What: 2014 Audi RS 5 Color: Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey (nimbusgrau; pearlescent UNI; Z7X; Audi) VIN: WUAC6AFR3EA901309 Mileage: 70,957 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $32,709 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: Pictured below Location: Nissan Thousand Oaks, CA Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
The B8.5 generation of RS 5 was a pretty rowdy car, with it’s incredibly high-revving V8 and subtle box flares, wrapped in a package that is aging incredibly well. Not many left the factory with Audi exclusive paint, so this particular example finished in Nimbus Grey is not only cool, it’s also quite rare. Your guess is as good as ours as to why it’s at a Nissan dealer, but we feel this may be a great case of a Dealer not really knowing what they’ve got. If you’re interested, act fast.
The Audi RS2 Avant remains the stuff of fantasy thanks to its limited production by Porsche and its form as an Audi station wagon. Paired with quattro all-wheel drive, the car reached legend status as tuned versions outran supercars like the Ferrari F40 in period.
We’ve gotten our hands on the 1994 product catalogue via AutoCatalogArchive.com and so are able to index each of the standard colors for that year. Some Audi specially painted models are known to exist in this time when Audi exclusive was a very rare thing. Most of those deviating cars appear to be using the Audi Lifestyle Colors, though we’ve always wondered if Porsche had built any Paint to Sample versions in their own hues.
As we run across either, we’ll highlight them here on this blog, but here are the standard colors for now. Worth noting, the scan of this catalogue is not terribly true-to-color, so we’re using this more as a reference of what colors were offered as standard and not what those colors look like on the actual cars.
What: 2016 Audi A7 Color: Audi exclusive Nardo Grey (nardograu; non-metallic UNI; LY7C; Audi) VIN: WAU2GAFC1GN014902 Mileage: 91,900 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $16,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Avilone Auto Group, Dallas, TX Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
The nuance of what is truly special or not can be tiresome to most, but our guess is that if you were in that camp, you wouldn’t be here. It’s through that lens, that we feature this Tailored Driver. Nardo Grey was offered on the Audi A7 as a standard color on the Competition variants, of which this is not and it predates by two years. Squint harder, and you’ll see this A7 has standard (non S-line) bumpers, comfort seats, a round steering wheel, and lacks the red painted brake calipers of the Competition. Wood grain on the dash and door panels further separates this from it’s Competition package brethren, but RS 7 wheels and grill do add back some aggression. The best part? That’d be the price- just $16,000.
What: 2018 Audi S4 sedan Color: Audi exclusive Graphite Blue Metallic (graphitblau; metallic UNI; M5G / A7; Porsche) VIN: WUAC4AF45JA142578 Mileage: 60,604 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $32,500 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: Pictured below Location: Wichita, KS Facebook Marketplace listing:Link
Why we love it:
The Audi S4 is a damn fine sports sedan, and we feel it represents a fairly good value in the used car market- even when Audi exclusive paint has been applied. What’s more compelling for this particular example is that of the roughly 80 pre-approved Audi exclusive hues available to customers in 2018, Graphite Blue Metallic was not one of them. The original Tailor at Walter’s Audi in Riverside, CA who spec’d this car worked with Audi exclusive directly to get this Porsche-specific color approved, and the result was well worth the effort. Graphite Blue Metallic is quite subtle in nature (see darker images below) as a vibrant grey with hints of blue, putting it somewhere between Nardo Grey and Kemora Grey in the Tailored Driver color spectrum.
What: 2021 Audi S7 sportback Color: Audi exclusive Kemora Grey Metallic(metallic-UNI; LX7F; Audi) VIN: WAUSFBF27MN047608 Mileage: 49,470 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $58,991 CarFax:Link iPacket: Link Location: Audi North Houston, Texas Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
First offered on the Audi RS 3, Audi exclusive Kemora Grey Metallic is a modernized take on the incredibly popular Nardo Grey, with a hint of cyan added for good measure. It’s the kind of subtle Grey we’re sort of surprised wasn’t offered by Audi in the US as a series option on more models, but thankfully we’ve seen that numerous Tailors have rectified this issue via posts on many different social media platforms. So while this may be the first example of Kemora to have found it’s way to Tailored Driver via Market Finds, we certainly do not expect it to be the last.
What: 2017 Audi R8 V10 plus Color: Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey(Pearl Effect; LZ7X; Audi) VIN: WUAKBAFX8H7903497 Mileage: 19,527 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $192,500 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Muscle Motors, Reno, Nevada Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
Audi exclusive Nimbus Grey, a supercharged V10 nestled behind your ear, and carbon bits sprinkled throughout… what’s not to love? This R8 has clearly been enjoyed based on mileage and mods, both of which we’re happy to see. Personally, we’re intrigued by the Audi Sport Performance Parts rear spoiler, QuickSilver exhaust, and the VF Supercharger kit which raises total output to a claimed 830hp and 610tq. Rather than blabber on, we’ll just let the selling dealer’s video do the talking.
