20v Avant

4th Time Around

I cannot say I am an unfortunate guy, as I’ve now owned four of the 149 US-bound 20v Avants. The problem is that what remains of these Avants aren’t always the best: these vehicles were used properly, but in turn, used up. In 2024 my initial goal was to re-secure a good example, and after a failed attempt and a lot of drama, this Alpine White car decided to pop up shortly after. Yes: four tries and five years to get the “right” one, but the search for the next 20v car has come to a definite close.

WEISSMAR OVERVIEW

Personality Profile: It’s a 20v – need I say more? Audi’s ultimate version of the C3 is quite a rare find on the roads here in North America. These 200s are truly the last of what I would consider “in my era,” and while you’ll have those who will easily argue that the C4 chassis UrS4/S6 is a superior vehicle overall with more room to modify (and more power to tap into), I’ve always felt you lose too much personality when moving up to that generation. Audi put its best efforts forward to modernize the C3 chassis as much as it could for the final years, and while the extra power, Zerbrano-infused interior, and flared wheel arches with wide BBS wheels seamlessly blend together to create the feeling of a proper luxury sleeper, the 200 20v still feels like the analog ’80s car that it was when first introduced back in 1983. And I suppose that’s not a bad thing in today’s world if you’re averse to living with any modern vehicle.

1991 Audi 200 20v quattro Wagon (Production 08/90)  2.2L Turbocharged I5 (3B) | 5-Speed Manual (016)  

Alpine White L90E | Travertine Comfort Seats 

MSRP: $43,905

Origin Dealer: Knopf Automotive, Allentown, PA (now Audi Allentown)

Dealer Delivery Date: December 6, 1991

Factory Options: None

Dealer Installed Accessories: None

Member of T44Brian Since 7/15/2024 

Special Plate: 20V

Status: Completed Restoration, Permanent Collection

Usage: Seasonal Daily-Driver

Odd & Unique About This Car: Of the 149 North American-bound 20v Avants, this is reportedly a 1-of-3 car in Alpine White/Travertine. 

Name Origin: In honor of the two Alpine White sedans in the collection that this 20v replaces, we have combined the names of my two long-term cars Edelweiss (100E) and Ottmar (5000CS Turbo) to create Weissmar in their memory. They are gone, but not forgotten!

Ah, Pennsylvania. It’s a state I can’t escape. For one reason or another I’m always in PA. It’s home of my favorite show(s), it’s where I tend to find lots of parts for cars either in private collections or in junkyards, and it ultimately is where I have found many of my cars. PA was a hotbed for Audis and VWs in the ’80s, and I suppose that has worked out in my favor over the years. Currently in the collection are two PA-origin cars: the ’85 5000 Wagon was originally sold at Holbert’s in Warrington, and this 20v Avant was sold at Knopf Audi in Allentown and basically stayed in-town for the majority of its life.

20v Avants are cars that were special when new. Their owners were unique in the sense that they knew these cars were the real deal: if you wanted a capable luxury station wagon like no other, this was your car. They were expensive, but they were also exclusive. Many of the original owners of 20v cars, both sedans and Avants, were already Audi owners: some starting from 100LS’s in the family during the ’70s and working their way up to 5000 Turbo quattros. These buyers knew exactly what the Audi experience was like, and were their best supporters during the rough waters of the ‘80s for the brand. In turn, these cars were cherished, enjoyed, and usually kept long-term. It’s usually later on in life they start to change hands quicker: and this car is a victim of just that.

It is unconfirmed how many times Weissmar changed hands before 2010, but the last exchange was around that time. He was definitely a car that was still being used, but the repair attempts, or their use of genuine troubleshooting and parts to correct problems, seems to have stopped completely. Certain things – like vacuum hoses made out of generic transparent materials with T-connectors found at the local hardware store, are just one of the many cringe-DIYs that were discovered later on. But the owner who bought the vehicle around that time from eBay did drive it as-is and did make some attempt to keep it going – until a leak at the fuel tank parked the car for nearly 10 years (thankfully in a garage, but still… sitting, ya know).

