Okay, hang on folks, this is a long one – what’s the most class, speed and style that you can get for $10,000 these days in German motoring? I’ve lined up some of the examples of just how much you can buy – which is your favorite?
Tag: S4
One of the best features of the German super-sedan is how much of a sleeper performance machine they are. In more recent years, that sleeper-status has decreased slightly in some marques, but in the late 1990s and early 2000s, you still needed to be an enthusiast to really tell the difference between some of the more potent models and their more pedestrian stablemates. Certainly that was true of the B5 Audi S4; yes, it had subtly refined front and rear bumpers and distinctive wheels, but aside from that the outside looked nearly the same as any other sport package A4. But the performance was certainly better than the typical A4, and the B5 2.7T V6-equipped S4 has proven itself to be a popular tuning platform. The ability to channel the power through all four wheels means that horsepower figures that would render other cars simply tire-shredding machines can be utilized by the S4. And some of those power figures are impressive; spec out a B5 S4 motor such as this and APR claims it’s capable of getting within a riding mower’s worth of 700 horsepower. Look at the outside and tell me you’d be expecting that at the lights when this stealthy sedan pulled up next to you:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 Audi S4 on eBay
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While there are more popular options in the large executive sports sedan market, there are few that are quite as well rounded as the C4 Audi S4/S6 twins. The C4 might have been slower out of the box than the M5 and 500E/E500, but as the only turbocharged version quick tuning meant it was easily capable of pushing the same power. The real key to driving these inline-5 wonders, though, is the torque that’s available once the turbo kicks in. A wave of power seemingly able to extricate you from any situation is suddenly available, picking that heavy nose up and launching the car forwards in a symphony of rally-inspired wooshes. Add to that the legendary quattro all-wheel drive and the Audi was a useable, year-round package that has maintained a serious cult following in all areas of the country. Especially sought after these days are clean, original examples that don’t carry the easy to show wear Ecru interior. Despite the all-too-predictable Emerald Green Mica of this example, the insides are Darth Vader’s own palace – black leather with carbon trim:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Audi S4 on eBay
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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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Well, I hope this will stir some interest, as I think this is a bit of an interesting comparison. What level of performance can you buy for $10,000 (give or take) these days? Surprisingly, there are a lot of options – and those options vary pretty seriously in their execution and packages; there’s a wagon and a sports car, two sedan-based coupes and a hatchback. Engines range from a 2 liter turbo to a V8, with a bit of everything in between. Yet, what appears to be a very strange comparison linked only by price is revealed to be much closer when you look at performance figures:
E36 M3: 240 hp, 0-60 6.0 seconds, 3,200 lbs
944 Turbo: 220 hp, 0-60 5.9 seconds, 2,900 lbs
CLK500: 302 hp, 0-60 5.7 seconds, 3,800 lbs
S4 Avant: 250 hp, 0-60 5.6 seconds, 3,700 lbs
GTi: 200 hp, 0-60 6.6 seconds, 3,200 lbs
The range is much closer than you’d expect – especially when you consider that these figures could easily be equaled in margin of error, driver skill and reaction time. In the twisties, the lower powered cars like the GTi catch up to the higher power CLK and S4. All are, in one way or another, practical choices. Some are destined (or already) classics, while others will likely fade away. So what would be your choice? Let’s start with an M3 we’ve already seen: