FROM AUTO UNION TO PORSCHE REUNION
Sometimes creativity is the byproduct of financial troubles; which Porsche and many other sports car brands faced during the 90’s...
Sometimes creativity is the byproduct of financial troubles; which Porsche and many other sports car brands faced during the 90’s. Those were the days when Porsche did not have the current wide range of models; from we-can-do-better-than-range-rover-SUVs to the squashed saloon versions called Panamera. Today’s larger scale of production enables them to share parts, slash costs and ultimately achieve a financially stable and cash rich company. I am not fond of Cayennes or Panameras, yet as car enthusiasts, we should be thankful that these models exist and provide Porsche with the means to develop exciting sports cars.
I am not fond of Cayennes or Panameras, yet as car enthusiasts, we should be thankful that these models exist and provide Porsche with the means to develop exciting sports cars.
Back in one of those dreary days, Porsche executives decided to sell expertise alongside cars to generate much needed extra cash. Thanks to this approach, the world has seen the likes of Mercedes 500E but more importantly this very car; the world’s first super estate that had the ability to shame super cars.
Unlike 500E, Porsche’s involvement with the RS2 was not limited to chassis work. What they basically did with Mercedes was to modify the chassis in order to accommodate the big V8 loaned from the SL series and handle all the power it provided. They did not tinker with the engine, braking or any other bit.
RS2 on the other hand, received the premium service package. Porsche took Audi S2’s 2.2-litre, five-cylinder turbocharged engine and installed a much larger KKK24 turbocharger, a heavy-duty intercooler, improved its induction and exhaust, added a redesigned camshaft and a new engine management system. Power was up to 315bhp, and torque was boosted to 302lb ft. The RS2 also got brakes from the 968 Club Sport and wheels from the 911 Turbo.
Apart from the headline changes, Porsche updated the air filter, fuel pump and employed larger fuel injectors. A special mention is needed for those injectors though. The owner of this car recently had to replace them and they were far from your average Ebay score! A lot of time was needed to locate them in the first place, an arm and a leg was sacrificed to get them... 700 EUR to be more exact.
So RS2 is not just proper quick but a proper exotic as well!
So small displacement plus big boost equals turbo lag, it’s a no brainer. But in RS2’s case, I do not necessarily see it as a bad thing. It adds up to the Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde character of this car.
If the time is 90’s and you are extracting 315 horsepower from a 2.2 litre engine with a single turbo, it is a given that you will have a significant turbo lag. And let me remind you that those were the days when a 911 Turbo was producing 360 horsepower from a 3.6 litre engine. So small displacement plus big boost equals turbo lag, it’s a no brainer. But in RS2’s case, I do not necessarily see it as a bad thing. It adds up to the Dr Jeckyll and Mr Hyde character of this car. A punchy power delivery fits very well to the sleeper image or the boring family estate looks to the untrained eye. To put things better into perspective, the Audi S2 that this car is based on delivers maximum torque at 1900 rpms opposed to RS2’s 3000.
This was not the first collaboration between Audi and Porsche though; some of the formidable Auto Union race cars that were dominating the grand prix circuits with streamlined bodies, 12-16 cylinder super charged engines behind the driver with independent suspension setups were designed and developed by no other than Ferdinand Porsche. These cars were breaking land speed records by reaching speeds up to 440 km/h... And this was in the 30’s!!
The company's distinctive logo, of four interlocking rings represented the original four members of the Auto Union: Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. After the second world war, Auto Union evolved into the modern day Audi company.
Before going back to our “Fast Smurf”, here is a bit of a trivia for you: the nickname “Silver Arrows” did not stand for Mercedes race cars only, but the unpainted, bare metal bodies of Auto Union cars as well.
Although much of the car's underpinnings were manufactured by Audi, assembly was handled by Porsche at their Rossle-Bau plant in Zuffenhausen, Germany, which also produced the famous Porsche 959. Apparently Porsche was also very much satisfied with the performance level reached. So much so that they requested Audi to build the car only in estate disguise, as a coupe version would be a direct and a strong competition to Porsche’s own models.
When it was tested by Autocar magazine, the car made the 0-30mph sprint in just 1.5 seconds which was not only quicker than the now legendary McLaren F1 but Jacque Villeneuve’s Williams formula 1 car as well. However, RS2’s real significance does not lie in the way it accelerates. It’s a product that introduced a whole new dimension to the industry. A new genre of superfast but practical estate cars followed its wake but it still remains as the original, bonkers fast, raw smurf-mobile that cannot be replicated.
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Comments (6)
They helped develop the SEAT Ibiza MK1 chassis as well
One of their famous work, a nice little car! :)
This was the only car SEAT ever designed themselves other cars they made were rebadged Fiat's and after this Ibiza was made re badged VAG group cars appeared.
As a fast touring driver, founding tribe leader of Drivetribe and ambassador - THANK YOU! This is what our platform was designed for. Keep the amazing work! Reposted to Daily Vintage Rides.
Thank you very much for your nice words, glad that you enjoyed it! :)