What do the AC Cobra, Vanquish Zagato, McLaren F1, and the Rav4 EV have in common? Simple, they are all products of automotive production collaborations. While it’s a given that competition is rife in the automotive industry, automakers however also understand the need to leverage the strength of their peers for mutual benefits through collaborations. Notably, these collaborations could be aimed at leveraging marketing advantages, design superiority, ease of production, and technological superiority, among other objectives.
Hence, in the 1990s, Audi collaborated with Porsche for the execution of a high-performance car project. This resulted in the launch of the amazing Audi RS2 in 1994. Classed as an entry-level luxury car, the RS2 is Audi’s first “RS” vehicle, and it was also the first of the company’s high-performance Avant range of cars. The RS2 is built as a 5-door station wagon, and it was produced till 1995. Understandably, it’s been several years since the RS2 production ended, hence, we’ve collated these details as a reminder of the incredible Audi model.
9 Platform
The RS2 adopted the Audi B4’s platform. Notably, B4 is the internal designation for Audi 80 after it received a major facelift in 1991 for the 1992 model year. The changes incorporated into the model which distinguish it from the preceding B3 include a longer wheelbase, a completely redesigned rear axle, and a fuel tank.
This provides more room for seat placement, as well as to accommodate larger wheels with more visible wheel arches. All these and more made the Audi B4’s platform a perfect fit for the RS2 project.
8 Engine Upgrade
The RS2 is powered by a five-cylinder engine that was jointly developed by Audi and Porsche. The engine was based on a unit previously built by Audi but further modified by Porsche with several components that include a larger KKK turbocharger, as well as heavy-duty intercooler and higher-flow fuel injectors.
Other accessories adopted in modifying the engine include a more efficient induction setup, a new camshaft, and a low-pressure exhaust system. With these, the RS2 easily delivers an enviable performance.
7 Engine Specification
One of the main aims of the Audi Porsche collaboration for the RS2 was for the development of the engine, and the result is the modified 2.2-liter inline-five DOHC four valves per cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. The engine’s identification code is ‘ADU’ while its part code prefix is ‘034’.
Assembled at Porsche’s Rossle-Bau plant in Zuffenhausen, Germany, (the plant where the iconic Porsche 959 was produced), the RS2 engine churns out an amazing output of 307 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 302 lb-ft at 3000 rpm of torque.
6 Transmission
To effectively distribute all the 307-horsepower worth of juice to the wheels, the RS2 received a six-speed manual gearbox identifiable with code ‘CRB’ and parts code prefix ‘01E’, as the sole transmission option. Notably, a manual transmission is often the power distribution option of choice in a host of performance-oriented cars for its unique advantages.
These advantages include the full power it affords drivers in controlling vehicle speed. Also, a manual transmission has fewer moving parts in comparison with automatic, making it easier to manage and repair.
5 Performance
While several attributes of the RS2 wowed enthusiasts upon its introduction, the car’s performance, however, seems to be the most intriguing of all. Buoyed by its turbocharged 315 horsepower-producing engine, the RS2 returns an acceleration from rest to 62 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds while it also achieved an electronically limited top speed of 163 mph.
Also, the RS2 was road-tested in 1995 by British car magazine Autocar, and it returned an incredible 0 to 30 mph time of 1.5 seconds, which Autocar confirmed was faster than the McLaren F1 road car.
4 Four-Wheel-Drive
We also feel the need to remind Audi enthusiasts about RS2’s awesome four-wheel-drive system. Specifically, it’s an Audi’s Torsen-based ‘trademark’ Quattro permanent four-wheel-drive system, and it was a standard feature on the RS2. Notably, the front and rear drive unit adopt a conventional ‘open’ differential with a 4.111 ratio, while the rear possesses an electro-mechanical differential lock as well.
That said, the advantages latent in four-wheel drive aren’t alien to gearheads, as it offers improved traction in perilous terrains among other benefits.
3 Brakes & Suspension
The braking and suspension systems on the RS2 were among the components designed by Porsche, replacing the standard Audi 80 setup, while the Bosch Anti-lock braking system was however retained. For the front brakes, the car had the luxury of options.
One is 11.97 inches in diameter by 1.260 inches radially ventilated disc brakes with Brembo four-opposed piston fixed calipers, while the other is a modified option of identical sized discs with uprated brakes. The hand brake features a cable-operated ‘drum in disc’ system which is deployed on the rear.
2 Interior
For its era, the interior of the RS2 was relatively well-appointed. It features Recaro sports-bucket seats adorned in either full leather or a combination of leather and suede. Also, the car is fitted with a three-spoke steering wheel wrapped in leather, while the console is finished in either wood or carbon fiber trim.
To feel extra safe in the RS2, the car adopted Audi’s Procon-ten from the base vehicle. Launched in 1986, Procon-ten is Audi’s trademarked Safety Restraint System (SRS) and it was used by Audi till the mid-1990s.
1 Units Produced
Considering its production numbers, the RS2 is considered a limited production car. Initially, about 2,200 units of RS2s were jointly produced by Audi and Porsche. However, more units of the vehicle had to be produced later due to an increase in demand, thereby taking the final production figure to a total of 2,891 cars.
Also, among those, 180 units were built as right-hand drive cars for the UK, New Zealand, and South African markets. The relatively low production number makes the RS2 a top target for car collectors.