We like to change up our our daily urban hike routine for a little variety in scenery, automotive and otherwise. Heading up Crest Drive took us past this driveway, which is very occupied by a very eclectic collection of vehicles. The rather rare Audi V8 really caught my attention, and was the crowning touch.
The V8 (1988-1993) was based on a lengthened D1 (Audi 5000/100), and was the first Audi to have a V8, initially a 3.6 L, and later a 4.3 L. It was Audi’s first push into the top league of the German luxury sedans, meaning S-Class and 7-Series. Needless to say, the V8 didn’t exactly take the world by storm, but then Audi has always had the long term picture in its viewfinder. The V8 was replaced by the Audi A8, which started to make more significant inroads.
The rest? I’ll let you comment.
Incredible find Paul! I’ve been on the hunt for one of these for years!
This one looks like its in exceptionally good condition (as usually expected from Oregon). I loved that pear white finish Audi used in the ’90s. Too bad it was in someone’s driveway.
Brendan,
No offense, but I’d buy a Volvo 960 before I bought an Audi V8 Quattro. To me, the 960 is the ultimate European luxury-mobile of the ’90s.
Different strokes for different folks is the key here. I like 960’s as well, and may find myself in a 9-series or v90 wagon at some point in the next year or three. But for my 1990 money, give me a V8 Quattro every time.
(Unless I needed a wagon, which regrettably was not available in V8Q form. Though I’d gladly take a 1991 200 Avant with the 20V turbo 5.)
Buying used, today? If I could find a V8 Quattro for sale that was in running condition, I might take the plunge as a weekend/occasional toy. But a 960 is still a very viable daily driver so it won that war handily.
I like the 960 very much as well, especially those seats in the high-trim version. If I was in the market for a car of this type, I’d certainly be happy with the either the 960 or Audi V8. The Audi V8 is cool for its rarity though.
I remember poring over a 960 brochure when I was a kid and being in awe of those seats. Alas, I still have yet to sit in them. I want to see if they live up to their lofty reputation for comfort.
I’ve never sat in a 960 either, but I will say that the best seats I’ve ever experienced, bar none, were in a S60 2.5t with the Sport package. Pretty amazing–Volvo in general is good at seating.
Funny, as a luxury car I may have choosen the Volvo 960 as the last one.
And the 960 was never rated as a “ultimate luxury car” here in Europe, that’s for sure.
Maybe I’ll drop back sometime and try to find the owner and get some nice shots. And I’ll send them to you. 🙂
If so, I’ll definitely do a write-up on it.
I’d have neither but the 200 Quatro Turbo which has a bullet proof engine with huge potential… But then I’m biased (see further below).
One car for every purpose, and the j car wagon looks in age defying good condition for something so cheap and utilitarian.
The early Audi V8 is a car that always impressed me. The eighties really were best for style at Audi. To end the decade with a new entry in the high end luxury field showed their confidence and how far they had come. The V8 had an aluminum bodywork, that allowed for the V8 and Quattro system while keeping weight down. Some thought the body was too similar to the 100 but it was different sheet-metal and would stand out to those with refined tastes.
The engine was 2 1.8 16 valve GTI engines mated together. These were not known for low end torque, but this car was also eventually sold as FWD so better not to upset the chassis. These cars were overshadowed unfairly by the arrival of the Ls400 and the Q45, but was a great start to a worthy line.
One of my good friends drove this Audi V8 during high school. Another had a first gen Q45, and yet another had a first gen LS400 (circa 2001).
The LS400 and the Q45 totally blow the Audi V8 out of the water. No contest.
I agree on the styling; always loved this era VW/Audi. Although it didn’t have the premium look of those competitors (in my opinion).
It wasn’t aluminum; that came later. It used the same body from the 100/5000. Which was the V8’s main problem: to most folks it looked just like a 5000/100, with bigger wheels.
LOVE the V8 – very nice find indeed. The ultimate evolution of the C3 body shell, though it’s a shame the only wagon version was a one-off. One quibble though–was the C3 platform actually lengthened to make the D1? If so it couldn’t have been by much. Loo at the cut of the rear door/wheelwell and the front wheel position on this 5000, and tell me if it looks any different:
Not sure it was lengthened either, but the economy wheels of the otherwise attractive Avant demonstrate how the wider track larger wheels of the V8 really helped it’s stance and presence.
Cue the European commenter to remind us that they also sold it in Germany with cheap hubcaps like Mercedes.
The larger, wider wheels did help. You’re quite right about that. Worth mentioning though that the Avant pictured is a little older, ’86 to probably ’88, as they eventually discontinued that wheel style. A 14″ alloy wasn’t really an economy wheel in 1986, though that was the base design for that year. The trend toward bigger wheels really started in the early 90’s in my opinion, as premium cars like these which had worn 14″ without shame started to see 15″ or even 16″ as required equipment.
The V8’s wheelbase was .8″ longer, which undoubtedly was just the result of a minor re-positioning of the front wheels. It used the same basic body shell as the 100/5000. There was an “L” version, with longer wheelbase, but not sold in the US.
Paul, I don’t believe this is correct for the standard model. When I was still in the car business I customized a 200 Quatro Turbo for a friend to look like a V8 (he liked the style and the wider arches meant you were legal (well, sort of) in Austria with the wider wheels he needed). He got front and rear wings/doors from a scrapped V8 and other than sectioning the front of the wings so that the original 200 indicators/headlights would fit, it was a straight swap. It was a lot more work to get all door gaps down to 3.8 mm from a Grand Canyon like factory spec (7.0 mm! This was before Audi discovered MB like tollerances)and then the thing got seriously rodded mechanically – pics below.
