Tracing the Porsche Roots of the Audi RS2

Legendary Collaboration

While many car enthusiasts already know the story of how Porsche helped Audi develop its legendary RS2 Avant, others still do a double-take when they see one out in the wild sporting Porsche brake calipers. That's true even today, many years after the RS2 made its debut back in 1994 and became the first Audi to crack the 155 mph mark, all while also providing more than enough space for the entire family to ride along.

Photos: Porsche

Perfect Opportunity

Porsche stayed afloat financially throughout the 1990s by helping other automakers develop a number of performance vehicles. So when Ingolstadt-based Audi came up with the idea for a car that would boost its image and keep up with the BMW M3, it turned to Porsche. The collaboration resulted in the RS2 Avant - and an opportunity for Porsche to share everything that is special about the brand with Audi customers.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Boosted Profile

"A few years earlier, we had created the 500 E model together with Mercedes-Benz and this had boosted our profile as a development service provider thanks to fast, high-quality results," said Porsche's head of the RS2 project, Michael Hölscher. "Today, the brand can look back on 90 years of customer developments."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Managing Logistics

Components from both the 964 and 993 generations of the Porsche 911 were used in the RS2, including the indicators, fog lights, and the semi-light bar. Hölscher's team developed the car in Zuffenhausen’s historic Rössle building - the same site where the Mercedes-Benz 500 E was built 30 years ago. Audi provided painted body parts and add-on parts and Porsche took care of the rest, with the two partners managing the logistical challenges with ease. 

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Controversial Choice

The wagon, with its 2.2-liter inline five-cylinder engine, all-wheel drive, and 315 horsepower proved controversial to some because of its turbocharger. "Back then and to this day, the strong, design-based turbocharger lag puts a driver under a certain amount of pressure," said Hölscher. "Quite a few drivers were not terribly fond of the sudden push, while proud RS2 owners have always loved the turbocharger. The turbocharged engine's response characteristics are sensational, most of all from the lower engine speed range."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Shared Components

A number of Porsche parts were integrated into the Audi or developed from scratch in Zuffenhausen, including the 17-inch light-alloy wheels borrowed from the Cup car, the exterior mirrors with their new mirror base design, the red high-performance brakes, Porsche lettering in the RS logo, the front and rear bumpers, dials, and door openers. "Around 20 percent of the RS2 stems from Porsche," Hölscher said. "We found it essential to make the Porsche character immediately noticeable and the associations clear."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Holding Up

Even today, nearly 30 years after the RS2 launched, it's still a formidable performance machine, which is a testament to Porsche's efforts in making it a reality. The car is capable of going from 0-62 mph in just 5.4 seconds and reaching a top speed of 163 mph, numbers that once made it the world's fastest wagon. "It's marvelous to experience how this car can still keep up with contemporary models - and it does so in a very sporty fashion," Hölscher concludes.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Porsche's connection to RS2 right here in the Rennlist Forum!

For help with the maintenance of your Porsche, check out the how-to section of Rennlist.com