You Can Buy One Of America’s Rarest Audi Models For The Price Of A New GTI

In the world of cars, few things excite on sight like a true unicorn. A car you’re likely never to spot another example of in the wild, only grouping in multiples as part of pre-organized gatherings. Today, we’re looking at one of the rarest Audi models sold in America this century, one that didn’t sell in the thousands, but merely in the low hundreds.

Oh, and this isn’t a case of rare but nobody cares either. We’re talking about a proper RS car with an engine largely shared with the original R8. Better yet, with warmer weather coming up for much of the country, this Audi is a four-seat convertible with just enough space for actual people in the back. Of course, we’re talking about the RS4 Cabriolet, a car you can now pick up for the price of a new GTI.

What Are We Looking At?

The late 2000s was a golden age of high-performance compact luxury sedans, and while the beguiling V8-powered BMW M3 and unhinged Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG get a ton of love, they weren’t the only entries in the field. The Audi RS4 is also deserving of its place among greats, especially since it follows the formula so well. Massively flared aluminum front fenders? Check. An almost touring car stance? Check. Huge power from an atmospheric engine? Absolutely.

Under the hood, you’ll find an 8,000-rpm naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 making 420 horsepower at 7,800 rpm. Mated exclusively to a six-speed manual gearbox with power sent to all four wheels, the result was a compact sedan that could sprint from zero-to-60 mph in 4.6 seconds during Car And Driver instrumented testing. The magazine seemed to dig the chassis too, writing of the RS4:

The car’s versatility makes it easy to drive. The engine feels light and happy to spin, and the gear lever is fluid and accurate in your right hand, even when you’re looking for a fast second-to-third shift at the redline. Although the controls are damped and mostly isolated from vibration and shock, they retain enough immediacy to make the car a wicked freeway slalom performer. The engine is never in the wrong gear, and the RS 4 is always an extension of the driver’s hands and feet.

Today, the B7 RS4 sedan remains a fun daily driver, although we aren’t talking about the sedan here. See, Audi made this generation of RS4 in three body styles and although we never got the wagon, the folks in Ingolstadt did see fit to send an exceptionally small handful of drop-tops across the Atlantic. Only 300 Audi RS4 Cabriolets made it to America, making it rarer than most variants of the R8 supercar and rarer than the C5 RS6 Avant. However, because it flies so far under the radar, you can now pick one up for the price of a new GTI.

How Much Are We Talking?

Yep, you can pick up one of 300 drop-top Audi RS4s in America for less than the price of VW’s archetypal hot hatch. A 2025 Volkswagen GTI starts at $33,670 including freight, and you won’t have any trouble finding an RS4 Cabriolet for that sort of money. This 2008 Audi RS4 Cabriolet sold on Bring A Trailer earlier this week for $22,500. Sure, it might have 127,000 miles on the clock and a minor hit on the Carfax, but it’s one seriously rare car for the money.

Looking for something with lower mileage? This Mugello Blue Audi RS4 Cabriolet sold on Bring A Trailer last year for $32,650, and it looks proper. Just 73,000 miles were on the clock at the time of its sale, and it had a clean Carfax too. Sure, it does have an aftermarket head unit, but in a car like this, Apple CarPlay is nice to have.

Taking a look at the regular used car classifieds, this Audi RS4 Cabriolet up for sale in Ohio catches some serious eyeballs with its Sprint Blue paint. Sure, the headlights could use a polish and the aftermarket wheels need to go, but at an asking price of $28,997 with 90,883 miles on the clock and a clean Carfax, it seems like it might be worth a punt.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong With An Audi RS4 Cabriolet?

I know what you’re probably thinking right off the bat—this is a 4.2-liter V8 Audi with a timing chain, surely it must eat timing chain components? While the S4s of the 2000s developed a reputation for expensive timing jobs, the B7 RS4 used far more robust metal timing guides, so the timing system’s a non-issue. However, carbon buildup is an issue, and these engines do benefit from regular walnut blasting of the intake valves. More severely, it seems that the direct fuel injectors do start to go as these cars age, and a full set will run you $1,783.92 from FCP Euro.

In addition, these RS4 models came equipped with a hydraulically cross-linked suspension system called Dynamic Ride Control that can leak as these cars age. While the lines themselves can be made by any hydraulic shop, the front struts are more than $800 apiece and rear struts run around $750 each, assuming they ever come off of backorder. Thankfully, that seems to be the extent of serious B7 RS4 issues.

Should You Buy An Audi RS4 Cabriolet For The Price Of A New GTI?

If you like the convenience and reliability of a new car, you probably shouldn’t buy an Audi RS4 Cabriolet for the price of a new Volkswagen GTI. However, if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast and aren’t afraid of picking up a wrench on occasion, these cars are absolutely worth a look. With only 300 to ever exist in America, it’s a rare thrill with a bodacious V8 soundtrack.

Top graphic credit: Bring A Trailer

Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.

• You Can Buy A 467-Horsepower V8 Lexus GS F For The Price Of A New Toyota Highlander

• You Can Buy A 473-Horsepower BMW X3 M For The Price Of A New Nissan Rogue

• The Seriously Rare Lincoln Blackwood Is Now A Gloriously Weird Affordable Tow Rig

• You Can Buy A 416-Horsepower V8 Lexus IS F For The Price Of A New Corolla

• This Depreciated Bentley Might Be The Cheapest 200 MPH Car

Please send tips about cool car things to tips@theautopian.com. You could even win a prize!