urA4 sport wheels on t44?

[Tony Tuzzolino]

Scott,

Those wheels are extremely rare, and are known as the RS4 style.  RS4's came with that style wheel in 18".  There are copies on ebay, but they are the wrong offset for cars without flares. If you have a line on an oe set at a good price, buy them NOW.

The dimensions of that wheel are 17x7.5, 45mm offset, 5 on 112.  These are the same dimensions as the most recent S4 Avus wheel, and the neu A4 five spoke sport package wheels.  Copies are a 35mm offset, and won't fit inside the rear fenders of a narrow body car without modifications.  I have just installed a set of the S4 wheels on my lowered '89 200 tq with a 215/45-17 tire, and it just barely fits, with no rubbing.

Another option I am considering for track use is r compound tires on a cheap Enkei wheel, called the RS5 available through Tire Rack.  It is 17x7, 40mm offset, and 5 on 112 with the added bonus of being a dual fit with a 5 on 100, which fits my wife's Neu Beetle mit turbonium.  By my calculations, the face of the wheel will be within one millimeter or so of my S4 wheels, and it will provide more clearance on the inside up front.  The only reason I didn't do this for my everyday wheels is vanity- I prefer the looks of an oe wheel.  Audi wheels, especially the Avus, are about the heaviest wheels in the known universe, and you can make a noticable improvement in performance by shaving 10lbs (or more) per corner.

Finally, my research also turned up an 18" wheel that probably will work, but it's made by Vault and I have no experience with their quality.  They are a little "bling bling" for my taste, but they are essentially a copy of the BBS mesh style wheel you see on lots of current 5 series BMWs these days.  As long as they are not chromed, they might look ok.  It is the same width and offset as the Enkei wheel.  You can find them for around $150 each at www.highlinewheel.com.

I hope this helps.

Tony Tuzzolino