The Quattro’s performance is typical turbo: above 3000rpm it is wonderfully quick, and certainly needs the rev-limiter which cuts the ignition at 6700rpm – 200rpm below the red line. The 200bhp propels the car to 30mph in just 2.0sec – 0.1sec quicker than a Porsche 911 SC – and to 60mph in 7.3sec.
What’s marvellous is the delivery: sitting in first gear, clutch out, you can rev the engine to 6000rpm and slip your left foot off the clutch pedal. Where anything except perhaps a 911 would sit for a long moment spinning its back tyres, the Quattro rears its nose up and, with a brief squawk of wheelspin, tears away. The same traction is there, only slightly reduced, on surfaces such as firm sand.
It is important to remember that, while one has above-ordinary traction, you are no better than anyone else at braking; this is exacerbated by premature front-end locking. Still, the power-assisted rack and pinion steering is accurate, responsive and well-geared, with 3.4 turns lock-to-lock and a turning circle of 35ft.
As the Quattro is derived from a front-wheel drive chassis, it is not surprising to note that its unladen weight distribution is 61.3:38.7 front to rear, and thus it behaves like a front-wheel drive car on the limit. The Quattro sticks to the road no better than the midfield of top-class two-wheel drive chassis with which it competes. Lift off the accelerator and, as a minimum, the car will tighten its line. Corner very hard and it will break away into an oversteering slide, and even spin.
Driven with respect, once you have learned its ways, the Quattro is nevertheless magnificent, particularly through a wet and deserted roundabout or series of open bends.
