Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
As I’ve talked about many times, the Audi/Volkswagen crowd is one of the most unique in the automotive enthusiast world. The home of polarizing taste, there are both VAG enthusiasts who do a great job modifying their cars and those who ruin them in the pursuit of the being unique. Today we seemingly have one of each; a questionably modified 2001 S4 and a slick looking 2003 S8. Which would be the ride you’d choose? Let’s start with the S4:
On the surface, the themes were very similar; two movies staring action superstars playing above-the-law criminals with an amazing ability to extricate themselves from seemingly impossible conditions against improbable odds driving large, fast executive cars. Despite this, the movies Ronin and The Transporter couldn’t be more different. I watched the former on the edge of my seat, captivated by the mystery, floored by the incredibly filmed stunt scenes, the attention to reality and detail, and the staggeringly awesome lineup of cars. The latter I struggled to get through at all; I managed to make it about half way through before giving up. To this day, I still haven’t seen the ending of the first movie, and nothing more than trailers of the second. Is there a third? I’m sorry, I’m sure it made a gazillion dollars in the box office but frankly when I watched the clip of the Audi A8L W12 corkscrewing through the air to miraculously remove a bomb from the bottom of the car on a perfectly placed scrap-metal magnet hanging in mid-air I lost all interest. I can suspend my belief for a movie like Ronin because there was an air of reality to it; the characters were flawed and mortal. Sure, there were problems with the plot and even some of the stunts – I mean, they don’t show Jean Reno standing in line at the DMV to register the 450SEL 6.9, for example. But in terms of reality, it was on this planet at least, while The Transporter seemed to be set in some alternate Japanese-live-action-anime reality I’m not sure I want to understand. Nevertheless, the central plot to both is about cars and driving (at least a bit), and today you can purchase just about all of the cars featured in these films for around $10,000 – so which would you have? I had to use a bit of creative with some of the versions, so you’ll bear with me I hope – here we go!
Last week, I wrote up a lovely Ming Blue 2001 Audi S8, and while it wasn’t the most perfect example out there, it was an honest, well maintained example. It seems that there are a plethora of 2001 models in the United States; more rare are the 2002 and 2003 models of this short-lived sports executive sedan. Today’s example looks like a carbon copy of last week’s example; again in Ming Blue and with the tan Recaro sports interior, this one is one year newer with less miles and the correct 18″ original Avus wheels:
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:
A few weeks ago, Paul wrote up a low mile 1995 740i, always a favorite of ours here at GCFSB. Also a favorite is the D2 S8. Together, they represent in our minds the pinnacle of large executive designs – fast, comfortable, quiet, and with enough presence to draw respectful looks without being overstated, showy or brash. We also think that these two executive sedans are better looking than the multiple generations that have replaced them. While performance and luxury have increased in both BMW and Audi, in our opinion both of these cars are the high-water marks for their respective brands. So, which would you rather have? Let’s start with the S8: