VW&Audi Spezial 5/98

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

Hi all,

After a couple of boring issues, it's back to a lot of Audi content this month.

-Zender get their hands on the A3 1.8T and transform it into a
fire-breathing monster visually. TT-like wheelarch extensions, 18in monster
five-spoke alloys, and a very cool-looking front bumper/air intake combo.
I'm not usually a hug fan of body 'upgrades', but this is what a racing
version of the A3 should look like, IMO. Also, nice Recaros in the interior
and an engine power hike to 230 hp. Cool car, pity it's the hideous purple
colour Audi insists on using.

-Hartmann Motorsport have managed to upgrade the new S4- for DM3480 your
265 hp engine gets kicked to 300 hp, 0-60 mph in 5.1 s. No limiter for 250
km/h top speed- this one does 267 km/h.

-An A4 Avant 2.5TDI proves to be an excellent candidate for tuning- its
standard 150 hp becomes 190 when German firm Digi-Tec gets done with it.
Unstealthy bits: 2.5in lower suspension, 18in monster wheels.

-OK, so you have this S2 Coupe and you're concerned that it looks too
stealthy? Well, RTS Raeder & Tuning have done something about this. Not to
my taste, mind you- the (very 80s!) Borbet As 9x16 with 225/40 tyres and
the extremely yellow colour make it less than subtle and unbefitting this
car. YMMV... but the lowered suspension (65 mm lower in front, 45 mm lower
in rear) make it look like an out-and-out racer. Hate the bright yellow
steering wheel and gearshift knob, though.

-Now the RS2 seems to be the nec plus ultra, Audi-wise- don't believe it.
German tuner XTC have released a version that gets a power hike from 315 to
430 hp, getting the top speed over 300 km/h! Visually, this car is left
mostly standard (a good thing, too!), with only 3-part 9.5x18 wheels in
place of the standard items. They look a lot like the standard items, too-
which IMO is a good thing. The rear light bar (with the unique-to-the-RS2
reflector plate) is changed for a gray-tinted item (a la late UrQ) which
should look especially good on a black car.

Great stuff!

Tom

PS Sorry to those who've been waiting for me to reply to private mail for a
couple of days- the geniuses who'd replaced the telephone switchbox next to
the building I live in had managed to connect everything up the wrong way
again- leaving me without telephone access for a couple of days. Several
irate phone calls and hours of trouble shooting later, I got my phone
connection back. No apologies, of course... Thank God this fat-cat former
state-owned company is getting some competition soon. They'll lose my
business instantly. (rant mode off)

 _______________________________________________________________________
 Tom Nas                                          Zeist, The Netherlands
 tnas@euronet.nl
 1987 Audi 90q 2.3E, Tizianrot metallic, 167,000km

  Your manuscript is both good and original, but the part that is good
       is not original and the part that is original is not good.
                                   -- Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)