AUTOart 88700 Audi S1 review: a rear cover worth removing
The 1987 No. 1 Audi offers front engine access and rear cooling detail, balanced against unbranded tires and a plastic-like wheel appearance in the inspection.
At a Glance
Model essentials
- 1987 No. 1 Pikes Peak Audi · 1:18
- Opening hood and doors
- Removable rear cover exposes fans
Collection highlights
- Distinct front and rear mechanical views
- Detailed racing seat and harnesses
- Specific event livery
Before you choose
- Unbranded tires on the sample
- White wheels looked plastic-like
Available from Diecast Models Wholesale
View model at retailer ↗Price and availability subject to change
The removable rear cover is the distinctive opening on this No. 1 Audi. It reveals cooling fans and a fuel-filler area beneath the wing, while the engine is accessed at the front. An open display can therefore explain two parts of the car’s layout rather than simply exposing the engine from more angles.
Read the model from front to rear
- The hinged front hood exposes the represented engine and its plumbing.
- The doors give a view of the racing seat, harnesses and controls.
- The separate rear cover lifts away to reveal the cooling equipment and filler area. It is not a hinged trunk lid.
The 88700 inspection documents these different access points. For a close-view hill-climb display, that distribution of equipment is a stronger reason to open the model than the number of panels itself.
A convincing compartment does not fix a disappointing wheel
The inspected tires lack branding despite Michelin graphics on the body. The white wheels also looked plastic-like in the inspection. The first is a marking omission; the second is an appearance judgment, not a finding about the wheels’ composition or strength.
If your display emphasizes the low side view, those wheel reservations deserve attention. If the front and rear compartments will be the main subjects, they may carry less weight. Both judgments concern the same 1987 No. 1 edition, not rally Audis generally.
The comparison with the plain-black Peugeot is relevant for choosing one hill-climb subject, but the Peugeot cannot replace this decorated 1987 entry in a historical collection.
Pros & Cons Analysis
See the source attributions and review limitations below.
Pros
- The rear cooling equipment gives the removable cover a purpose independent of the front engine opening. This makes the layout especially relevant to a collector exploring how the represented racing car is arranged.
- The seat, harnesses and sparse controls create a coherent competition cockpit through the opening doors. The interior is not merely an inaccessible suggestion behind glazing.
- The number and event graphics support an exact-entry collection. Their presence should be assessed separately from wheel finish.
Cons
- Body sponsor graphics do not extend to matching tire lettering in the inspected example. That omission matters where sidewall fidelity is a purchase priority.
- The wheel appearance was a reservation in one inspection. It is an aesthetic observation, not a measured material or durability failure.
Two mechanical compartments, one visible compromise
The Audi can show the front engine and rear cooling arrangement while retaining its 1987 No. 1 identity. That combination is persuasive for an open mechanical display. The tire branding omission and plastic-like wheel appearance remain material reservations if the low side view will dominate.
Technical Specifications
| Brand | AUTOart |
|---|---|
| Product code | 88700 |
| Subject | 1987 Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak No. 1 |
| Edition / version | 1987 Pikes Peak; Walter Röhrl No. 1 |
| Color / livery | White No. 1 Pikes Peak livery |
| Scale | 1:18 |
| Model type | Race car |
| Materials | Composite body |
| Length | 9.25 in |
| Width | 4.25 in |
| Height | 3 in |
| Measurement basis | Approximate catalog dimensions; pose unspecified |
| Opening panels | Hood; doors; removable rear cover |
| Moving parts | Steerable wheels — merchant listing |
| Lighting | Unknown |
| Power source | Unknown |
| Included figures | Unknown |
| Included equipment | Represented roll cage and extinguisher |
| Display base | Unknown |
