The original B5-generation RS4 Avant arrived a quarter of a century ago – and Audi is celebrating in style
Audi has announced a limited-run anniversary edition of its current RS4 Avant, complete with performance upgrades, interior and exterior tweaks and the revival of Imola Yellow – the same shade that adorned the original B5 RS4 Avant when it arrived in 1999.
The new car – officially named the Audi RS4 Avant edition 25 years – is limited to just 50 examples in the UK, with 250 to be sold worldwide. Prices start at £115,880 but keen collectors will need £119,180 to secure the edition 25 in the famous shade of yellow.
The original RS4 arrived in 1999 with an aggressive chassis setup and a Cosworth-developed, 375bhp, twin-turbocharged 2.7-litre V6. The new car follows a similar recipe but is much more powerful, with 20bhp more than the standard RS4, boosting power to 464bhp and cutting the 0-62mph sprint by 0.4 seconds to just 3.7 seconds. Top speed is increased to 186mph, while carbon ceramic brakes come as standard to help rein in that extra performance.
The original Audi RS4 Avant arrived in 1999 as the brand’s second high-performance estate car. Its first effort was the Porsche-built RS2 in 1994
Unusually for a car in this segment, the edition 25 years gets manually adjustable coilovers as part of a suspension overhaul. It rides 10mm lower than standard and can be set 10mm lower again should owners prefer. A quattro sport differential is also fitted, while updated DSG gearbox software ensures quicker shifts. Standard Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tyres round out the performance-focused along with an included extra set wheels fitted with P Zero Trofeo RS semi-slicks – perfect for trackdays.
Exterior styling tweaks include black trim and deleted roof rails, while inside there’s yellow stitching and the all-important designation of each example’s place in the 250-model run. The car’s digital speedometer and rev-counter can even be configured to resemble those found in the Audi RS2 – the car that started Audi’s fast estate lineage.
