Many cars have been called the ultimate car for tuners. The R32 and R33 Skyline is a memorable example. Also dubbed Godzilla because of it’s HUGE performance potential. Sadly we never got either of those cars in the states. While many were imported in legal, and probably somewhat less than legal ways it’s success here was stifled by the fact that it wasn’t actually sold here. The Toyota Supra was also a car that more than a few people realized would easily make 400, 500 , heck , even a thousand horsepower. When Audi Released it’s Ur (Ur translate loosely as original from the german) S4 (B4) on these shores in late 1992 it may have only been rated at 227 hp, it was only a matter of days before MTM and the like had their S4’s making 350hp on the stock turbo. Audi had a proud heritage of creating genuinely memorable turbo quattro cars. Could they finally produce one that was truly worthy of the name “monster or Godzilla”? As the Ur S4 Bowed (now called the S6 to be in line with Audi’s other model names) many Audi fans were given the news that the venerable 20V 5 cylinder had seen it’s last days as a power plant in Audi’s S cars. At the time there was much speculation but no one really saw what was coming next.
If you were to visit your friendly Audi dealer in late 1995 and asked , ” what can I replace my S4 with” you would have gotten the delightful answer of, “why an S4 of course!” Indeed , the world was set to receive the greatest S4 of all time. The 2.7t biturbo 6 speed equipped S4 delivering 265hp in European trim. Immediately magazines were pitting Ingolstads finest sports sedan against the BMW M3 and Mercedes Benz AMG C36 . Much to every Audiphiles delight the S4 handily SMASHED the competition, delivering 0-60 in 5.3 seconds and beating both cars to 100 and in the quarter mile. What was more all road testers praised the car for it’s much more neutral handling and increased resistance to understeer compared with the old car. Here in the US we saw the writing on the wall. Germany creates another car to lust for and we will NEVER see it on these shores. Stop the presses! Toward the end of 1999 some three years into the cars production and having been ready for a freshen up in 2000 we were told that we would , infact, be getting the B5 S4 for model year 2000. At the same time we heard that Audi would be releasing an RS4 in Avant only and with … wait for it… near as dammit 380 hp and reaching sixty miles an hour in 4.8 seconds! 100 would be dispatched in a 911 turbo like 11.9 seconds…from the FACTORY. Our ship had come in. Though rated at 250hp for the US market magazines such as Car and Driver were able to match performance numbers set in Europe. This was a serious piece of kit indeed.
Almost immediately software was developed that would see the S4 making over 320 hp with a simple Chip, Exhaust, intake combination. Soon parts from the RS4 were available from both Audi and in the aftermarket. By 2002 there were big turbo kits and cars putting down reliable and consistent wheel horse power numbers around the 500 mark. Few of us who considered ourselves true Audi Fans could hold back. The cars have remained strong in the used market and are still commanding big money for real cars. However, when you think of everything you are getting for your money. It is a near unbeatable value. Parts support has been strong and so it was time … for P3 to run not 1 but two ….not finished
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