Friday 23rd October 2015

Shed Of The Week: Audi Coupe

Remember when Audis weren't all diesel A3s? Shed does!

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To Shed, the concept of a coupe has always seemed slightly peculiar. Even when his own Shedlets were swarming about the yard, driving cars into the inspection pit, lighting up his beard with the thermic lance and generally being an all-round nuisance, Shed never felt the slightest interest in the slopey motors that marketing twerps assured him were perfect for young families like his. As far as Shed was concerned, all coupes did was rob him of valuable parts-toting space.

Er, this picture shows it's purple?

Now, of course, he has a mother-in-law and understands more clearly the interesting potential for rear-seat suffering that coupes hold for the aged, infirm and hateful. With that in mind he has been refocusing on this niche market. He still wouldn't have a modern coop, but something like this 20-year-old Audi could easily find its way onto the Shed Towers driveway.

If there's such a thing as a de-risked used car, this one might be it. It's just had all the important mechanical work done and the MoT is as long as it gets. All you'd have to do as the new owner would be to start bigging up the hidden merits of this underrated classic on social media. With any luck, your campaign will readjust the Coupe's gently positive appreciation curve to something more accurately reflecting the angle of the back window.

For info, the editor of one of the classic car mags has just bought a Coupe for his personal stable. Not sure why he keeps old cars in a stable, but no doubt he has his reasons.

Large engine and a big appetite for fuel too

The earlier Giugiaro-styled B2 of the early 1980s is the Coupe to have of course, with all its proper lower-case quattro connections, but you're not likely to find one of them in this column any time soon.

Our Shed was born near the end of the B3 run. Its 2.6-litre V6 looks suitably bombastic under the bonnet, but if you expect 2015-style 2.6-litre V6 performance you might be disappointed. The 2.6 E's 150hp bested the preceding (and charismatic) 2.3 E non-turbo five's output by 14hp, but although the heavier six had a higher top speed (133mph manual, 130mph auto against the 2.3's equivalent figures of 128 and 124), it took a smidgen longer than the five to get to 62mph from rest (9.3 seconds against 9.2).

Expect this engine to deliver 1990s-style 2.6-litre V6 fuel consumption and you won't be disappointed, bearing in mind that it's nowhere near as rev-hungry as the five and it's running through a slushbox auto. That and front-wheel drive won't make for the most inspiring driving experience. The ride is comfy but understeer will be your friend. Still, when you view those classic Audi dials through that rather lovely steering wheel, you'll feel yourself being swaddled by a nice warm blanket of old-school quality and style.

Rare, stylish, well maintained - good Shed!

And, age-related issues apart, if this is a good example of the breed you shouldn't encounter too many problems in day to day running. These Audis were built to last as well as to impress. Their relatively high weight places extra strain on suspension parts, but a chassis refresh with new dampers and polybushes will have it feeling like new.

There is mention of new mounts in the ad, which we guess means engine mounts. Other stuff not mentioned but worth looking out for: rear calipers, CV gaiters, leaky boots, clutch slave cylinders and steering racks, windscreen delamination, window relays and pulleys, seat adjustment cable and droopy headlining. If the heater matrix fails that's a dashboard out job.

This Coupe is quite literally a solid car, with none of the endemic rust that would go on to blight Mercs of a later age. For many, that solidity - along with a potential to appreciate - will be enough. Plus, how many purple cars do you get nowadays?

Here's the ad.

Puple 1995 Audi Coupe 2.6 v6 Automatic 161,600 miles
reluctant sale as i can no longer run two cars.
MOT until 22nd october 2016 ( i have copies of MOT certificates back to 2002)
in good condition no major dents or scratches, small marks in line with the age of the car
car has been regularly serviced, i have receipts although the book has not always been stamped.
6 previous owners
work that has been done on the car since i have owned it, all with reciepts
Cambelt change - August 2015
Full service  - August 2015
wheel bearing kit - feb 2015
new fuel pump Jan 2015
rear break discs and pads -  May 2014
new starter motor - August 2014
service - September 2014
service - October 2013
new mounts - november 2013
full service - August 2011
new alternator - September 2011
gearbox service and new vacum hoses - September 2011

[GTEYE]

I think I'd rather have the diesel A3 actually.

Other than looking ok, these are pretty sluggish, thirsty old beasts. Look alright though.

Had to smile at "no major scratches or dents".......presumably lots of small ones then!

Edited by GTEYE on Friday 23 October 09:16

[GTEYE]

Numeric said:

Gilhooligan said:

hman said:

Gilhooligan said:

Looking at the engine bay, the engine looks longitudinally mounted, yet it's front wheel drive. How does that work?

the same way any FWD audi 80, A4, a6, a8 has

Helpful.

Have it in my mind that the Renault 21 was transverse for 4 cylinder engines and longitudinal for V6 which is a natty way to slow a production line - though the mind boggles why you would buy either.

That's right. They also had (slightly) different wheelbases, just to further make life difficult for themselves.