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As with the BMW E46 ZHP package, Audi introduced the “Ultrasport” package in the 2004 B6 chassis. Effectively, this was as close to an S4 as you could get without actually buying a S4. You had to select the Sport Package to upgrade to the Ultrasport obviously, so the 1BE suspension upgrades, sway and stress bars carried over. However, the Ultrasport package upped the ante with 18″ quattro GmbH “Celebration” RS4 style wheels, front and rear bumpers also designed by quattro GmbH, door blades borrowed from the S4, a special perforated leather 3-spoke steering wheel and aluminum interior trim. While for many the more desirable package is the Avant – and that’s what we usually feature, the Ultrasport was also available in sedan form in either 3.0 V6 or 1.8T configuration:
An interesting transposition occurred in the fast Golf-based platforms between the Mk.4 and Mk.5 chassis. In the Mk.4, the theoretical top of the heap was the Golf R32 and TT 3.2 quattro – both with 250 horsepower on tap from the rev-happy and sonorous VR6 motor, effectively twins under the skin – except for one significant difference. In the R32, in the U.S. that setup was available only with a manual 6-speed, while Audi opted to offer only the new DSG dual clutch transmission. When it came to the PQ5 revisions, it was expected that this would continue – but VAG threw us a loop, because the R32 suddenly became DSG-only and while that gearbox was available in the TT, you could now opt for a 6-speed manual in the 8J. True, the 3.2 was no longer King of the Hill for Audi, a crown that would later be placed upon the impressively outrageous TT RS. And long term, truth told the TT RS is probably the most collectable of the 8Js, but if you love the TT and you’d like something to tide you over until prices become more reasonable in the used market, it’s worth scouring the internet for a 6-speed manual version of the TT 3.2 quattro:
I recently pushed my finger on the right mouse button on some horrible click bait that came across my Facebook feed. The headline promised “The Top 10 Film Car Chases” or something that at least peaked my interest, if nothing else than to balk at the poorly researched and ill-chosen assemblage. And I was right; fighting through the pop-up ads and barely identifiable as English descriptions, I trudged through the list – baffled as I got closer to 10 that there was such a gap in the line up. Sure, you expect – and I agree with – movies like Vanishing Point, The French Connection, and Bullitt making the list. They’re iconic. But when The Fast and The Furious appears and a movie like Ronin doesn’t, I come within an inch of throwing my computer across the room. Silly, really, considering that none of this actually means anything, but besides being a huge fan of the movie, I’m even a more huge fan of the star of the movie. No, not Bobby. I’m of course talking about the Audi S8 – fast enough and shove-worth for the nitrous-induced chase across France. But the S8 really needs no introduction here. Today, to resurrect the honor of the dark green S8 from Ronin, I’m going to look at two examples of rare shades that never made it to the U.S.. Early in the run, U.S. customers did have the option of two different greens – Racing Green Pearl Effect in 2001 and nearly identical Irish Green Pearl Effect in 2002. Both were dark green but with a bunch of character. But what if you wanted something a bit lighter and lived in Europe?
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Audi seemed a bit lost in terms of direction of its motorsports programs. With the death of Group B following the development of the monster S1 E2 Quattro, Audi turned to the 200 to lead its racing brigade from Group A rally to the crazy Trans-Am effort. That would continue with the introduction of the V8 quattro, campaigned in the DTM in 1991 and 1992 before being banned. But focus would return to the smaller chassis cars in the early 1990s, with Audi introducing a line of Super Touring 80s and the most memorable of the bunch, the flame spitting Audi 90 IMSA GTO racers. Though few remember the 80 STW, it was run extensively in the DTM and Italian Super Touring series and paved the way for the later A4 STW that would dominate many international touring classes in 1996. But there was a lesser known development, that of the ROC engineered 80 quattro Supertourisme. Built by ROC in 1991 on behalf of Audi Sport for the French Super Touring class, it was unlike any of the super touring cars Audi produced:
Considering what it takes to be called a supercar these days, it’s somewhat amazing that in the early 1980s the Audi Quattro sparked such a revolution. After all, the boxflared wonder arrived in the U.S. costing about the same as a Porsche 911 but sporting only 160 horsepower. Factor in the relatively heavy for then (though admittedly light by today’s standards) 3,000 lb curb weight, and the Quattro was anything but high performance by the standards we consider today. But a revolution in performance it was, as it allowed you to push the car hard in any condition with confidence. Recently I watched the old Motorweek clip on the Quattro; performance was about what you’d expect from the numbers presented above and is probably on par with a base Honda Civic these days. But still the reviewers raved about the performance of the luxury coupe, and though few sold on these shores they’ve always enjoyed a cult following which today is growing into a greater appreciation:
