The Sleeper Audi S4 I’ve Known All Along

But back to the story at hand. Rewind four years, I was still working at Classic Car Club Manhattan. For how long ago it was, I remember the scene in vidid detail, it was a mild fall evening and my last task for the day was to collect the club’s black Audi R8 4.2 6-speed from a member in Great Neck, out on Long Island. Train out, meet the member, aim for NYC, pretty straightforward. I merge onto the highway and settle in for the short ride back to the city. Traffic was light, I was in the middle lane.

Keeping up with the flow of cars, I note a rapidly approaching set of headlights. Instinctively, I downshift with a CLACK from the R8’s open gated shifter. The headlights slow as they approach until he’s right next to me: a badge-less black B5 Audi. Sans badges, I’m assuming this is a juiced up 1.8T, then he pulled.

It rapidly became apparent that this sleeper sedan was quicker than the V8 R8, much quicker. I got a huge kick out of seeing him scream away from me. The encounter ended with smiles and thumbs up on both sides before he tore off into the night. The memory had retreated into the depths of my mind until the other evening, when I realized I was sitting in that exact B5 Audi. The owner remembers that night four years ago as well, “Usually when my car is faster than an exotic, the driver won’t even look at me, but you smiled and gave a thumbs up.”