Which Audi model was the brand's first RS model?

The Audi RS 2 Avant was the brand’s first RS model.

Built from 1994 to 1995, the RS 2 Avant was developed jointly by Audi and Porsche. It was based on the Audi 80 Avant and used a turbocharged 2.2-litre five-cylinder engine producing 315 PS. Porsche also helped modify its engine, brakes, suspension and exterior details, and assembled the cars at its Zuffenhausen facility.

The RS 2’s name can cause confusion because Audi already had the S2. The S2 was an earlier high-performance Audi 80 derivative, but it belonged to the S line rather than the later RS range. The RS 2 therefore established the RS badge, while the Audi RS 4 became its successor in the performance-estate lineage.

Despite its estate-car body, the RS 2 was exceptionally quick for its era: it could reach 100 km/h in about 4.8 seconds and had quattro all-wheel drive. Its Porsche connections and limited production later made it a cult classic.