Mustang clubs are about as common as all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets. There are clubs for old Mustangs, new Mustangs, convertibles, specific models, specific colors (yes colors), and of course, clubs for the SVT faithful. The good news here is that yes, there is a Mustang club in your neck of the woods, wherever your woods happen to be. If, however, you want to associate only with the Cobra crowd, that may be a bit tougher unless you stick to internet chatting only. Most Mustang clubs—even the ones specializing in a particular Mustang genre—welcome all breeds of the horse, and that’s okay because Mustang fans generally love other Mustang fans, whether behind the wheel of a V-6, GT, or Cobra. There is a dark side however; drop an SVT badge on anything other than a bona-fide Cobra, and true Cobra owners will strike with great vengeance and furious anger. For these folks, the SVT badge is a sacred item, so if you’re thinking of sprucing up a V-6 or even a GT with Cobra badging, think again. At least if you want to be part of the Mustang crowd and have two working legs.

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“The fix” are two words perpetually connected with the 1999 SVT Cobra. To make a somewhat confusing story very simple, it goes like this: Design flaws in the intake and exhaust caused the car to make less than the 320 horsepower advertised by Ford. Average losses were in the 30 horsepower range, but some folks claimed as many as 50 ponies were missing from their Cobra. The fallout caused Ford to stop Cobra production, issue a recall, and “fix” the cars already in circulation so they actually produced all 320 horsepower. All Cobra owners were notified of the problem and asked to deliver their cars to the nearest SVT dealer for service, which consisted of a new upper and lower intake manifold, new exhaust system, and a PCM reflash.

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When the concept of Keepers was bouncing around the NextAutos office, there was a tinge of trepidation about discussing Mustangs and Camaros. Aside from the fanatical, insanely-large following enjoyed by both cars, they’ve been covered, featured, mentioned, compared, discussed, reviewed, and otherwise overblown by just about every publication on the planet. As such, you’ll never likely never see a Mustang GT or Camaro Z28 in this neck of NextAutos cyberspace, but some of the specialty models do stand a chance, such as the 1999 and 2001 Mustang SVT Cobra.

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Here’s where the frustration of dealing with recurring S4 mechanical maladies all but disappears. YouTube is full videos that feature turbo S4s committing various acts of horsepower heroics (like the Nurburgring vid posted above), and that’s due to the devout following of Audi owners on the whole. The unassuming styling of the S4 however, combined with the Biturbo’s ease of tuning make it an Audi favorite despite the car’s relatively short North American lifespan. As such, S4 owners have an extremely broad enthusiast community when it comes to technical help, aftermarket tuning, spare parts, or just friendly camaraderie. In fact, there are so many web sites in cyber land devoted to all things Audi that we could never hope to list them all, but we can offer a few suggestions on groups both big and small.

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Most performance enthusiasts—and especially the fans of Q-ship performance—are well aware that the much-loved Biturbo S4 does have a dark side. Yes, Audi was pumping out some cool cars back in the day, but questionable quality, poor reliability, and astronomical repair costs have become a trademark characteristic for Audis of this era. Talk to just about any S4 driver and you’ll get a similar story of mechanical maladies that either total thousands of dollars, or take the car off the road for weeks or months at a time while the owner gathers parts for the repair. As such, the best S4 purchasing advice is to have extra money set aside for repair work. You’ll need it.

The biggest concern—or rather concerns—with the twin-turbo S4 are in fact the twin turbos, which are prone to early failure for a number of reasons. A proper repair will kick you in the groin to the tune of $6000, but that includes upgraded turbos and all the necessary hardware to handle the higher horsepower of the improved setup. Yes, money can be saved by sticking with factory stock turbos, but either way, the engine must be yanked to handle the repair. Most Audi experts agree that, if such an effort is taking place, it’s best to replace all the so-so parts with goods that will actually last. S4 drivers can then focus on flimsy half-shafts, loose seats, and notchy six-speed manual gearboxes, especially in the first two cogs.

