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Tag: Quattro

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Heap of the Week 2: 1983 Audi Quattro

The Quattro remains one of the few attainable halo vehicles from the 1980s. Consider the others; BMW M1s are on the verge of being million dollar cars while most of the rest of the M line appreciates rapidly. For Mercedes-Benz, there were no real “Halo” models for the 1980s in the U.S., but clean and original examples of their flagship models or indeed some of the rare AMG pieces are big business. Porsche has several, with the 930 and good examples of just about every other rear engined example rapidly increasing in value. What’s left? The Quattro should certainly be considered amongst those cars, for one. As a revolutionary piece of engineering, the Quattro firmly placed Audi on the map as a serious contender in the European and North American markets. The were legendary even before they officially raced, as one of the stage cars notoriously outpaced all of the race cars in its first unofficial appearance at a rally. The rest set the stage for the legend; the Quattro amassed 23 WRC victories and two World Championship titles before Audi moved towards road racing with the demise of Group B. Today, despite the top-tier reputation and recognition that it finally deserves, the Quattro remains an affordable option for classic German motoring:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1983 Audi Quattro on eBay

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1991 Audi 200 20V Quattro Avant

If I’m completely honest, this was not the car that was originally slated for this spot. Rather, it was a excellent condition black 1991 200 20V quattro Avant – a rare specimen in any event given the less than 200 that made it here originally, but in near mint condition they’re especially rare. Alas, it was not to be; that car sold, and in it’s place I managed to find…another 1991 200 20V quattro Avant. Perhaps I should play the lottery, since best guestimates place only around 100 of these Audi super-wagons on the road today. This example is presented in the more common Pearlesant White Metallic that was the calling card of Audi in the late 80s/early 90s, but inside we find black sport seats – a nice treat on the 200s and substantially more comfortable than the “comfort” seats I had in my 1989 200. The rest…well, the rest reads a bit like a normal 23 year old Audi does these days…

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Audi 200 20V quattro Avant on eBay

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Tuner Tuesday: 1986 Audi 5000CS Quattro

While it’s tempting to throw the design laurels for Audi onto the later 200 20V quattro and S4/S6 models as we often do, it’s important to remember that they were really developments of the original Audi super-sedan, the 5000CS quattro. That model was, itself, a development of the earlier turbocharged version of the large sedan, as seen driven in by the father in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The CS quattro brought together the best elements of Audi’s designs; the revolutionary C3/Type 44 aerodynamic and futuristic design which provided excellent looks and fuel economy, the robust all-wheel drive system with locking differentials as seen in the World Rally Championship-winning Quattro and 4000S/CS quattro, and the turbocharged inline-5 that also powered the Quattro and had previously powered the front-drive sedan. But 60 Minutes managed to do a number on late 1980s Audi products, creating a scenario where Audi was nearly removed from the American market. That meant low residual values, and by many these 5000s were viewed as throw away cars for some time. It’s become rare to find good examples, and while this particular one isn’t showroom-fresh it is a reminder that the 5000 was a neat looking and performing package:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1986 Audi 5000CS Quattro on eBay

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1993 Audi S4

I find options on cars very interesting, especially when they’re options that aren’t often selected. Every once and a while, I’ll sit down and build a car on Audi, BMW or Volkswagen’s configuration tool, all the while trying to figure out what will be the options that 20 years from now someone will pine after, or just even smile to see. Today’s S4 is a great example of just that; indeed, if you look at the window sticker, you’ll note that only two options were selected. One was the 10 Compact Disc trunk mounted changer; it was an option my 1993 V8 quattro had and in retrospect I can’t believe they got away with charging $800 for it – I’m reminded of the scene from The Wedding Singer. But that’s not the option I’m really interested in; no, what I find unique about this car is that it was specified to the no charge 15×7.5 Speedline-made option wheels with all-season tires. For a time, Audi even touted that its 15″ option wheels offered better ride quality than the competition’s huge 16″ rolling gear. It was a rarely selected option, and it’s even more rare to find the car still rolling on those wheels 21 years later:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Audi S4 on eBay

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2003 Audi S8 with 14,000 Miles

The Audi S8 is a very special car; a combination of sport and luxury that some of its rivals have managed to exceed in performance, but not necessarily execution. Certainly, newer BMW, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz super-luxury sedans are much faster. Even Audi’s own new S8 and S6 are significantly quicker than the D2, with the best part of twice the power the 4.2 40 valve V8 originally offered. But the package of the S8 is what is so compelling. It’s a great looking car, with hardly an angle where it looks out of proportion. The presence it exudes is massive; it’s no Rolls Royce, but it’s a far cry from any Lexus. By 2003, the last year of the D2 S8 for the United States, there were only a few options on the S8; generally, you just had to choose what shade you’d want. And for the U.S. market, it’s hard for me to feel there is any better color combination for the S8 than the understated Avus Silver Pearl Effect with the not understated at all Oxblood interior. When you see one it what is effectively new condition, it’s amazingly stunning:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2003 Audi S8 on eBay

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