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Tag: 3.2

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Tuner Tuesday Turbo Quattro Coupes: 2004 TT 3.2 quattro HPA Turbo and 2009 R8 4.2 Heffner Twin Turbo

When they launched the original Quattro, Audi redefined how performance could be packaged. With supercar performance but day to day practicality, the Quattro established a niche that made Audi unique amongst not only German manufacturers, but indeed the automotive world. Since then, however, the idea of all-wheel drive and turbocharged platforms have spread not only to sister companies Porsche and Volkswagen, but indeed to Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Opel and even outside Germany to Japan. So Audi once again redefined its packaging; in the case of the TT, they brought expensive styling to the masses, and in the case of the R8, they brought supercar performance and packaging to a 911 budget. But it’s not just Audi that has raised its game; tuning firms are held to much higher standards then they were in the 1980s. Go back and look at some early Callaway turbo setups, for example, and you’ll see what was cutting edge in the 1980s – levels of fit and finish that just aren’t acceptable today, along with driving characteristics not suitable to most owners. Computerized engine management has transformed what is possible in the tuning world to the point where today’s packages often retain OEM-levels of driveability with otherworldly performance on tap. Two great examples of this can be found in HPA’s turbocharged Audi TT and Heffner’s twin-turbocharged Audi R8:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Audi TT 3.2 quattro HPA Turbo on eBay

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Über Rarität: 1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Cabriolet

When BMW upped its game in the E36 chassis with the introduction of the M3, specialty tuner Alpina answered with the B3 3.0 and later 3.2 in step with BMW. The successor of the slightly less powerful B6 model, the B3 kept many of the same improvements to the E36 chassis – unique stabilizers, springs and shocks, and larger brakes. Inside the B3 received the normal Alpina-style shift knob, steering wheel and seats, and in their typical style Alpina provided unique front and rear spoilers along with their own badging. Of course, the package was rounded out by some of the best looking wheels ever fitted to a BMW. While the B3 was down on power to the European M3 3.2, it wasn’t really much slower – again in typical Alpina fashion, the car was tuned to make the most of the power that was available rather than just provide a shockingly high output number. A reported 1,000 of these ultra-exclusive B3s were produced, with about 2/3rds of those being the earlier 3.0 model. With only 342 of the 3.2 produced, the pool is already very exclusive on these. Add a manual transmission when most are automatic, special order Dakar Yellow paint and a cabriolet model, and this is among the most exclusive Alpinas ever made.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1999 Alpina B3 3.2 Cabriolet on eBay

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You Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse: 2008 Porsche Cayenne 185″ Limo

So often with modified cars we decry the loss of a prime example of a highly desirable car in stock form. Of course, there are exceptions; original Ruf and AMG cars, Alpina and Hartge BMWs and even the occasional Treser is pretty neat. But generally outside of that the modifications don’t do much in terms of desirability to the market at large; people really seem to prefer stock examples. Despite that, when it comes to a generally unloved model, I’m willing to bet that no one will cry much for the loss – witness today’s 2008 Porsche Cayenne. While the facelift generation Cayenne is generally perceived as a visual improvement over the original design, I can’t say that there are a tremendous amount of enthusiasts that really get super excited about them. That’s especially true of the entry level 3.2 VR6 model; whether it’s true or not, it feels like it’s a lot more Volkswagen than Porsche, and I for one think the Touareg is better looking. Consequently, I let out an audible laugh and cheer when I stumbled across this 185″ stretched limousine version of a 2008 Cayenne:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 Porsche Cayenne Limo on eBay

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1984 Porsche 911 Carrera

As the 911 turned 20 years old in the mid-1980s, Porsche would unleash what many consider to be the last true link to the original 911 before the smoother styling of the 964 and 993 took hold: the 3.2 Carrera. This model would carry through until the dawn of the 1990s through a number of iterations. But for me, there’s just nothing better than the classic Carrera coupe. This first year Grand Prix White example for sale in California is a well-documented car, with a history intertwined with the well-known dealership, Vasek Polack Porsche.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera on eBay

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Citron Coupes: 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera & 1996 Porsche Carrera 4S

Yellow is a color more akin to some Italian exotics, but occasionally you’ll come across some of Stuttgart’s finest in this eye-popping hue. Porsche produced a number of different yellows over the years, and here are two air-cooled examples slathed in this bright shade. First up is a 1987 911 Coupe in Summer Yellow for sale in Florida.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera on eBay

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