photographer, once said: " For children in the 1970s and 1980s, rallying was undoubtedly the most exciting and intense competition, and sometimes cars even flew by. Of course, the Audi Sport?quattro?S1 is undoubtedly my favorite rally car."

The Audi TT RS pays tribute to classic models and also represents the inheritance and continuous breakthroughs of classics by the Audi RS high-performance department. The number of limited edition of 40 units coincides with the 40th anniversary. Audi is really good at grasping classics. I believe that these 40 special edition models have already been sold out. For Audi RS fans, buying this Audi TT RS is not for competition, but for the feelings involved.

Who do you think is the king of rally?

You are welcome to share your reasons with me!

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.