Inside and out, this B7 Avant is a full-fledge RS4 clone. This Cars and Bids auction is the closest you’ll get to a B7 RS4 for a decade!
The B7 Audi RS4 Avant is an iconic staple of the fearsome four rings’ timeline. What’s not to love? A six-speed manual transmission and a 4.2-liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. Couple that with the practicalities of a wagon and Audi’s legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system, and you’ve got yourself a winner. Come to think of it, though; there is one thing we don’t love about it. See, Audi never sold the B7 RS4 in the US. We’re sure you’re aware, and we promise this article’s point is not simply to add salt to that open wound. Instead, we have great news. Right now, there’s a chance for US Audi enthusiasts to get an authentic taste of the B7 RS4 lifestyle. Furthermore, this car is 100% US legal and ready to rock.
This 2008 Audi S4 Avant is currently listed on Cars and Bids. However, this particular wagon is a whole lot more than an S4. This car is a meticulous recreation of an RS4. It has a full drivetrain swap, meaning instead of the standard affair S4 V8 engine with 340 horsepower, it has an authentic RS4 engine making the full-fledged 420 horsepower. It doesn’t stop at just the drivetrain, either. This thing has hours and hours of love and care put into it. As such, though, it’s not going to come cheap. At the time of writing, this auction has five days remaining and already carries a bid of over $50,000.
The RS4 Conversion Doesn’t Stop at the engine
While the drivetrain swap in itself is impressive, it’s far from telling the whole story of this conversion. If you open the doors, you’ll find that this car also has a full-blown RS4 interior swap. Of course, this includes the gorgeous and sporty Euro-spec leather bucket seats. Heated, of course. Additionally, it has Euro-spec RS4 door cards, a TTRS flat-bottom steering wheel, SRP pedals, and a weighted shift knob.
Other upgrades include an RS4 steering rack, KW V3 coilovers, Brembo GT front rotors, EBC brake pads, and 034Motorsports adjustable control arms, both upper and lower.
Widebody to Complete the Look
Perhaps the most selling part of this conversion is the widebody conversion. If we hadn’t been told it wasn’t a legitimate RS4 (and we didn’t read the fantastic “RSFAUX” license plates), we would be at a loss for how this car is in the US. It really is that convincing.
Tying together the whole look is a full-color change to Cambridge Green Pearl, Euro-spec head and taillights, a German-spec Avant rear bumper, and a shining set of gold Work Emotion wheels.
The only slight hang-ups some potential buyers may have are that the Carfax report shows a minor-damage front-end collision in 2014 and the fact that the RS4 cluster swap puts the actual mileage of this vehicle up in the air.
Ultimately, this is a rare opportunity to own a car in the US that meets the specs of one of the many cool cars we never got in our market. Though we finally get a taste of the RS Avant life thanks to the RS6, we are still missing out on plenty of awesome RS Avant cars that are not yet legal. Now, you’ve got a chance o experience it. Unfortunately, though, it’s likely not going to come cheap.
We’ll certainly be watching this auction to see the final hammer price!
Photos: Cars and Bids
Tags: 4.2-liter V8, Auction, audi, B7, Cars and Bids, Collectible, Color Change, Conversion, Manual, Rare, RS4, s4, Six Speed, Swap, V8