The owner prior to me is an “overall” car enthusiast – mostly European, maybe with a heavier hand towards Swedish metal. Eventually after a 10 year hiatus he located a dry V8 quattro from the west with a good fuel tank to use to get this car back on the road. While also swapping tanks, he also transplanted the Torsen differential, which basically means it will be impossible for me to break the pavement while driving this car, especially with my old-man driving characteristics I have lately taken on.

For story purposes I will state this, but it is obviously well known that there’s not a lot of old Audis left here in North America. I tend to have a good handle on what’s left – and the community is so small that cars tend to change hands within the group. You see a lot of the same people and cars at shows, which isn’t a bad thing, because we need those staunch supporters to turn out and show up year after year. Admittedly, a lot of these cars at shows I appreciate and love, but never would consider owning. I’m always looking for something specific. So when a car shows up at an event that really catches my eye or gets into my head as a good idea to take home, I tend to follow up with the owners from time-to-time to see if they’re ready to sell.

We have to turn the hands back on the story-clock to around October 2019 with the first 20v Avant. I bought my first one, a rusted-out, high mileage Lago Blue example from Vermont as a pseudo-replacement for the 1985 Audi 5000 Wagon I had lost to an accident in November of 2018. The “direct” replacement to that car ended up being a turbo sedan I found a couple months after that, but it still wasn’t a wagon, so I was still technically on the hunt for another car. At that time in my Audi-happenings I was not well-versed in the 20v engines, and it was a very hard car to not only troubleshoot, but daily-drive because it was so problematic for me. I loved that car regardless and the way it drove, but it left a slightly sour taste in my mouth, so 20v cars were never the “must haves” when they came up for sale. I was still more preoccupied with finding a proper quad-headlight wagon replacement, which would take up my time until around 2023 when I finally secured one by trading my third 20v Avant.

Wait, so what was the second 20v Avant then? A brief encounter with an Indigo Mica/Travertine in 2020 that I basically bought, and then sold, to get something else. That car also wasn’t really great – with rust issues and some mechanical work that I just simply wasn’t invested in doing at the time.

Back on track with the story: now that I had found my proper 5000 Wagon, I felt that I could spend some time trying to locate another wagon, but this time, I wanted a nice 20v that maybe wouldn’t be super rusty, or super problematic. I suppose I had more knowledge of the 3B then I did several years prior and better resources to get parts, so why not dive on in again?

I had a vision of getting a nice Lago wagon specifically. Going back to checking in on owners of vehicles: I decided after a year of living with one Avant back in the shop I was ready to get another. I contacted a friend who I knew had a low mileage Lago Blue 20v Avant. At 80K miles its one of the lower mileage examples left. This car was originally offered to me from the Shokan collection when the business was dissolved, though I never followed through as it was explained to me the car was sitting since 1994 and it did not currently run. I had not seen this car in person until 2022 at the Audi Club’s Vintage to Voltage Event in Philadelphia, where I showed my ’87 5000CS Turbo in the Simeone Museum alongside my friend’s Mexico Beige ’80 5000 (hint: a car I lusted for an now have in the collection, go here) and this Lago Avant. The guys who took over the Shokan inventory and cars did get the car to run and drive to the show, fully detailed and actually, highly original (or so it seemed). Of course, I was excited to see the car in person, and of course, you’re not offering cash on the spot so you’re not really looking at a car with a certain set of eyes. To me, it was perfect, and I wanted it. I wasn’t in a position to buy just yet, so I knew I had to start planning ahead.

Now, this 80K-mile Lago Avant was being offered to me at top-dollar, which I’m always happy to pay, but it’s gotta be worth it. Coming off of the joys and elation of having a 5000 wagon back, which is perfect to me, means that I needed to be critical of the next purchase. So when I went to go look at the car as a buyer in June 2024, imagine the disappointment and heartbreak of discovering that this Lago wagon was another dud. Not only did my friend forget to mention that the car had a salvage title, I got to discover for myself all of the paintwork and poorly-done fixes that I absolutely missed while under the museums lights at the Simeone. The car was hit hard… Everything was misaligned, and even the windshield had hairline cracked all the way up the side from the stress of the panels being remounted poorly. Now, if you really wanted this car, you could probably see past this and appreciate that it technically “survived” and was rebuilt. But this was absolutely not a car I could stomach dropping all the money on. I also was kind of pissed that my so-called friend would be a bit dishonest with me about the car’s history. But oh well, business and friendship don’t usually mix.

