Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
A few weeks ago, we saw a nearly perfect low mile 1997 S6 quattro. I say nearly perfect, because it was in England and right hand drive. Well, today, we’ve got another one thanks to some searching by our reader John. This one appears to be in similar shape from what can be seen, and is another of the great rare color combinations we didn’t get much of in the U.S.. Finished in Cyclamen Pearl with S6+ wheels and that great two-tone Recaro interior, this right driver 1997 sure looks awesome to me:
I’ll make no excuses for my love of the Audi D2. Sure, it helps that I owned a D11 V8 Quattro, but the reality is that the D2 was, at least in my opinion, a better looking car than its competition from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. It was clear when the original “Aluminum Space Frame” (ASF) concept launched in 1993 that Audi had jumped the game up. No longer would they rely on a restyled mid-size car for their top of the range executive sedan; the A8 represented an entirely new direction for the company, with revised design language that would last two generations as well as substantially altered technology. That technology made the A8 much lighter than it looked; through use of aluminum, the curb weight of the large A8 was about the same – despite increased levels of luxury, legroom and soundproofing – as the outgoing V8 quattro. Sure, at around 4,000 lbs, it’s no featherlight; but it wore its weight well and elegantly, making it seem like a much sportier and livelier car than the numbers alone would suggest. Then there was the presence that the A8 just oozes; much like the beloved BMW E38, the D2 manages to look long, low and aggressive while still seeming elegant and refined. It’s a combination few large sedans are able to pull off, and from a looks perspective, it’s hard to argue that either of the successive generations of large Audi have surpassed the good looks of the D2.
From a buyers perspective, these cars are also the bargain of the “Big Three” German executives. Generally it’s hard to find a late 1990s A8 in very good condition, but when you do it’s a bit of a treat because they’re generally on offer for about the same money that gets you into a decent A4. If you’re looking for refinement, there’s simply no contest between the two; the A8 wins hands down any day. Coupled with all wheel drive and the quite capable 310 horsepower 40V V8, they’re no slouch on back roads or highways, either. Today, we’re excited to feature this lovely, great condition Canadian-spec 1998 A8 4.2 Quattro from Enthusiast Auto Sales:
Another week, another set of watercooled, front engined, 4-cylinder, non-turbo Porsche coupes. This time, though, it’s the cream of the crop; the highly regarded 968 Coupe. While recently I’ve covered several944 S and S2s, the 968 remains pretty firmly the most desirable of the non-turbo models by most enthusiasts. For good reason, too – it’s a good looking, relatively cheap to maintain Porsche that’s a great driver and combines the awesome look of the 928 and 944 turbo into one package. What’s not to like? Well, in some cases, the pricetag; we’ve featured a few lower mile examples and the asking prices seem to be quite high. The first example is a good illustration of this:
Last week, I wrote up a clean and original 1982 924 Coupe, a reminder of the relatively unloved father of the much more appreciated 944 and 968. Despite there being many of these good handling, fun to drive and affordable Porsches available in very good condition, most people still stay away from them because they’re “not true Porsches”. Perhaps even more unloved than the 924 is the more potent version of the aerodynamic coupe, the 924 Turbo. This is probably due to the generally unloved nature of the 924, which resulted in low residual value for what was at the time a complicated and expensive car. Today, finding a good condition 924 Turbo is more difficult than finding regular original 924 coupes, but there’s a nice one on Ebay today:
It’s hard to believe it’s been over two years since Paul last wrote up a 450SLC 5.0, a homologation special intended to get a big motor into a lighter SLC to make it competitive in World Rally Championship. Remember, this is the pre-Quattro days, so a heavier rear driver wasn’t such a crazy proposition. It was aided by a fair amount of aluminum, too – the engine, doors, hood and trunk all were switched to aluminum. In the case of the hood – long enough to land a small aircraft on – that change made a difference. They didn’t sell like hotcakes though, and few remain today; they’re rare sights for sure, and it’s a treat to get two at the same time. Let’s start with the 1980: