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1992 Audi 100CS quattro

So on to the C4 chassis. Though it was instantly recognizable as an Audi, the all-new C4 bore little resemblance to the boxy C3 it replaced. Fluid lines and curves dominated the design, while new running gear and motors made a splash in performance. The C4 continued to stress Audi’s pioneering aerodynamic tradition, but the result this time was a car which seemed far less top-heavy than the chassis it replaced. It looked more trim even if it was a big bigger than the outgoing model.

On the fly, the 100’s new motivation was a revelation. The 2.8 liter V6 replaced the 2.3 liter inline-5, and though horsepower was only 172 and torque 184, both figures represented a nearly 30% gain over the 5-pot. New, too, was a 4-speed automatic transmission. And while the inside looked little different from the last of the C3, only switch gear was shared and the C4 brought a host of new safety and convienence features to the large-chassis Audi.

Strange, though, was the re-appearance of Audi’s earlier naming convention in the U.S.. Back in the early days of the 5000, Audi had used the “S” and “CS” monikers to denote turbo and quattro models at times (but, again being Audi, inconsistently). Well, the S and CS were back after a four-year hiatus. Base model 100 came with steel wheels, while the “S” model stepped you up in options and gave you alloys. But outside of the 20V turbo S4 model, the 100 to get was still the 100CS, which was the most loaded and gave you the option for Audi’s quattro drivetrain. Fully loaded, they were around $35,000 – not cheap, but also not the most expensive in class, and were still unique in offering all-wheel drive.

However, like the C3, the front-drive 100/100S/100CS outsold the quattro model by a fair margin. Audi claims they traded 2,230 of the new 100CS quattro in 1992, and here’s the nicest one out there:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Audi 100CS quattro on eBay


Year: 1992
Model: 100CS quattro
Engine: 2.8 liter V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 123,755 mi
Price: $4,995 Buy It Now

Hi!
Very rare vehicle, limited series… Audi is free of rust or any major dents or scratches. Car needs some TLC but runs great. ONE OWNER NO ACCIDENTS, Clean original title!
We charge DOC fee of $172.00 for every vehicle sold. WE DON’T ship. visit www.usmotorsinc.com for more info and pictures.
Serious buyers calls only.. 630-628-8022 NO TEXT!

Moving up from the 100S gave you Speedline 10-spoke wheels early in the run. Later models would carry a unique version of the Votex 5-spoke Ronal sport alloy. However, sourcing replacements for either is quite tough – while both look just like the versions on the more prolific 90 models, on the C4 they were 5×112 bolt circle instead of 4×108. What’s neat about this particular car isn’t the wheels, though. The paint color appears to be Ragusa Green Metallic and it’s what caught my eye. It’s a beautiful shade of green and looks much better than the ubiquitous Emerald Green Metallic that would be synonymous with big-body around the same time. It was also the color of my ’92 V8 quattro, so maybe I have a soft spot for it. Inside in the Travertine leather that was often matched with Ragusa, but also interesting to note was that the V8 quattro from the same era kept its distinction of having an interior-matched steering wheel – the 100’s was black.

Condition is very good throughout, but honestly few seek out the 100CS quattro. That’s because in 1992 Audi brought in 250 of the high-performance S4 model that would go on to be much more legendary. The ’92 S4 was unique, too, since it was closer to European specification than the later ’93-’94 models or the S6 that followed. Beyond searching it out, though, at the asking price of this car you can find a more needy (but also much more rewarding) S4/S6. You can also find better looking later evolutions of the C4 in the A6, and obviously the one to get is the Avant. However, while quattro became more prevalent later in the run, so too did linking it to the automatic transmission. Finding a manual C4 outside of 20V turbo models is really quite tough. And so, though the asking price seems a bit steep, this really is a pretty unique bit of Audi history that appears to be in good shape and should be a work horse for many years to come.

-Carter

3 Comments

  1. John
    John May 12, 2018

    Nice example! Hope it finds a good home.

  2. Brad
    Brad May 12, 2018

    Really pretty.

  3. Christian
    Christian May 12, 2018

    Quattro. And manual! Someone buy this and take care of it please!

Comments are closed.