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Author: Carter

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Heap of the Week: 1982 Audi Coupe GT

Published June 5, 2014 by Carter

For quite some time, the B2 Audi was nearly forgotten with the exception of the quattro models. But in recent years, more appreciation has grown for the front wheel drive GT model. Indeed, in its day the Audi GT was considered by motoring magazines to be one of the best handling cars available, and having spent a the best part of two decades with one I have to agree. The Giugiaro design was one of the more subtle but also elegant designs from Audi, with great proportions and really neat details – in particular, the sweeping angular C pillar design and 3/4 view on the GTs is one of my favorite. Because they remained unappreciated for so long, though, unlike the E30 BMW crowd it’s now quite hard to find one in good shape – especially true of the earlier models. However, one restoration candidate has popped up on Ebay and appears to be worth saving:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1982 Audi Coupe GT on eBay

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Ur-S Double Take: 1992 Audi S4 v. 1995 Audi S6

Published June 4, 2014 by Carter

As Paul and our reader John both noted in last week’s 1991 Audi S4 post, the price of that appealing and clean example of was fairly high relative to what you could purchase a slightly higher miles but still clean model in the U.S. for, even not taking into account the cost of importing the car to the U.S. To underscore that point, today we’ll look at both an early and later version of the venerable 20V Turbo C4 chassis Audi – the enthusiast dubbed “Ur-S” cars. First off we’ll look at a 1992 S4, then a 1995 S6:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1992 Audi S4 on Craigslist.org

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Double Take: 1986 and 1987 Porsche 944 Turbos

Published June 4, 2014 by Carter

Dismayed by recent price increases in the E30 market? I’ll admit I am; I’ve had a dream since I was 12 of owning an E30 M3 – back when they were new – but recent prices mean that ship has sailed. But there are still plenty of options for affordable German motoring – even a race-bred, flared 4-cylinder kind. If you missed out on the trio of 944 Turbo racers I wrote up earlier this week, today I’ve got two affordable and good looking options for driver-quality 944 Turbos. As these are the early cars, they’re down on power out of the box compared to the later S, but these are easily tunable cars that accept a myriad of upgrades and still have a very active and enthusiastic community supporting them. Faster, better handling and braking, great looking and even more fuel economy than the E30 is what you can expect from the 944 Turbo. But the one thing you won’t see is ridiculous prices, for now:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 Porsche 944 Turbo on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 “RS”

Published June 3, 2014 by Carter

So you want a classic 1960s/1970s Porsche 911. Well, it’s not a great time to jump on the bandwagon. We’ve watched prices on these early 911s jump to unprecedented levels – values on models such as the 1973 Carrera RS have tripled in the past year, where now Hagerty Insurance values a top condition example at $800,000. So, sufficed to say you won’t be getting one anytime soon; and even if you could afford it, then what? Would you feel comfortable taking your million dollar Porsche for a stroll with all those Camry “drivers” more intent on the latest recipe on NPR than signaling to change the three lanes over the to exit they just missed? Don’t worry, they’ll back up to take it. So, what’s an enthusiast to do? Well, many have been inspired by the model of Singer; backdating modern cars to look like older and more valuable examples. As a side bonus, you get improved performance and luxuries that the early cars just didn’t have – items that honestly make the drive more enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I saw a Singer-inspired car at Lime Rock Park that just looked awesome – an updated RS that was dependable and, more importantly, a car that could be driven and enjoyed on a reasonable budget. Today, there’s a similar example for sale on Ebay:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 “RS” on eBay

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BMW M5 Double Take: “New” v. “Old” – 2001 or 1988?

Published June 3, 2014 by Carter

Well, this one has been brewing for a bit in my head. As I’ve watched E28 and E34 M5 prices climbing and the plateau after falling of E39 prices, the two are in general available for about the same amount of money. One is a well-acknowledged classic – the original super sedan, a well balanced combination of 4-door versatility with a race-bred high-revving inline-6. The second nearly never happened, and seemingly was an afterthought compared to the earlier examples – but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t well thought out. The E39 is one of the best performance bargains going not only amongst BMWs, but in cars in general – with 400 horsepower from a thundering V8, it took the M5 to a new level of performance and demanded the same of its competitors. So, here we have M5 v. M5; a generation gap, a performance gap, but both as performance icons of their respective times and generally accepted as collectable going forward. Which is the one you’d choose? Let’s start with the original:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 BMW M5 on eBay

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