What: RS4
Model Family: 100 / S4
Debuted: unknown
Year: 1993
Number Produced: Undetermined, Likely 1
Model / Generation Code(s): type 4A
Chassis / Matrix: C4
Engine: unknown
Transmission: 6-speed Manual
Power: unknown
Peak Torque: unknown
Acceleration (0-100 km / 62 mph: unknown
RELATED
Concept Cars: RS4 Sedan
Road Cars: 100, S6 (C4 / type 4A, 1991-1994)
Race Cars:
SUMMARY
Audi’s long history with naming conventions has often been complicated, with overlapping model designations creating confusion for enthusiasts and historians alike. The issue resurfaced in 2025 when Audi’s attempt to distinguish electric from combustion models collapsed, but the roots stretch back decades. Even the name “Audi” itself was born out of a naming dispute, and through the years, performance variants like the Coupe quattro, S2, and RS2 Avant have each added to a sometimes tangled web of nomenclature.
Within this haze, an unusual model quietly surfaced in the early 1990s—the Audi 100 RS4. Despite sharing its badge with the later and far better-known B5-generation RS 4 Avant, this prototype was entirely different. Based on the conservative C4-generation Audi 100, it looked nearly identical to the S4 of its day yet promised serious performance, rumored at over 300 horsepower. While its exact development details remain unclear, the car represented Audi’s understated approach at the time, hiding world-class performance under plain bodywork.
The biggest mystery surrounding the 100 RS4 remains its engine. Period options included a 2.2-liter turbocharged five-cylinder, a 4.2-liter V8, or possibly the Porsche-assisted RS2-spec five-cylinder producing 315 hp. If fitted with the latter, the car would have delivered near-supercar performance in the guise of a discreet executive sedan. Ultimately, it seems the 100 RS4 never advanced beyond prototype form, but it hinted at Audi’s ambitions and helped set the stage for the RS lineage that would later become a cornerstone of the brand.
MORE INFORMATION
PHOTO GALLERY
