Tag: Classics

Squeaky-Clean Audi 200 Quattro Avant Turbo Up For Grabs

1991 Audi 200 Quattro Avant

This black-over-tan Audi 200 Quattro Avant Turbo has 97k on the clock, and appears to have lived a charmed life.

Call it a wagon, an estate, or a longroof, it doesn’t matter. Because as Shakespeare wrote in Romeo and Juliet, “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” These practical beauties are the enthusiast equivalent of comfort food, and wow, does this 1991 Audi 200 Quattro Avant on Bring a Trailer hit the spot. I’m a connoisseur of wagons, and this handsome, distinctive body style is among my very favorites. In person, these machines have true presence, and I’m always thrilled to see one in the wild.

This black-over-tan example has 97k on the clock, and appears to have lived a charmed life. According to the listing, it’s just one of 149 which made it to our shores for the model year. But I don’t think you need to Google production numbers to determine that an Audi wagon of this vintage is a rare bird. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-five which pipes power to all four corners courtesy Ingolstadt’s famous quattro system, the icing on the cake is here the five-speed manual transmission. That should elevate the driving experience considerably.

Overall, everything looks pretty tidy. The basket weave BBS wheels complete the exterior perfectly, and are wearing fresh Yokohama rubber. Even the factory tape deck is unmolested, which scores big points in my book. The current owner inherited the car from their father, and drove the car around 8,000 miles during their stewardship.

Over that time, a host of maintenance items, including a timing belt replacement, rear trailing arm bushings, headliner repair, air conditioning recharge, and window regulator were done, though some issues still need to be addressed. Most glaringly, that includes a sunroof which “will open but not close.”

With four days left to go, this lovely longroof has already crested the 10k mark, and I’m curious to see how high it will go, as I’ve always had a soft spot for these Audis. Largely, that’s due to my best buddy Jamie Hunsdale, who before becoming an audio engineer extraordinaire, used one of these to deliver bread for Seattle’s Essential Baking Company. At the time, the machine had about 240,000 miles on it, and he reported it ran like a top, and drove beautifully — even over the Emerald City’s often-unruly pavement.

Hunsdale also said that the cargo area was cavernous, and that they Audi’s sole problem, even at that elevated age, was somewhat endearing. That problem? The tape deck had a copy of Boston’s Greatest Hits stuck in it. Thanks to the magic of auto-reverse, that meant that along with the smell of fresh-baked bread, the sound of the chart-topping stadium rockers were along for the ride — every time. For your peace of mind, no such problems have been reported with this Avant. Hopefully, it’ll live as long as that old trooper.

Photos: YouTube

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Auction Watch: Audi RS2 Avant Set to Fetch Record Price

Audi RS2 Avant

Recently imported under the 25-year rule, this Audi RS2 Avant suggests prices are heading skyward.

Since it was never available in the States, the Audi RS2 Avant has long been a coveted piece of forbidden fruit for American Four Ring fans. Thanks to the 25-year import rule, however, these wild wagons are beginning to pop up for sale on our shores. And if this example currently listed on Bring a Trailer is any indication? Prices are poised to explode. At press time, there’s still two days of bidding left — and it’s already just $277 away from the model’s record price on the site.

Now, given that BaT auctions routinely spiral into bidding wars as the clock winds down, it’s almost certain that a new high-water mark is about to be set. The only question is exactly how high that mark will be. From reading the vehicle description — along with the savant-like comments from the peanut gallery — it’s clear this is exceptionally nice example of the RS2 Avant, so it’s entirely possible it could be an outlier. But I don’t think so.

Only around 2,900 examples of this legendary longroof were made, so it was rare from the get-go, and the fact that it’s the first Audi to wear an RS badge makes it even more special. Upping the ante of course, is that the RS2 Avant was a collaboration between Audi and Porsche, and you don’t have to look hard to see Stuttgart’s influence. Because while the sheetmetal is all Audi, Porsche tuned the turbocharged 20-valve 2.2-liter inline-five to produce a whopping 311 horsepower and 302 lb-ft of torque.

Not content just to provide some extra ponies, Porsche also handed assembly of the RS2, and added wheels and brakes plucked from the contemporary 911. As you’d expect of a performance machine of the era, power is routed to all four corners via a six-speed manual gearbox and Audi’s famous quattro system. All that kit added up to a zero-to-60 time of around six seconds, which doesn’t sound great in comparison to the current RS6 Avant, but was still impressive for the time.

With nearly 90k on the clock, it’s clear this machine is no garage queen, and I think that works in its favor. No cars like to sit, and if this baby has seen that many miles, it  means regular maintenance hasn’t been neglected. In fact, it’s even been worked on by the specialist crew at Audi Tradition, which replaced the water pump and some ancillary bits back in 2017 — so you know it was done right. I’ll update this post when we have a final price, but for now, stay tuned. This one is going to be interesting!

Photos: Bring a Trailer

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