Highlights

• A great looking, fully restored example ready for a busy show season
• Fully restored in 2017 to include paintwork, interior and mechanicals
• Offering the prospect of a highly unique but cheap to run classic car
  
  

The Appeal

This example is one of very few that will have made it to UK shores. It was imported to the UK from France in 2014 and stored until a restoration during 2017. During that time an eye-catching custom Audi 50 was born. This is a car that is sure to be a favourite at the many VW and Audi car shows and events that occur in the UK in the summer months. All with the simple, practical and cheap to maintain underpinnings of the VW Polo.

The History and Paperwork

• This little Audi 50 was produced in 1975, the second year of Audi 50 production
• Little is known of its early life, however
• The car was imported from France to the UK in 2014
• It was believed to have been stored until it underwent a full restoration in 2017
• This work touched every aspect of the Audi to produce the car we see today
• The car was first registered in the UK in March 2018
• The car was then used for a while by its first UK owner
• The current owner acquired the car in September 2019 to become its second UK owner
• The car is complete with its current V5 in the name of the owner
• The V5 designates the car as a Historic Vehicle
• As such it is MoT and VED exempt in the UK
• Online records show it did pass an MoT in February 2018 at an indicated 85,423 kms
• This was an advisory free pass

The Interior

• The interior is very reminiscent of the early VW Polos
• The interior appears very utilitarian by today’s standards
• The seats have been beautifully retrimmed in grey, herringbone tweed material
• The bolsters are finished in black vinyl
• The rear bench is similarly trimmed with a centre section finished in black vinyl
• The condition is excellent and has clearly been professionally undertaken
• The carpets also appear to have been fitted during the restoration
• These are in a Berber style and finished in a complimentary grey hue
• The dashboard is a simple affair finished in black vinyl
• The green on black VDO gauge set is a unique Audi touch
• Smaller, less expensive gauges were used on the VW Polo
• This example if fitted with a four spoke, leather rimmed BBS steering wheel
• The original, more dainty, original is also included and pictured
• The BBS wheel, like the dash centre panel has been finished in herringbone fabric
• Judging by the Harris label on the dash this is from a Harris tweed jacket
• Its herringbone pattern is a very close approximation to the seat fabric
• Door cards and side panels are finished in hard-wearing black vinyl
• The compact boot features its original mat
• It is also home to spare wheel and jack
  
  

The Exterior

• This little Audi looks really eye-catching in its bright sky-blue paintwork
• This was applied in 2017 during the car’s restoration an exudes a high shine
• It has been professionally applied with even the door shuts and boot floor nicely covered
• The body work looks robust too with shut lines and panel gaps looking straight
• There is the odd paint chip in evidence and some minor surface bubbling
• These have been photographed for your review
• The car sits on 14-inch split rim BBS alloy wheels
• These consist of highly polished rims and anthracite painted multi-spoke centres
• They appear to be in excellent condition throughout
• A matching set of recent Nankang tyres in a 155/55 configuration are fitted
• A degree of intentional tyre-stretch is apparent, adding to the desirable custom look
• A pair of black vinyl BBS decals and sill stripes have been added
• Cabin glass and light lenses all appear to be in great condition and original
• The car has been tastefully lowered or “stanced” to add to its show-car appeal
  
  

The Mechanics

• The Audi 50 shared its mechanical underpinnings with the VW Polo
• This makes for a well proven set up and mostly good spares availability
• Being the higher GL model this Audi 50 features the higher powered 1,093 cc engine
• Originally rated at around 59 bhp and driving through a four-speed manual gearbox
• The mechanicals of this car were understood to have been recommissioned in 2017
• The current owner reports that the car runs very well indeed
• He also underlines the low mileage that the car has covered since 2017
• The only fault reported is a misbehaving temperature gauge
• This is understood to be a gauge or sender fault and doesn’t reflect hot running
• The under-bonnet presentation of the car is very strong 
• The underside exhibits a large degree of original underseal in place
• Some surface corrosion is visible but nothing out of keeping with the age of the car
  
  

Summary