Sectioned front wing
Relaced rear wing + door
The result, with 520 hp and capable of hitting 325 Km/H (checked by the German police – the service only cost him €300).
Very nice work!
Well, those are the specs given for wheelbase at wikipedia. .8″ = 20mm. That amount of wheelbase difference would not require unique fenders with different opening centers. But those numbers could well be wrong; it won’t be the first time. Maybe someone can get the actual Audi specs.
I checked another (German) source; there is a 15mm difference in wheelbase between the C3 100 and the V8. I’m guessing that’s due to changed suspension, drive train. etc, and not due to any real overall intentional wheelbase change.
Paul,
I just ran a Carfax on that Audi V8 using its Oregon tag number.
This example is a 1990, which is of course the first year it was sold in the U.S. I believe ’90s are the most common V8Q models you can find if you wanted one, and I think it was one of the only years in which you could get a manual gearbox. But somebody can correct me on it.
The manual was available till 1992. According to my 93 Consumer Guide which mentions the dropping. It also showed the V8 had a half inch longer wb than a 5000,106.4 vs. 105.8.
Audi V8 trivia: this is the only modern car I can think of that had brake discs that were mounted along their perimeters and had calipers which gripped them from their centers. This allowed Audi to fit large brake rotors combined with small diameter wheels that preserved low unsprung weight and sidewall height, both improving ride quality. Unfortunately, low profile tires appeal to people who don’t know about cars, and they’re the majority.
Actually the Audi 200 (sold at the same time) used them as well. The Audi S4 that superceded it used Girling G60’s to replace it (which were not really up to the task). Many people end up replacing the UFO’s and most people that are serious about their Audi performance replace the G60’s, usually with something from the Porsche line which. In Europe the S4/S6 was sold with bigger brakes from the start.
The tires on the 93 were 215/60 HR15. The Q45 had 215/65VR15, the XJ6 had 205/70VR15, but the other competitors had gone to 16 inch wheels. I think the 18+ wheels are just too big and think a 65 sidewall is a decent choice for all around performance, even today.
Dreadful contraptions. When we did the 200 Quatro Turbo above, these things were sold and replaced by Porsche 911 4-pot ventilated brakes.
I also recall an identical one from an episode of Frasier.
Great finds, Paul! Love the Audi V8, though I have to confess to being more interested in that super clean Cavalier wagon. They’ve become quite rare.
Hmm, I had no idea Audi had a V8 before the arrival of the A8. Do you suppose the rarity of this car is attributable to the lack of publicity about it’s existence?
Looking at the pictures, I have to wonder “what’s the deal with the front and rear quarter panel/bumper?” It leaves a large “chunk” of the car off-balance.
BTW, is that a Cavalier station wagon to the right of the Audi? Also appears to be a Subaru Justy 3 door in the mix.
The bumpers caught my eye too. They certainly didn’t come that way from the factory, mostly black but with that tiny body color rear cap. I’m assuming that the original panel went missing or was damaged and replaced with a black one? Or maybe the car was in a low-speed collision that damaged only the bumpers, and replacements were procured but never painted?
Anyway, here’s what it’s supposed to look like:
I’ll bite on the Cavaliers, since nobody has yet. They rusted briskly here in Michigan and have long since turned to dust. Many also suffered from poor paint quality, these look practically showroom fresh! The most popular body style seemed to be coupes also, very few wagons around, and those that were generally had the V6, as opposed to the 2.2 like this one has (no fender badges). Ford, on the other hand, seemed to make quite a few Escort wagons during the same time period. I wonder what the difference was?
The black plastic bumper covers used 92-94 look great still. The penny pinching rep of GM should have seen them fade and crack by now if they were really that cheap. Maybe if you take care of them they will take care of you.
There’s something perversely appealing about one of these Cav wagons with the 3.1. Our J-Body, the Camira, only had four-cylinder engines. I’ll bet these can really scoot, although I’m wondering if they were three-speed automatic only or if you could get a stick like in the Z24.
This vintage of Cav wagons were auto only, even on the 2.2, which this is as the 3.1 had a fender callout. The 94 2.2, which I think this is from the wheelcovers, had 120hp, not too far below the 135hp of the 3.1.
They’re long gone from sunny California too, although I see the occasional Cobalt. They probably fail emissions testing and aren’t worth spending money on.
As an owner of a running specimen, these things are winter beasts, and highway cruisers.
Slow as molasses off the line, but a highway pull at high RPMs will never fail to bring a smile to your face.
Also, where there’s one V8, you’ll usually find a parts car, as a lot of things are NLA. Sadly, going on the mismatched bumper, this may be one of those. Hopefully not, and it’s on it’s way back to life!
Keep the Audi, gimmie the Bestiva,
I have owned many, many small cars you name it I had it,
(no yugo, buddy has one) the Festiva was by the far the best,
bought for 400 drove for 4 years sold for 400 to buy parts for my
’55 1st.series 3100. At the time it was a good move but I still miss it.
Hated the auto seatbelts.
On second thought, gimmie the Audi too!
As one of the few cars in this league it came with a 6-speed manual. Those things sound really good when given the beans.
Complete hen’s teeth every where now, so a great spot!
I have never even sat in an Audi V8, but used to own a 91 100s quattro and the seats were amazing. My current Volvo V90 has seats that look like they came out of a Jaguar, and they are amazingly comfy…just drove to and from Put in Bay this week with no back ache, which is unheard of for me.
Could a precursor to the Audi V8 using a similar 4WD platform have featured an inline-6 engine derived from the 5-cylinder or would such a car have required a RWD platform like its BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class rivals?
In the USA the 1991 Audi V8 was available with a 5 speed manual. Only year in USA you could get the manual. In Europe with the 1992 model 4.2L you could get a 6 speed manual.