SUMMARY: In the world of OEM paint colors, we sometimes see name changes without reformulation. One example is Audi’s RS Blue (rsblau; pearl effect UNI; M8; Audi) that is perhaps the most iconic (and likely most popular) color of the Audi RS2 stock color offerings. By the time the color returned on Audi’s B5 S4, it had undergone a name change to Nogaro Blue (nogaroblau; pearl effect UNI; Z5M; Audi), but the color itself remained the same.
Given the lineage, tracing its roots to the wagon project conceived between Audi and Porsche and built in Stuttgart by Porsche themselves, Nogaro Blue has become an icon in and of itself, highly sought after in Audi exclusive builds or the rare times when Audi offers it on the occasional limited production special edition.
Few, other than RS2 aficionados, know it as RS Blue though. And whatever the name, the color can likely point towards the pre-war national racing color of French Blue for its inspiration. Rumor has it that Audi designers in the Simi Valley design studio sprayed out a marine blue in a request back to the factory for company car specification, which inspired the development of RS Blue.
Don’t confuse RS Blue (or Nogaro Blue) with Porsche’s Maritime Blue, a then-current Carrera Cup color at the time the RS2 rolled new out of Porsche’s factory. Models wearing Porsche badges such as the 911 Carrera RS (type 964) and 968 were rolling out of that same manufacturer painted Maritime Blue. The timing, Porsche DNA and and their similar appearance would suggest they might be the same code by another name, but park them next to each other and you’ll see a difference.
What: 2020 Audi Q3 Color: Audi exclusive Merlin Purple(pearl effect; 4B / LZ3W / Z3W; Audi) VIN: WA1FEDF30L1069459 Mileage: 74,995 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $23,499 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: N/A Location: Audi Wilmington, Delaware Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
It’s not often we see Audi exclusive paint applied to the more everyman-friendly priced models, so when it does happen, we’re quick to take note. There’s a lot to like here- for just $23,499, you can be one of what we assume to be incredibly few who can call a Tailored Q3 their own. Price of entry aside, Merlin Purple may seem like a bold move to some, and yet it’s not the least bit out of place. If you’re in the market, we highly suggest heading to the First State to pick this up.
What: 2022 Audi TT RS Heritage Edition Color: Alpine White (alpinweiß; non-metallic UNI; L90E; Audi) VIN: WUAASAFV3N1900399 Mileage: 3,806 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $78,950 CarFax:Link Window Sticker: See Gallery Below Location: Audi Cary, Cary, NC Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
Audi of America built just 50 each of this limited “Heritage Edition” TT RS, most excellently using Audi exclusive to create 10 each of five different heritage-themed color combinations. This car is one of those painted Alpine White over Ocean Blue.
Each car also got:
20” 5-arm cutter design wheels in bi-color anthracite finish
Audi exclusive etching in rear quarter glass
174 mph top speed limiter
Alcantara covered steering wheel with 12 o’clock marker in leather color
Alcantara covered shift lever
Alu-optic exterior elements including mirror housings
OLED taillights
RS logo floor mats with contrast stitching
Sport exhaust with black tips
Electric spoiler / rear wing delete
For Audi and specifically TT RS aficionados, these cars are a sought-after find when they rarely come onto the market. This one is reportedly exceptionally kept and showing low mileage, features the balance of the factory warranty and is in inventory at Audi Cary in North Carolina.
Special thanks to Evan Hagedorn who shared the listing and some unique photography we’ve included below originally over on the Audi Club North America Classifieds Group. Evan is an Audi Brand Specialist at Audi Cary, so make sure to look him up if you inquire about the car and let him know you saw it on Tailored Driver.
What: 2024 Audi RS 3 Color: Velvet Purple (samtviolettperleffekt; metallic UNI; LQ87; Audi) VIN: unknown Mileage: 5,267 miles Price at Time of this Writing: $69,999 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Houston, TX Dealer listing:Link
Why we love it:
Audi exclusive RS 3s are a bit more rare than some of the larger and more luxurious Audi RS models. We’re guessing you have more owners reaching to get into their first RS car, and maybe Audi exclusive paint is a bridge too far. For us though, rarity only makes it more desirable.
So, when we see a hot tip on a lightly used Velvet Purple RS 3 coming in hot tip by Anthony Montana from Audi West Houston posting the car to the Audi Club Classifieds group before it even lands on the dealer’s website, we wanted to make sure we pass it along.
According to Anthony’s post, the car also features Audi’s RS Technology Package, RS Sport Exhaust System, Black Optics Package and Audi Side Assist.
