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Sprint-off: 2011 Audi S5 v. 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet

Sprint-off: 2011 Audi S5 v. 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet

Published August 6, 2015 by Carter

Blue is my favorite color. I know, this doesn’t really come as a surprise; I think I wax and wane all the time about the special blues that are available from different manufacturers. Whether it was my own Coupe GT’s original Oceanic Blue Metallic or my Passat’s Ink Blue Pearl Effect, there’s just something that’s very special about the glowing, bright and vibrant blues. Audi made a bold change to their blue around 2005; with the mid-year refresh to the B6 chassis, the new B7 discontinued the very popular purple-blue hue of Nogaro. Now, that color had been around in various forms since the RS2, and was closely associated with fast Audis – so it was a big deal. The new color, Sprint Blue Pearl Effect (LZ5F), was pretty and shiny but somehow changed the character of the fast Audis. Maybe it was time for a change, or maybe it was the wrong move – personally, I think a new RS7 in Nogaro would be pretty stunning. But the new hue was also a hit and offered a rare splash of color in Audi’s otherwise conservative grey/silver/black lineup. Today I have two of the faster Audis offered in this shade; about the same mileage, both 6-speed manuals, and both with the 4.2 V8, would you take the S5 Coupe or RS4 Cabriolet?

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2011 Audi S5 on Craigslist

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1983 Audi 5000 Turbo Diesel

1983 Audi 5000 Turbo Diesel

Published August 5, 2015 by Carter

The word “rare” gets tossed around an awful lot, and if I’m frank we misuse it often. We talk about rare color combinations, rare drivetrain configurations, or rare specifications. But how about an entire model line that’s rare these days? Now, that’s worthy of taking a second look, and while all early Audis fall into that category, the Type 43 large chassis cars are truly not often seen anymore. There are a few reasons that; Audi’s focus in 1984/5 shifted towards the more popular all-wheel drive models as they looked to go upscale in the market with the new Type 44 chassis. Additionally, many of the early Audis that were sold in the U.S. were sold in areas that left their rust-prone metal fatigued. And the Type 44 chassis was so thoroughly modern, it instantaneously rendered the still fairly new Type 43 a dinosaur of design. If “Video Killed the Radio Star” in 1978, aerodynamics, modern design and quattro killed the first 5000 in 1984. Looking back, though, the 5000 was a lovely design; sure, it was boxy and the U.S. didn’t really get the top-spec European 200 5T model. But by 1983 there were 3 different options to choose from; the base model was the 5000 S, available with the 2.1 inline-5 found also in the 4000 5+5 and the Coupe GT. At 100 horsepower, it wasn’t much of a match for the weight of the Type 43 chassis, but it was available with a 5-speed manual. Step up to the 5000 Turbo, and you got a healthy bump to 130 horsepower but could only select the dim-witted but reliable 3-speed automatic. But the sleeper of the trio, and the one that was seldom selected, was the 2.0 liter turbocharged inline-5 diesel option:

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2007 Audi A6 3.2 quattro Avant S-Line

2007 Audi A6 3.2 quattro Avant S-Line

Published August 2, 2015 by Carter

We tend to focus on the faster or the more unique wagons here at GCFSB, a habit which leaves out a huge swath of competent and quite nice automobiles. A great example is the Audi C6 chassis – the swan song, at least for the time being, for the large Audi wagon in the U.S.. It ended three generations of large Avants here, and while it was ostensibly replaced by a car I love – the hatchback A7 – its presence is still missed. There were only two basic configurations that the C6 Avant was available in here; from 2006-2009, you could get the A6 in wagon form only with the 3.2 V6 and the 6-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission. For enthusiasts, that was a bit of a letdown after the plethora of configurations in the C5; no less than 5 different layouts had previously been available. It was strange given the sales success that the C5 enjoyed; Audi chose not only to not bring the go faster V10 S6 and go fastest twin-turbo V10 RS6 here, but the new Allroad also didn’t make the excursion across the seas. Why? Well, quite simply, the sales model in the U.S. had thoroughly changed. While German manufacturers had resisted the temptation to fully delve into the “Sport Utility” market in the early 2000s, but the end of the decade that was just the opposite. Today Audi offers only one wagon option; the A4-based pseudo-offroad Allroad Avant is only available in 2.0T 8-speed auto configuration. Compared that to the early 2000s, when Audi offered fully 6 different wagons with a myriad of different transmission and engine combinations. Only a few short years later, Audi’s model range contained only two wagon options; the A4 Avant remained a popular option, while the A6 seemed to fade into obscurity. You just don’t really see them much, and I live in an area that really loves Audi Avants. Perhaps Audi priced itself out of the market; the base price on a 2006 A6 Avant was a pretty staggering $46,870 before options. Spec one out fully and you were at $60,000 for your family hauler. But for that amount you got a tech-heavy and attractive big wagon that offered pretty respectable performance. The 3.2 V6 had advanced over previous versions considerably; now all-aluminum and offering 255 horsepower, despite the over 4,000 lb. curb weight the Avant scooted to 60 in just a tick over 7 seconds. Opt for the S-Line package, and you got some serious Bologna skins to keep it planted, too – 255-35-19, in the case of this example. Inside was pure luxury, making for a discrete chalet sheppard for you and your four friends:

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Leaves Nothing Stock: 1984 Audi Coupe GT 20V

Leaves Nothing Stock: 1984 Audi Coupe GT 20V

Published July 30, 2015 by Carter

If the M6 I just wrote up was full of non-original details, it’s hard to find anything that came from the factory on this Audi Coupe GT. Much of that I can appreciate, as I myself have fully modified a Coupe GT from stock form. It’s a chassis often overlooked because of the layout; on paper, just like a 911 the Coupe GT shouldn’t work. It’s front drive with an open differential and a very forward weight bias; unlike nearly all the Volkswagens, the engine in the GT in longitudinally laid out. That’s because it effectively was a front drive Quattro platform; many of the details of the front drive GTs are shared with their Quattro cousins. The configuration leaves a giant inline-5 cylinder motor hanging fully in front of the axle line, and the motor which promised the power of a 6 with the economy of a 4 was really the opposite. Yet, as with the 911, something magical was born from this recipe; not only did enthusiasts love the GT, but indeed even automotive experts said the 2-door Audi was more than the sum of its parts. GTs dance through corners with a poise that isn’t shared with the Volkswagen GTis, for example. They’re stunningly composed over long trips too, both spacious and at home cruising on the highway. And, importantly, they looked different than just any 2-door sedan; the angular delight of the Giugiaro design translated well into the narrow body. But just like the GTi and the E30, the platform had room for improvement; stiffen up the suspension and add power and it punches well above its weight class:

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Double Take: 2001 Audi A6 4.2 quattro

Double Take: 2001 Audi A6 4.2 quattro

Published July 29, 2015 by Carter

For the C5 chassis, there was a major change in that the popular S6 sedan was discontinued in the United States. In its place, you got to choose from a few options; if you had to have a S6, Audi would oblige but only in wagon form in 2002/2003 with the S6 Avant. If you had to have a S sedan, your option was to wait until the 2003 twin turbo RS6 launched and pay a serious premium over a standard A6. But Audi had two spiritual successors to the C4 S6. First, you could get the twin turbocharged 2.7T V6 in the A6 sedan and it could be had with a 6-speed manual. A little heavier than the C4 but with a bit more power, performance was very close to the legendary turbo 5. But few remember that there was a 4.2 V8 option on the C4 S6 in Europe as well, and you could even specify your S6 with (gasp!) an automatic transmission. Audi recreated this package as well in the new C5 A6 4.2 quattro, and to make it a bit more special it was given some S6 details. The 4.2, for example, sported lighter aluminum fenders and hood, along with an aluminum front subframe to match it’s alloy V8. A full 1.4″ longer and with 3.5″ of additional track over the standard A6, the 4.2 also gained the door blades that would later be seen on the S cars. It was the defacto S6 sedan that was never offered, though the 300 horsepower V8 was down on power to the S6 motor and only 2/3s the power of the later twin-turbo RS6. Despite the special aspects the A6 4.2 doesn’t seem to enjoy as much as cult following as either the S6 Avant or the A6 2.7T 6-speed. I’ve rounded up two 4.2s to consider today; one with a manual swap and another with quite low mileage. Which is the winner?

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