What: Essen Motor Show
Event Type: Industry Auto Show focused on Tuning & the Aftermarket
Location: Essen, Germany
Venue: Messe Essen
Dates (2000 edition): December 1–10, 2000
First Held: 1968
Frequency: Annual
Audi Highlights: RS 4 Sport (B5), Audi exclusive TT Roadster (Mk1), A4 (B6), allroad (C5)
AUDI PARTICIPATION
In 2000, the aftermarket and tuning industry found itself in a robust era. Audi and its parent the Volkswagen Group were firing on all cylinders with a robust range of new products and programs, while supporting them with a factory presence across the halls of the Messe Essen.
For Audi, that presence was managed by quattro GmbH. In these years prior to becoming Audi Sport GmbH, quattro GmbH was in charge of Audi collection products and Audi exclusive tailoring of any Audi model entered into the program.
quattro GmbH had also just launched production of the RS 4 Avant (B5), debuting in 1999 at the Frankfurt IAA. By the end of 2000, RS 4s were on the roads of Germany and quattro GmbH had created a special program of factory installed parts that, when taken as a whole, were described as the RS 4 Sport.
An example of the RS 4 Sport was built in Imola Yellow, with matching Imola Yellow Alcantara seat inserts and the entire range of RS 4 Sport accessories. For Audi, this car headlined the brand’s presence.
A secondary “special” at this event was a TT Roadster heavily laden with Audi exclusive gear. Note the non-standard tan leather and Recaro Pole Position seats just like the RS 4 Sport. The car also wears other rare and seldom seen options such as an aluminum trunk-mounted luggage rack and tonneau cover for the passenger side.
Other new models like the A4 (B6), A6 Avant (C5) and allroad (C5) also graced the Audi presence, while displays with new wheel designs could also be seen in the space.
ELSEHWERE IN THE SHOW
The Essen Motor Show has always been a must-attend for the automotive aftermarket, and 2000 represents how active the space was for the Audi brand. In the gallery below, we see many current brands such as KW and ABT Sportsline, plus brands that are long gone – Projektzwo, Zender and more.
It’s also worth noting some of the other Audi adjacent displays like Volkswagen. Note the Volkswagen New Beetle RSI – effectively a roadgoing version of the Beetle Cup car. It’s also hard to miss the Dahlback Volkswagen Golf with longitudinally mounted Audi 5-cylidner motorsport engine.
PHOTOS FROM 1552
These photos are in the archive thanks to 1552 founders Adrian Jones and Brad Beardow. While 1552 later became a wheel company, in 2000 it was a prominent tuning shop in the Washington, DC market that specialized in brands like ABT Sportsline and Projektzwo amongst many others. For that reason, Jones and Beardow were in Essen in order to see new products and trends that would affect them back in the States.
PHOTO GALLERY
