Answers to your questions about the S2R.
Q: What is it?
A: In simplist terms, the S2R is a 1990 Audi Coupe Quattro with a five-cylinder, 20-valve turbo (20vt) engine transplant from a 1993 Audi S4; in effect, an attempt to construct a copy of the factory Audi Coupe S2.
Audi Coupe S2
Q: What is an Audi Coupe S2?
A: At the British International Motor Show in September 1990, Audi introduced the Coupe S2. The S2 was an evolution of the original Quattro (Turbo Quattro Coupe) and in fact, derived its name from the ultimate iteration of that car, the mighty Audi Sport Quattro S1 rally car. The S2 was the first of Audi’s line of sporty S-Cars and was the fastest production Audi at the time with a factory-claimed 0-60 mph time of 5.7 seconds. A 1991 Road & Track comparison showed the Audi Coupe S2 as faster than the far more extreme BMW M3 Sport Evolution and the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II. The S2 used two different five-cylinder, 20-valve turbo motors: the 3B, rated at 220 hp, and later, the ABY, rated 230 hp. The S2 was available as a coupe, a sedan, and an Avant (wagon or estate).
Audi Coupe S2
Q: Was the Audi Coupe S2 ever imported into the US?
A: No. A version of the standard Audi 80/90 coupe, called the Coupe Quattro, was imported to the US in 1990 and 1991. The Coupe Quattro came standard with every conceivable luxury kit (leather seats, wood trim, and power everything), the new Torsen quattro all-wheel-drive system, a five-speed manual transmission, and the same body shell as the Coupe S2. But it did not come with the 220 hp, turbocharged engine. Instead, it came with a naturally aspirated 2.3 liter 5-cylinder 20-valve engine making 164 hp. The Coupe Quattro was a good car, but it was underpowered, under-dampened, overweight, and overpriced. Audi only sold 1,730 Coupe Quattros in the US, which ensured that the even more expensive Coupe S2 would never see these shores.
However, beginning in 1991, the same 20vt engine (3B) found in the Coupe S2, found its way to the US in the Audi 200 Quattro 20V sedan. A more advanced version of the 20vt engine (AAN), similar to the S2 engine (ABY), came to the US a year later in the Audi S4/S6. The stage was set for US enthusiasts to convert their Coupe Quattros into ersatz Coupe S2s (commonly called eS2s).
Audi S2 Coupe
Q: So, the S2R is an ersatz S2?
Sort of, but not really. First I need to tell you about the Audi RS2.
Q: What is an Audi RS2?
The Audi RS2 is the result of an interesting partnership between Audi and Porsche. Audi took an already capable S2 Avant and gave it to Porsche for advanced tuning. Porsche supersized everything. They changed the turbo, camshafts, intake manifold, exhaust manifold, MAF, FPR, fuel injectors, intercooler, wheels, tires, brakes, and bodywork. The result was a practical estate with a 315 hp engine (ADU), which could go from 0-60 mph in as little as 4.8 seconds!
As a personal aside, except for the Porsche 959, the Audi RS2 is easily my favorite road car of all time. It is the perfect daily driver – practical, safe, and fast. Sadly, this is another car that Audi did not import into the US.
Q: So, the S2R is an ersatz RS2?
Sort of, but not really. The RS2 was only available as an Avant. There was no such thing as an RS2 Coupe. So, the eS2R is an ersatz S2, but using uprated RS2 parts, and dedicated for track use (although the car is currently street legal).Â