The C3-body Audi 100/200, debuting as the Audi 5000 in the North American market, holds a sad place in popular culture due to the I can’t tell the difference between two pedals unintended acceleration fiasco. That overshadows how revolutionary this car was when it came out – an extremely capable vehicle with a zinc-coated body and all-wheel-drive to get you through the snow and not fall apart while doing it. It also sported a futuristic design that was arguably the genus of the modern sedan, with flush headlights, flush doors/windows, and a generally wedgy shape. For its efforts, Audi earned the 1983 European Car of the Year award, and was on the 1984 and 1985 Car & Driver 10 Best list. Of course, that list also included the Renault Alliance and Pontiac 6000, so that was probably a back-handed compliment. Anyhow, you can find this 1987 Audi 5000CS Quattro for sale in Los Angeles, CA with no bids, no reserve, a starting bid of $1000, and about 2 days to go on its second listing.
Posts Tagged ‘Feature’
Unintended Acceleration-Proof – 1987 Audi 5000CS Quattro
January 7, 2014Be A King – 1959 NSU Prinz 30
January 6, 2014In an ironic twist, the bulk of postwar microcars, built for (mostly) postwar European everyman, seem to be moving out of reach of today’s everyman collector. Recent sales show some microcars moving into the 6-figure stratosphere, to join pre-war Packards and post-war Porsches. So if you want the automotive equivalent of a scooter, you have to get creative. Look beyond the BMW Isettas and Messerschmitts, and you’ll find this 1959 NSU Prinz 30, for sale in Santa Margarita, CA with bidding at $222 and 9 1/2 days left to go.
Interesting, Just Not To Drive: 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX
January 3, 2014Back in 1987, Nissan restyled their wedgy Sentra-based Pulsar coupe, rounding out corners and adding body color trim. But that was not the most interesting feature of the restyle – Nissan snipped out the roof and the rear window and trunk lid, replacing them with T-tops and a hatch. But wait, there’s more – the hatch could be replaced with a squared-off wagon lid! As they boasted in their brochure pictures, you could have the following: a closed or open coupe, a closed or open wagon, or a nearly full convertible with a roll cage. Some sources also say there was a turbo option. Twenty-six years later, not many of these economical, multi-functional cars have survived, but this 1988 Nissan Pulsar NX is for sale in San Rafael, CA for $2400.


