Stupid question time, why RS2?

[trevithick]

Why is the RS2 called the RS2, why not the RS or RS1 ?
Is it to do with the 911 RS, or because of the S2, but then why the S2?
I was asked why the name the other day and all I could come out with was guesses, and no known facts ( to me).
Please help its' not quite keeping me awake but I do wonder.
Cheers
T

[stiglet]

Because the S1 was already taken and it made sense to name it after the S2?

[AquaS2]

Maybe cos its the daddy of the S'2'... hence the RS 2

[Big Lee M]

My guess is that the "RS" came from the Porsche side of the things and 2 cause of it been a S2 in the start?????? Just my guess work. Please don't shoot me down i'm only young...................

[simon44]

One theory is that it is a Rennsport S2, Rennsport being the long hand for RS in the Porsche line up. The design of the badge suggests this too.

Hope this helps!

[Mikes2]

The original MTM converted S2 was called the RS2.

When Audi introduced the RS2, MTM had to change their car to RSR.

MTM and Audi work very close to each other so it may not be a coincedence

[UrS4boy]

The original MTM converted S2 was called the RS2. When Audi introduced the RS2, MTM had to change their car to RSR. MTM and Audi work very close to each other so it may not be a coincedence

I agree except I think MTM was a bit *issed at not being able to do the RS2.

Going back to the original question, I believe the Sport quattro was the S1 in its rallye form and hence, the 20vt Coupe quattro became the S2. This eventually included a four door sedan and the four door avant, all as "S2"s. When Porsche was running out of work on the Mercedes 500E, they got the contract to develop and complete the RS2 based on the S2 avant. Where MTM was at that point, other than probably fuming, I do not know.

I have documentation to support most of the above.

[Jonas_R]

In form of articles? That would be a nice to read if you dont mind putting them online or emailing them?

[UrS4boy]

[UrS4boy]

VW Audi car had an MTM RSR article in June or July 95

[Keeper of The Kitten]

I think the thing to remember is that S-project numbers were (or should have been) numerically ordered in exactly the same way as R-project numbers are for the racing cars, but somewhere along the line those numbering systems have become corrupted.

The first one to ask about is, what happened to the "original" S3? We had S1, albeit non-badged, and we had S2, and then the original S4, but somewhere along the line the "3" was missed out. Later, the S-project and RS-project numbers became descendents of the standard A-car range numbers, which goes against previous numbering systems but fits in nicely and makes the names seem sensible.

I will start to sound like a broken record when I go back to pointing out the anomoly of the R8 road car, but Audi have never previously used a racing number for a road going car, and once again I draw attention to the project numbering of those cars that saw the company I worked for producing R9 (closed roof sportscar later called R8C), the next sportscar was R10, and successive DTM cars were R11,12,13,14 ...now the LMP car is R15 and the R8 road car derived GT car is actually project R16.

So going back to the original question - RS2 because it was (as Simon pointed out) Porsche Rennsport derivative of the S2, and S2 because the previous project was S1.

[trevithick]

I'm glad I asked now.
Thanks for the articles.
Cheers
T

[Jonas_R]

Thanks for the articles

[Liam Gallagher]

the should have called it the RS80

[sonny]

Good thread