Someone Save This Doomed Audi RS2 Avant!

Images have surfaced of a sad-looking Audi RS2 Avant rotting away in a junkyard in Portugal. One of the coolest German cars of the 1990s, the Audi RS2 was the product of a collaboration between Audi and Porsche and not only a precursor to the modern RS versions of Audi cars, but the entire fast wagon market. It’s what makes the images of this forgotten legend all the more heart wrenching.

The full story as to why this particular example is sitting on death row is largely unknown, but online discussions seem to suggest the neglected RS2 was seized from its owner at some point, and is now possibly owned by the state. One Facebook user suggested the car recently escaped the crusher by one worker who was paid off. We’re glad to hear at least someone’s looking out for the poor Audi.

The car was discovered by a Twitter user by the name of Mané Naranjo, who says the junkyard is parting the car out, rather than trying to sell the car whole. That’s a shame, because given it’s now older than 25 years, the Audi RS2 Avant is now eligible to be imported into the US. Perhaps if the offer’s sweet enough, the junkyard might consider sparing the RS2’s life?

Despite the Audi RS2 Avant’s unassuming appearance to most, car fans will be well aware of the important role it played in making Audi what it is today, and helping to save a struggling Porsche in the ‘90s. Audi wanted a competitor to the BMW M3, but had no experience of building a fast, sporty family car. The Audi 80 served as the basis of the RS2, with Porsche called in to spice it up.

Porsche got to work tuning Audi’s 2.2-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine to give it an output of 311bhp. This was paired with a six-speed manual transmission and, of course, Audi’s quattro four-wheel drive system. The RS2 was good for a 0-62mph time of just 4.8 seconds and on to a top-speed of 163mph.

Porsche fitted the RS2 Avant with tuned suspension and brakes, and even added some of its own styling touches. It got wing mirrors from the Porsche 911 964 and even the same wheels from the 964 cup car. The poor decrepit example you see here is even finished in the RS2’s most iconic colour: Nogaro Blue.

Good examples can fetch between $50,000 to $60,000 in the US. It’s unclear how much work would need to be done to get the junkyard RS2 Avant back into tip-top condition, but in the pictures it doesn’t look too bad. That said, spare parts for the car could be hard to come by, with fewer than 3000 examples ever made, and no-doubt far fewer left on the roads today.