Video: Can the old Audi Quattro S1 beat today’s electric Dakar challenger?

30th January 2023

Ethan Jupp

We love an old versus new battle here at GRR, to see how things have moved on (or not) over the generations and see how a brand has changed over the years. Here at the 2023 Race of Champions in Sweden, two monster Audis were pitted against each other, one representing the latest and greatest tech, another a champion of the old school. It’s on snow, which means there’s only one classic Audi racer for the job: the S1 Quattro.

It finds itself facing off against the latest Audi Sport RS Q e-tron, the marque’s latest Dakar challenger, fresh from its assault on the Saudi desert in the 2023 Dakar. Okay, no it’s not a direct lineage. The S1 is an old Group B legend, of the World Rally Championship, whereas the RS Q e-tron is a rally raid off-road machine. Still, the comparison is interesting to see. The Dakar machine gets a thoroughly good start against its 40-year-old ancestor but the five-pot warbler bites back in the second half. Truthfully, it’s not really an all-out battle, more a demonstration of past and present. How great it is to see and compare 40 years of Audi’s off-road exploits alongside each other.

Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the previous video: Retromobile might be the coolest car show in the world