Those are just some of the S4-specific concerns. Other issues such as sensor failures, noisy wheel bearings, and occasional electrical gremlins are common pitfalls among many Audis from this generation—including the S4. At least parts are still relatively easy to come across, but like the turbos, be prepared to shell out big bucks for most items, and even bigger bucks for labor.

This maintenance-heavy regimen is certainly one of the reasons why the Biturbo S4s are a relatively affordable purchase, despite their rarity. Even seldom-seen S4 Avant station wagons like this eBay find are available without breaking the bank. Okay, so that Avant has a salvage title, but this non-salvage eBay S4 sedan with 71,000 miles (pictured above, along with the Avant) is quite a bargain as well. Quality B5 S4s should fall in the $10,000 to $15,000 price bracket, with project cars coming in well south of that. Of course, even the good cars could require a major maintenance investment, so once again, the word on S4 shopping is to have spare cash on standby when the repair fairy visits your garage.

Despite the finicky nature of these cars, S4 enthusiasts continue to invest hours of time and vaults of greenbacks to keep these super sedans on the road. They also pitch in to help form a dedicated enthusiast community ready to not just talk the talk, but to help other S4 owners keep their rides near the top of the sport sedan food chain. We examine that community in our final Keepers segment on the S4, coming very soon. Until then, hook up with other enthusiasts and offer more advice to future S4 owners in the NextAutos Forums.

+ NextAutos Forums: Audi S4

+ eBay find: Audi S4 Avant station wagon

+ eBay find: Audi S4 Sedan

+ Keepers: Audi S4 B5-Series

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

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In lieu of Audi’s all-new unveilings at the Frankfurt Motor Show , the timing couldn’t be better for a flashback to one of the company’s defining performance offerings. We’re speaking of course about the Audi S4 sedan that first appeared on Yankee soil way back in 1992. The formula hasn’t changed much over the years, but when it comes down to a specific S4 genre, we look to the second-generation B5-series S4 as the version that roundhouse kicked the sport sedan segment of the day, becoming a performance legend in the process.

Originally based on the slightly larger Audi 100, the B5-series S4 actually debuted on the smaller A4 platform in 1997. The original S4 concept of turbocharged power with all-wheel drive grip made the transition to the smaller car, though the first-generation, single-turbo five-cylinder engine evolved to a twin-turbo (or Biturbo in Audi speak) V-6 making 261 horsepower. Unfortunately, it would be another three years before American shoppers could partake in this new S4, as Audi didn’t begin importing the car until the new millennium. The U.S. spec S4 also lost a few ponies in the process, dropping the boosted output of the tiny 2.7-liter, 30-valve engine to an even 250. It was still enough to power S4s to 60 miles per hour in well under six seconds, and the choice of a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic transmission gave enthusiasts a proper interface for gear selection. All-wheel drive grip allowed the S4 to launch like a scalded pig, and though that same system added a significant amount of heft, the car was poised enough to be a welcome companion in the turns, regardless of weather conditions. And lest we leave out the S4 Avant wagon; few things tickle our funny bones like unassuming sleepers, and while the sedan is plenty sedate to go unnoticed, a 150 mile-per-hour station wagon is just…neat.

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As one might expect with a lesser-known performance car, the Turbo Coupe community is a lesser-known group of individuals who not only love the Turbo Coupe, but all iterations of the Fox-Body based, “aero birds” that graced the FoMoCo lineup from 1983-1988. They also love and embrace the same-era Mercury Cougar, which mirrored the Turbo Coupe’s development through 1986 by offering the 2.3 turbo with a five-speed on the rare XR-7 model. Of course, given the heritage and variety of Thunderbird flavors over the years (and specifically classic 1955-1957 two-seaters), Thunderbird clubs exist near and far, playing second fiddle only to the Ford Mustang as far as Blue Oval auto enthusiasts are concerned. Because the ‘birds were so different through the years, most clubs tend to focus on a specific Thunderbird generation, though one—the International Thunderbird Club—caters to them all.