Not all was lost – I still had my 5000 Wagon and plenty of other cars that I was currently enjoying. I didn’t feel the collection was really missing anything, and I guess patience is a virtue I’m always learning to practice. But of course, the second I say I’m going to be patient: a car pops up: and now we have the opportunity to scoop up an even better car for half the price. That’s where Weissmar comes in.

Another Marketplace find, I was the first one there with cash. We all know Alpine White is my color, and I know just how rare it is on these 20v cars. The second I saw it I knew this was the one to get. Not perfect, but at the price, we could actually forgive the problems and not cry about overspending on a heap of junk later on. Now, the owner had *just* done the aforementioned fuel tank and Torsen swap. The timing belt was old (2003) so this was another risk to drive home. And of course, it was on one of the hottest days of the year, with some of the worst traffic that turned what should have been a 4 hour drive home into an almost 8 hour ordeal. But not once did Weissmar flinch. No overheats, no gas leaks, no issues with turbos or shifting, just cruising along as if it was a new car. Given my history with 20v’s I was starting to think that things were a little too good to be true: and of course as we started to do the maintenance and fixes we did find some small things that needed to be addressed. But really, he came together nicely.

Over the course of almost a year, I’ve gone all over hell to secure parts and upgrades to make this the ultimate 20v Avant. A forest of sunken 20vs and V8s in Georgia donated some trim bits. A C4 100 in North Carolina donated seats. Audi Tradition provided what it could, and I searched high and low to secure brand new headlights, taillights, a grille, 3B specific engine parts, and 034 helped with reproduction pieces to finally button up the engine.

Is it a reliable car? Well, its much better than my last three. Nearly 6,000 miles as of right now and I haven’t had one complaint. I’m finally proud to say that I have a 20v Avant that I’m actually proud of!

Notable Mods & Changes

2024-2025: New Purchase & Initial Restoration

• Front Travertine Comfort Seats from a C4 100 & Rear Seat Lower Bench
• Travertine V8q Leather Handbrake Assembly
• Front Chrome Grille Trim Strips with New Clips
• Front License Plate Frame with “Take Control” Vanity Plate
• NOS Front and Rear Splash Guards
• Replacement Headliner in Tan
• Travertine Color-Matched Non-Airbag Steering Wheel with Euro Exclusive Hornpad
• Travertine Color Matched Steering Column trim, Carpeted Rear Ashtrays and Seat Track Trims (in V8q Style)
• Late MY1991 Audi Gamma Radio with Early Amber LCD Display
• New Wood Shift Knob
• New Door Weatherstripping
• Audi V8 Stainless Door Sill Trims
• NOS Front Left and Right Headlight Assemblies
• NOS Left and Right Amber Corner Lights
• NOS Corner Light Rubber Filler Trims
• NOS Center Taillight “Heckblende” Avant Rear Panel
• New Side Mirror Glass
• Center Console Cupholder Inserts in Travertine
• NOS Grille
• NOS Grille Chrome Audi Logo
• NOS Glovebox Light
• Refurbished 15″ BBS Wheels
• Replacement 3B Airbox
• Brass Distributor Gear Upgrade
• New G4/G28/G42 Sensors
• Replacement 3B Timing Cover
• NOS Accelerator Pedal
• Coco Mats
• Torsen Differential Upgrade & Service
• Replacement Hood Insulation Pads
• Refurbished Instrument Cluster
• NOS Plastic Screws for Spark Plug Wire Cover
• NOS Fender Marker Lights
• Replacement Zebrano Wood Trim on Doors, Dash, and Center Console
• NOS Window Anti-Theft Decals and Genuine quattro Stickers from Tradition
• Replacement Rear Wiper Arm Cap
• Full Timing Belt Service, Tune Up, Rubber Hose Refresh, 034 Silicone Coolant Hose Set and G60 Conversion Refurbishment & Brake Job