The Audi Avus quattro arrived just weeks after the unveiling of the quattro Spyder, forming part of a deliberate one-two statement by Audi leadership under Ferdinand Piëch.
During this period, the car appeared in a distinctly different configuration—finished in a dark green metallic tone and photographed extensively, most notably in desert environments.
The quattro Spyder emerged at a pivotal moment for Audi as it explored lightweight construction and brand repositioning beyond sedans and touring cars.
Audi returned to the DTM for 1991 with a slightly updated V8 quattro Evo. Hans Joachim Stuck would lead the squad with the #1 car, though a young upstart new to the Audi brand if not the series was Frank Biela.
Having had quattro deemed an "unfair advantage" and thus outlawed in Trans-Am in 1988 and IMSA GTO racing in 1989 for its on-track dominance, Audi Sport turned to the German DTM series.
Built at the insistence of Ferdinand Piëch as a fully functional, road-approved family car for his wife Ursula Piëch, it remains one of the most unusual and storied vehicles ever produced by the brand.