Founded in 1993, the International Thunderbird Club (ITC) is truly international, with members in over 10 countries. It’s also an official organization with its own magazine, club merchandise, car shows that offer concours-style judging, a yearly convention, and chapters all across the United States. One of those chapters is affectionately called NATO—the North American Turbocoupe Association —and aside from having the most comprehensive TC-specific resource page on the internet (and one of the best online-based resource pages of any performance car), its forum of over 5000 members is one of the best resources for anyone looking to enter the Turbo Coupe realm. Another outstanding organization for the Turbo Coupe faithful, as well as Cougars (the cars, that is) and all iterations of ‘birds and cats from 1983-1997 is the Thunderbird and Cougar Club of America , or TCCoA for short. Like the ITC, the TCCoA offers a paid membership that features a member’s only section to the TCCoA website as well as special discounts with select vendors. The TCCoA forums are open to anyone however, and with 14,000 registered uses, odd are you’ll be able to find whatever it is you need to satisfy your Thunderbird cravings.

Speical thanks to the numerous Turbo Coupe enthusiasts who sent us truckloads of great Thunderbird photos. Though we didn't have room for them all, make sure you revisit the galleries of this segment to appreciate some of the finest Turbo Coupes on the road today.

If you’re not already registered for our NextAutos Forums , sign up (it’s free) and let us know about other Turbo Coupe organizations or special events that ‘bird and cat lovers like to attend.

+ NextAutos Forums: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ International Thunderbird Club (ITC)

+ North American Turbocoupe Association (NATO)

+ Thunderbird Cougar Club of America (TCCoA)

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

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Folks who’ve been considering a Turbo Coupe purchase—especially those with some mechanical know-how—will find prices are surprisingly affordable, with fixer-uppers generally available for under $1000. Be warned though; while these cars have longevity and reliability on their side (more than a few TC owners attest to topping 200,000 miles with just basic maintenance), bringing one back from the dead can become a pricey endeavor. Typical used car shopping guidelines apply, but also be acutely aware of items unique to the 1987-1988 Turbo Coupe, such as hoods, front clips, rear brake calipers, red-trimmed molding, and the like. The rear calipers especially can be a bit finicky, and replacing these items is an experience more akin to restoring a classic car than fixing up an older, used one. Even small TC-specific sensors can cost a bundle, so don’t automatically sign on to a cheap sale without first checking some of the restoration costs.

Or, you can just dig around for a car that’s already in good shape. They’re not exactly common, but a patient shopper will have options and the pricing still won’t break the bank, such as this good looking eBay ‘bird with just over 100,000 miles (pictured above in our gallery.) Whether purchasing a restored example or a fixer-upper, learn about the vehicle history if at all possible. Following cool-down procedures such as letting the car idle for a minute or so before shutting it off are vital to the health of the turbo, and a compression check can help determine whether or not a previous owner upped the boost enough to pop the head gasket, both of which occur more often than not. Should you come across a perfect, turn-key Turbo Coupe, it may be possible to drive it home for just $5000, making these cars one of the best kept, inexpensive motoring secrets around. In fact, now may be the time for TC fans to snatch these cars up, because there’s at least a decent possibility that prices will go up in a hurry in the next few years, as 1987-1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupes inch ever closer to the magic 25-year mark; the official age at which a vehicle becomes a classic.

The Turbo Coupe community is next on the roster, and the NextAutos Forums—as always—are open for discussion.

+ NextAutos Forums: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ eBay Find: 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Thunderbird Turbo Coupe

+ Keepers: Subaru Impreza WRX

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Caption:

Photo courtesy of Joe Erickson, Rochester, MN

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Now that Ford is getting all excited about turbocharged engines, we thought it might be nice to revisit its original turbo effort from the 1980s. Long before Dearborn coined the term EcoBoost there was just plain boost, force-feeding Ford’s venerable 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine.