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Feature Listing: 1993 Audi S4

Published February 22, 2015 by Carter

Recently I was reminiscing while looking through old magazine photos and came across the Car and Driver comparison of the Mercedes-Benz 500E, the BMW M5, and the then new Audi S4. I still remember reading that article; the Audi placed last and seemed seriously outclassed in terms of horsepower, acceleration even curb appeal. If you wanted the race car dressed as a sedan, the M5 was the natural choice. If you wanted a muscle car with room for four executives, then the 500E couldn’t be beaten. And on paper, the S4 was really a poor comparison to those cars. C&D did point out that the Audi was technically more advanced than the other two; it was the only turbocharged one, and the all-wheel drive system was already legendary even in 1992. But people that opted to buy the S4 were doing so not for the technology, but for the capability of the understated Audi. Several generations of each model on, these are still the cars that many longingly remember as the height of their respective marque’s build quality and driver involvement – and certainly that’s the case for the Audi. While it was underpowered out of the box compared to its countrymen, the stout drivetrain and engine easily accepted higher levels of boost. It was the first Audi that really got aftermarket support – a group of enthusiasts who still boast that this is the best car that Audi ever made. The workhorses of the ski-set, few have led pampered lives and not many remain in good shape – making it a treat to find a clean one. Despite growing acknowledgement that this car was one of the great sport sedans, prices on even very clean examples of the C4 S4 remain much more affordable than the BMW and Mercedes-Benz competition today:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Audi S4 on Craigslist.org

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1991 Audi 200 20V Quattro Avant

Published February 21, 2015 by Carter

Earlier this week, I wrote up dueling 5-cylinder automatic wagons in the “beige-off” between the 1986 Quantum Wagon and 1987 Audi 5000S Avant. The net result of that write up, effectively, was that if you really want to dive into the ownership pool of one of these wagons, most would prefer the more desirable versions of the car. For the Quantum, that meant the Syncro version, and unsurprisingly for the Audi that meant turbocharging and quattro all-wheel drive. In both cases, that raises the complexity factor a few notches – but there are still examples of these long-lived wagons making their owners happy today. I spent a few years with a 200 Avant, and loved many aspects of it; however, I came away saying there was only one way I’d get into an older Audi Avant again – if it was one of the limited run, 3B 20V equipped 1991 examples. Outwardly, you had to be a sharp eye to spot the differences. Some of them were quite subtle; for example, there were no badges outside of the front and rear rings and a subtle “quattro” grill badge on the ’91 200, unlike the previously badged 10V examples. From the roof down, there were no differences other than that until you got to the fenders, which were subtly but notably flared. The wheels were still BBS mesh wheels as they had been in 1989 and 1990, and though they were still 15″ in diameter, they were now 7.5″ wide instead of 6″. Those larger wheels also hid a new brake system dubbed “UFOs” by enthusiasts; the floating rotor design that was engineered to haul the heavy Audi down from triple digit speeds. And triple digit speeds it was now quite capable of, with a healthy 50 horsepower boost over previous 200s thanks to 10 more valves and electronic fuel injection in the new “3B” 20 valve turbocharged inline-5. Mated only to a manual transmission, less than 200 of these coveted Audis were imported at a time when they were both expensive and Audi was nearly on the outs with the American market:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Audi 200 20V quattro Avant on Craigslist New York

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Coupe Week: 1995 Audi S2

Published February 14, 2015 by Carter

For many people, the third generation Audi Coupe wasn’t quite the match for the car that it replaced. Launched in 1988, even Audi would seem to agree; it continued to produced the original Quattro through 1991, alongside its seeming replacement. While the looks of that replacement – the 20V turbocharged S2 – were considerably more sedate than the Quattro, it was nonetheless a handsome car. Though the iconic flares and chunky styling was replaced by a more rounded look, there were many advantages to the newer cars. First off, they were considerably safer with a stiffer structure and passive safety systems to protect drivers and passengers (anyone else remember the seatbelt pretensioning “PROCON-10” system?). Additionally, the smoother styling meant the car was much quieter at speed than the Quattro ever had been. The drivetrain was nearly identical to the end of run “RR” Quattros, right down to the new Torsen differential in the rear with electronic lock. And unlike its predecessor, and though few people remember, there were three versions of the S2 available; the oft-emulated Coupe, the highly desirable Avant, and the quite rare sedan of which only around 300 were produced. But as this is Coupe Week, we’re taking a look at one of the 2-door variants, of course!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Audi S2 at Classic Park

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Coupe Week: 1983 Audi Quattro

Published February 12, 2015 by Carter

I know what you’re thinking from the earlier post; “Really Carter? You’re going to do a Coupe GT and not a Quattro? Don’t be silly! Of course, the legendary and original turbocharged all-wheel drive Coupe is on my list for Coupe Week, and Paul spotted this stunning example on Classic Driver. It may be one of the lowest mile Quattros in existence, and certainly one of the best outside of the museum. While interest in the Quattro has surged thanks to Audi finally acknowledging in their ad campaigns that they made cars before the A4, the truth is that too long the Quattro was an unappreciated giant of automotive design. How unappreciated? Well, even as interest grows we’ve seen quite an odd trend; Europeans have been reverse-importing U.S. spec cars back to Europe. Such is the case with this example; originally a U.S. spec car that is back up for sale after returning to European soil:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on Classic Driver

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1995 Audi S6

Published January 1, 2015 by Carter

I’ve made only one New Year’s Resolution this year – I resolved to listen to my gut instinct more. Typically, I scoff at such tomfoolery; if you can’t get it done the other 364 days, a little champagne and a dropping ball isn’t going to change your life suddenly. But a few weeks back I made a poor decision that I immediately regretted. On my normal perusing of the local Craigslist advertisements, I came across a 1993 Audi S4. It was Pearlesant white with black leather – not my favorite combination admittedly, but a classic ’90s Audi hue. It was a bit lowered but not overly so, riding on 18″ BBS VZ wheels. The miles were in check and overall condition appeared to be very good, with a short list of needs. But the kicker was that it was only 2 miles from my house; even better yet, the asking price was below $3,000. I stared at the ad for some time, and multiple times later in the day I went back to look at it. “I shouldn’t do it” I said, “I don’t need another car.” It’s true, I don’t – but there was just something about this that made me think I was going to regret not at least driving by to see it.

I was right. On Monday, driving my son to school, I spotted the immediately recognizably silhouette of a C4 Audi up ahead. Now, C4s around me – especially sedans – are becoming rare sights, since most are at least 20 years old. Even with legendary longevity, the crumbling residual values have meant that many have disappeared into junk and scrap yards. But here was a pristine looking Pearlesant White example ahead of me. Despite the several hundred yards in between us, I also noted instantly that it was lowered and had large wheels. Getting closer, my eyes darted to the discrete S4 badge adorning the trunk, with an even more discrete “quattro” badge to the right. Like Ahab navigating a sea of mediocrity, the subtle S4 stuck out like a brilliant white star on the horizon. I let that car slip through my hands, and I immediately regretted it:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1995 Audi S6 on eBay

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