A record-breaking 1988 Audi 200 Turbo Quattro "Nardo 6000", one of three cars for sale.

An extremely rare 1988 Audi 200 quattro "Nardo 6000" will be auctioned by Bonhams on February 3.

In 1988, then Audi CEO Ferdinand Piech decided to break the speed record held by the Mercedes-Benz C111 diesel prototype from 1978. Three identical Audi 200 quattro sedans were specially prepared for this project. The Audi 200 currently up for auction is one of them and the only survivor.

Each car was equipped with aerodynamic elements made of Kevlar that reduced the drag coefficient to 0.27, aluminum roof and doors, magnesium wheels, plastic side windows, and a roll cage. Audi also included a large fuel tank that can be refueled in 25 seconds. The stock quattro four-wheel drive system was retained.

Power came from a turbocharged 2.2-liter inline five-cylinder producing 650 hp; two of the cars were equipped with 20-valve engines, while this one had a 25-valve version. According to the auction listing, this unique modification was confirmed by Ulrich Baretzky, former head of engine technology at Audi Sport.

The record attempt took place in Nardo Ring, Italy, from April 1-4, 1988. Audi aimed for the 500 km/h (199.32 mph) and 1,000 km/h (197.7 mph) records of 320.78 km/h (199.32 mph) and 318.30 km/h (197.7 mph). The Audi team set both records with a speed of 324.50 km/h (201.63 mph) at 500 km and 326.40 km/h (202.81 mph) at 1,000 km. However, his attempt at the 30,000 km speed record was abandoned due to a crash.

The car up for auction was driven by Dr. Siegfried "Sigi" Brunn, known as "Germany's fastest dentist. He reportedly averaged 350 km/h in just three warm-up laps. Brun purchased the car from Audi and later sold it to its current owner. Since the other two cars were destroyed, this one became a unique piece of Audi history.