The B5 RS4 was never officially sold in the States but this one was imported when new and federalized
3 hours ago
- A 2002 Audi RS4 with just 7,000 miles is for sale by auction.
- The 2.7-liter bi-turbo V6 engine made 375 hp and 325 lb-ft.
- This one looks like it could sell for more than a new RS6 Avant.
Audi has been building RS-badged wagons for over 25 years, and they pack more power and more visual punch with every new generation. But for some Quattro fans it’s the original RS4 that’s still the daddy, and so when one comes up in near-new condition you can bet it’s going to cause a stir.
The B5-generation RS4 built between 1999 and 2001 was only produced in wagon form, which could be one of the reasons it was never offically sold in the US. That means the earliest examples are only now eligible for importation to America under the 25-year rule, but this isn’t one of those cars.
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A 2002 model, it was brought in when new by Registered Importer Corp. of Los Angeles and adapted to meet federal standards, though it does retain a KMH speedometer. Almost a quarter of a century later the digital odometer in the base of that speedo shows just 11,242 km, which equates to 6,986 miles.
The RS4 built on the earlier S4 wagon that continued in production alongside it, adding wider fenders front and rear, lower, stiffer suspension, bigger brakes and 18-inch Avus alloys. And there were equally big changes under the hood.
Audi retained the S4’s 2.7-liter capacity but some Cosworth magic and a pair of Borg Warner K04 turbos lifted output from 262 hp (265 PS) to 375 hp (380 PS). Together with 325 lb-ft (440 lb-ft) of torque those horses werfired to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission and a Quattro all-wheel drive system with a Torsen center differential. Zero to 62 mph (97 kmh) took 4.9 seconds and only the presence of an electronic limiter prevented the RS4 sailing past 155 mph (250 kmh).
Photos BaT
There a couple of indications that this car has seen some action, including very light wear on the outer bolster on the driver’s Recaro seat, a scuff on the paint protection film at the back and a couple of grazes on the underneath of the front bumper. But the switchear on the console – a big clue to true mileage on an older Audi – still retains all its markings and the back seats look like they’ve never been sat on.
Yep, it’s the kind of car that’ll have RS fans drooling, particularly since it’s a rare non-sunroof car, which is why at the time of writing bids on the Bring a Trailer auction listing had reached $84,000 with less than a day still to go. Will it go for more than the $126,600 you’d need to spend to get into a brand new RS6 Avant, and if it does, is it worth it? Leave a comment and let us know.