As the auction for Wolf and Mare’s 2001 Audi A4 2.8 Quatto 5-speed comes to an end tomorrow, we naturally start to wonder what might be the next car from Ingolstadt to find a home in our garage. Perhaps something bigger and more rare, such as a 5-speed Audi S8 imported from Europe? You know what would really stand out at a Cars & Coffee, though? An Audi 50 LS.

While the technological marvel and star of the movie Ronin will always be something we crave, there’s just something about small, incredibly well-preserved economy cars that appeals to us. It’s likely because they always attract a crowd of smiling spectators shocked to see one still on the road.

The Audi 50 was originally an NSU project intended to modernize the brand’s dated rear-engined small sedans. Supermini cars such as the Mini, the Fiat 127 and the Peugeot 204 were taking Europe by storm at the time. Not to be left out, the K50 project was begun.

Supervised by the head of Audi at the time, the design of the K50 was influenced by none other than the great Marcello Gandini of Bertone. Famous for defining the form of such icons as the Lamborghini Countach and the Lancia Stratos, Gandini and Bertone also designed for more mainstream brands including Renault and Fiat. 

Ultimately the prototype design for the K50 was finished in-house, but undoubtedly drew inspiration from Gandini’s concept as well as the Giugiaro-designed VW Golf and Scirocco.

On offer from German dealer Classic Garage Celle, this 1976 Audi 50 GL is a 73,000 kilometer (45,000 miles) unrestored example in Marino Yellow. This car’s condition is absolutely remarkable for a 70’s economy hatchback. The paintwork is glossy with straight panels and no visible corrosion. The brightwork and trim is intact and in fantastic condition. Even the tiny chrome bumpers (much sought after by early watercooled VW tuners) are in pristine shape.

These little cars came with one of two 1.1 Liter 4-cylinder transversely mounted engines above the front axle: a 59 horsepower unit in the GL or the 50hp base unit as in this LS spec car. While 50 horsepower doesn’t sound like much, the car only weighs 1500 pounds so its performance should be sprightly. The top speed was rated at 88MPH, just barely enough for time travel. And being a Euro-market car, the speedo actually goes up that high.

The interior is a rather spartan affair, but well-appointed compared to other supermini cars with luxuries such as full carpeting, a clock, and inlaid wood on the dashboard. This is an Audi, after all. We particularly like the speaker grill next to the stereo that has been precisely milled into the wooden fascia.

The seats, which are standard-sized, hopefully provide some sense of just how small the cabin is on these supermini cars. The fabric here is the delightful hard-wearing velour of the period, but does show some loosening in the seat bases from use.

Weight reduction was a focus for the factory, with the gearbox casing constructed of magnesium to save weight and a composite plastic and aluminum radiator. The press at the time praised the cars steering and ride quality, handled by rack and pinion steering with McPherson struts in the front and the typical torsion beam rear axle. Braking is discs in the front and drums in the rear.

This particular car has been lowered, but the original springs come with the purchase. The undercarriage looks quite tidy for what is a nearly 50 year old car. Some light corrosion is present on the oil pan, but the suspension components and exhaust look quite clean. The front and rear valances and wheel arches appear to be remarkably cancer-free, given those areas are among the first to rust in cars of this vintage.

The shape of this car may be familiar to some as it’s the same as that of the Volkswagen Polo, which VW rebadged and sold alongside this car for 3 years. The Audi variant of the car struggled as cost-conscious buyers drifted toward the more affordable Polo. Audi discontinued the car after only 4 years and 180,812 units sold.

Being individualists at Wolf and Mare, we’re always let down when we find our exact spec car at Cars and Coffee or a local car show. We’ve found over the years that low mileage, well-preserved “everyday” cars that have long since disappeared from the roads draw as much attention as the hottest modern exotics for a much lower investment. 

We can hardly imagine there are many Audi 50s left after all these decades, let alone ones with the low mileage and pristine unrestored condition of this German classic. Since it was never offered in the United States, this car would be a one of one in your neck of the woods. 

While it’s currently in Germany, at 48 years old this specimen has long been eligible for importation. The only question is does this car’s condition warrant its nearly $14,000 US price tag?

Our take? Well, as they say—they’re only original once…

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisal and auction services for sellers and buyers of collector European cars. We also support overseas purchases and importation. Give us a call or drop us a line!