[s-cars] '92 S4 for sale at S-Fest

[Taka Mizutani]

Considering that there were only 11 Hemi Cuda convertibles ever produced (9
in
1970 and 2 in 1971) a-rarer than even the Ferrari 250 GTO, the Boomer
demographic
that lusts for musclecars of the '60s and '70s have driven values well into
the $1.8-3 million
range for this car.

Furthermore, a 426 Hemi was a rare and expensive option even when the cars
were new.

The C4 chassis S4 and S6 were produced in far greater numbers and if
anything, are much
closer to the Chrysler "letter series" 300s of the late '50s and early '60s
in terms of their
place in the Audi lineup, their target market and their overall desirability
(not all that much-
the Chryslers might have better desirability but who knows 30 years from
now).

If you need a more contemporary comparison- check the prices of the Mercedes
W124 chassis
500E/E500 ('92 to '95) or the BMW E34 chassis M5 ('91 to '93). These two
cars were direct
competitors to the S car, cost a fair bit more (the M5 was about $60k in
'91) and I would say
the M5 is a more desirable car to German car enthusiasts overall. The values
of both of those cars
are in the mid to high teens now, with the truly excellent examples being
around $20k. The rare
exception to that rule is something truly unusual (like one lister's
ultra-rare grey market 3.8 Nurburgring
package car that cleared north of $24k last I heard). If you take the same
1/3 to 1/4 valuation of the
M5, the S-car should be worth somewhere between $12k to $16k, which they are
not.

The point is, besides the listers here, the others on Audiworld and a few
other places, there aren't a whole
lot of people that place major value on the S-cars. It's good to see these
special cars kept in great condition
by some listers, seriously hopped up by others and just plain driven by
others, but if someone wants to
part one out, that's his/her choice as well.

Taka

On 8/22/06, Dave Forgie <forgied at ae.ca> wrote:
>
> I am sure there was a time in the early 1970's when people were saying
> "Hell, that old 'cuda ragtop with that honking big 426, sittin' out back
> by
> the barn,  well that's such a gas guzzler, it should just be taken off to
> the
> scrap yard and crushed.  Least I can get some money for it".
>
> Ever watch Barrett Jackson?
>
> I am NOT saying the S-car is in the same league as a 426 HEMI Cuda
> convertible but it is a special car and deserves some respect.  Throwing
> them away at bargain basement prices just drives the market down
> further and further.
>
> I don't expect to "win" this discussion.  I didn't even start it with a
> straight
> face. But as usual with these forums, its getting out of hand.
>
> PART 'EM ALL. Turn S//Fest into a wrecking yard. Go nuts.
>
> Dave F.
>