MOTOR

(Darren Dugan) #1

t came from the same
womb as the Porsche 959,
was able to hustle a Honda
NSX and, to 50km/h, was
quicker than a McLaren
F1. Meet the RS2 – the
angriest Audi 80 wagon
ever and a worthy inclusion
to MOTOR’s informal Hall
of Fame.
For readers unfamiliar,
the RS2 is the original
RS Audi. The story goes,
Audi was impressed by
the success of the S2
coupe and original S4
sedan from 1991. Quattro
GmbH, so named after
Audi’s extraordinary rally
exploits of the early ’80s,
was more a vehicle accessory producer
than a performance division. But it was
decided the brand would expand and
the corporate punch spiked – and so,
in 1994, the RS, or RennSport (Racing
Sport) sub-brand was born.
Later that year, its first car was the
RS2 but, as history-savvy readers will be
familiar, Porsche played as much a role
in its birth as quattro did.
Look closely at the photos. Mirrors,
front indicators and foglights look
vaguely familiar? They’re all pinched
off a 993 911. Those 17-inch wheels?
968 Clubsport. Wrapped around them,


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