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Restored 1993 Audi S4 with 135k miles heads to auction

A 1993 Audi S4 sedan finished in Tornado Red, after more than 26 years in California and a multi-year refurbishment, is listed for sale with a manual gearbox and Quattro all-wheel drive.

By Charlotte Redford · 3 min read

A 1993 Audi S4 sedan, finished in Tornado Red over Anthracite leather, has been listed for sale after a multi-year refurbishment that was completed in 2026. The car has 135,000 miles on the odometer, a clean Carfax history and a clean California title. The listing does not state the sale terms.

The car spent more than 26 years in California before a dealer acquired it in 2020. The current owner then carried out a comprehensive restoration over several years. The work included replacing the timing belt, water pump, fuel pump, starter and alternator. The four-wheel disc brakes received new dampers, rotors and pads, and the air conditioning system was converted to R134a refrigerant. In November 2026 the car passed a California emissions test, a milestone that confirms the restored car meets the state's current requirements for road use.

Under the bonnet is a 2.2-litre turbocharged inline-five engine, rated at a factory 227 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Power travels through a five-speed manual gearbox to a Quattro all-wheel-drive system fitted with a Torsen centre differential. A locking rear differential adds traction; it was switched over from a control on the centre console, so the driver no longer needs to reach for it there. The car rides on 17-inch Enkei J10 wheels shod with Riken Raptor tyres.

Equipment includes a sunroof, heated front seats, a heated rear bench, a factory car phone, automatic climate control and power windows. The original stereo is a CD and cassette unit. The listing notes one fault: the trunk-mounted 10-disc changer powers on but produces no sound, so that feature is not currently working.

The listing places the car within the model's history. Figures cited in the notes show that 694 S3 cars were sold in the United States for the 1993 model year. That small number underlines how rare the S4 variant was for American buyers, and it helps explain why a documented example with a full service record stands out to collectors of early all-wheel-drive performance saloons.

The sale follows a pattern in which well-kept older performance cars attract buyers who value originality and a verifiable history. Here the appeal rests on three points: a single long-term owner in California for most of its life, a clean title and history report, and a set of mechanical renewals that addresses the wear items most likely to need attention on a car of this age. Prospective buyers will weigh those factors against the unrepaired trunk changer and the 135,000 miles recorded on the odometer.

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Charlotte Redford

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News Editor

Charlotte Redford covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Nobel. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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