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Feature Listing: 2008 Audi A8 4.2 quattro

With each successive generation, Audi’s large sedan has come leaps and bounds forward in innovation and appeal. The C3 chassis brought Audi to a larger market with its modern aerodynamics and the introduction of all-wheel drive. That was capped with the evolutionary D11 model – the V8 quattro. Based on a Type 44 chassis, the V8 brought the dreaded automatic transmission to its large executive sedan – but while enthusiasts will decry that change, the reality is that for the people who bought the car original that proved to be a popular option and opened the all-wheel drive market to an entirely new clientele. Audi didn’t rest on its laurels, though, for even as the V8 quattro was still in production its replacement hinted at an entirely new design language for the company in the ASF concept. Not only were the looks decidedly more rounded and futuristic, but the aluminum space frame was in many ways ahead of its time. The result was a great looking, innovative all-wheel drive option for executives in the D2 chassis, which proved to be wildly popular, and it’s still a great looking sedan today, some 23 years after the original concept was penned. Although the height of D2 production was around 2000, by then the design was already showing its age and Audi was once again back at the drawing board. The result was that in 2002 the D3 chassis was launched to replace the D2 chassis.

Much of what had been pioneered in the D2 was carried over into the D3. The design was evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Under the skin, an updated choice of V8 and W12 motors (along with some TDis for European customers) mimicked the D2. But a new adaptive air suspension brought the A8 in line with premium products from its competition. Inside, Audi also reacted to the market with a new and advanced multi-media interface and thoroughly revised cockpit design that would once again lead the company in a new design direction. While the layout was more isolating for the driver, it’s hard to argue that the fit and finish of Audi’s interior was taken a few notches up with the D3 versus earlier models. As with the D2, the D3 was a very popular option – especially visually, where it continued the trend of Audi offering the best looking of the big three sedans. But, as with every chassis, the D3 became dated as the calendar got closer to 2010, and Audi introduced the current D4 with again a host of upgrades in 2009. As with every successive chassis shift, the outgoing model devalues and if you love the big German sedans, that leaves buyers with literally and figuratively a lot of car for their money:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2008 Audi A8 4.2 quattro at Sun Valley Auto Sales

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1966 Porsche 911 Prototype

Here’s one for the historians and collectors: a 1966 Porsche 911 Prototype, fitted with a variety of racing components and features from the 911R, that served duty from 1966-1968 before being retired as Porsche transitioned to a longer wheelbase. It is believed to be the first 911 to feature rear fender flares as it was the 911 that served as the testing bed specifically for those flares, which we would then see on the 911R. The ad gives us a few other details of the car’s components, which include a 2.0 liter flat-six from 1968. The documentation provided is scant and nothing I’ve been able to find tells us what became of this 911 during the years from 1968 after it was retired as a prototype up to the 2000s when it was discovered and revived. Given its appearance at the exclusive Amelia Island Concours – a point we can verify – there are at least a few folks that feel pretty certain of its identity. I’m not sure who discovered it, but that must have been one heck of a barn find.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1966 Porsche 911 Prototype on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: 1990 Alpina B10 BiTurbo

When it comes of tuned BMWs, there’s no shortage of examples. Indeed, there are far more tuners of the popular Munich brand than all the others combined. From ABC Exclusive to Zender, everyone had their hand at modifying some series car into something a bit more. Sometimes more was tasteful, and othertimes it was garish – but all the way along, no firm has been consistently more effective at producing a quality product than Alpina. From their roots as a semi-factory race effort in the 1970s right through the dealer-offered cars of today, Alpina’s results have always been top-notch redefinition of the basic car. And while they have subsequently built faster cars, for me the best examples of the ethos of Alpina and its relation to BMW has always been the B10 BiTurbo. BMW built the screaming S38 powered M5, but Alpina provided its clients a private jet for the road:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Alpina B10 BiTurbo on eBay

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1991 Porsche 944S2

While cars like the Audi Quattro and BMW M3 may have popularized boxy flares with their racing credentials to back it up, in my eyes no one pulled off the muscle-bound economy look better than the Porsche 944. The addition of several inches of width and wider wheels to the 924 chassis meant an entirely new feel that mingled with supercar lines instead of Volkswagen lineage. Simply put, they were the most sensual looking German car in the 1980s, and that got even better late in the run with some subtle aero additions that enhanced and updated the look. The smooth Turbo bumpers and rear diffuser carried over to the S2 model, along with some lovely “Design 90” wheels that were also highlighting the 964 model. As Porsche moved to a full update of the watercooled transaxle cars with the introduction of the 968, the outgoing 944S2 even adopted the new “bridge” spoiler design from the not yet introduced model. Turbo looks without the associated power may have seemed strange for Porsche, but the 944S2 was no slouch in its own right. Powered by the M44.41 3-liter inline-4 that had been enlarged from the double overhead cam 944S motor, the 208 horsepower wasn’t as much as the 968 would sport but was still awfully close to what the original 944 Turbo had produced in power, and with instant torque the S2 was, and still is, a very entertaining drive. Hardly cheap, on paper they were not immediately the smart choice for a sports car buyer in 1990 and 1991, as twin-turbocharged monsters from Japan were all the rage and often less expensive than the $50,000 a 944S2 would cost you. With only around 3,600 imported to the U.S., they’re a bit rare to see but offer great Porsche build quality, performance and even practicality in a very attractive package:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Porsche 944S2 on eBay

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1977 Porsche 924 Martini Edition

Continuing on my theme of watercooled transaxle Porsches in famous livery, in 1976 Porsche won the World Sportscar Championship primarily with its 935 and 936 models in Martini Racing livery. To commemorate this achievement, in 1977 if you walked into your Porsche dealer and selected option M426 (Code E19) on a new Porsche 924, you’d be handed the keys to a uniquely colored coupe. The outside of each was Grand Prix White, and along the side were triangularly shaped stripes in the now famous Martini Racing livery. The “Tarantula” alloys were color-matched white as well. Underneath, the Martini cars were equipped with front and rear sway bars – the only real performance option. Inside was what really set the car apart, though, with scarlet carpet and seat centers, contrasting piping, a leather steering wheel and of course a commemorative plaque to let you know you were in the house of a World Champion!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Porsche 924 Martini Edition on eBay

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