British-built Audi Quattro restomod with a 10,000rpm RS4 V8 option
A modern interpretation of the original Quattro swaps five-cylinder power for high-revving or supercharged V8 power
The B7 Audi RS4 doesn’t have much competition at the top of the tree of Audi’s most iconic and beloved models, though most would have it take second-step at least, to the Quattro. Audacious Automotive’s Quattro restomod however, amalgamates the two, clothing an RS4’s structure and mechanicals (with some notable upgrades) in a body inspired by the rallying legend. This is the Audacious IV.
Engine options – supercharging and a 10,000rpm redline
The full drivetrain is carried over from the RS4, though not kept standard, and will be offered in one of four disparate states of preparation. The first is a 600bhp supercharged version of the 4.2-litre DOHC FSI V8, with a step up to 750bhp available thanks to a TTS supercharger, along with commensurate supporting internal upgrades.
The engine’s character will be ‘defined by supercharged force, torque and breadth’. The six-speed manual transmission and all-wheel drive system carry over from the RS4 and will be upgraded to suit the increased power and torque demands if required.
The other two versions of the V8 will be offered with a raised redline of 10,000rpm, the remit being ‘throttle response, induction and exceptional rotational character’ for a ‘more radical direction’. That’s a 20 per cent higher limit than the standard RS4 and a 43 per cent increase in stress on internal components. This engine will be available with a supercharger per the other two options, or without for the fully analogue naturally aspirated experience.
The specifics of the changes being made are to be revealed but suffice to say, it’ll be an extensive lightweighting and strengthening package, to reliably achieve those revs. Power and torque figures are to be confirmed. The original V8 has a peaky high-revving nature, without the full belly of torque one associates with most V8s. For supercharged examples of the Audacious IV, torque will no doubt be up to a more driveline-troubling figure, so strengthening in the Quattro all-wheel-drive system will likely also be required.
If you’re wondering why the five-cylinder turbo (or entire platform) of the RS3 wasn’t used, that would have ruled out the use of a manual transmission. The structure, longitudinal engine and rear-biased four-wheel-drive system of the RS4 are preferable too.
Performance figures for the individual engine options are not given, though Audacious says all will be good for 0-60mph in under 3.4sec and a 200mph top speed.
Underpinnings, design and interior
The structure, suspension, hard points, geometry, braking system and electronics of the B7 RS4 are carried over. The company is keen to stress that this is a more cost-effective solution, rather than extensively re-engineering and developing the structures of existing Quattros. As a result the IV won’t need a roll cage or other extensive strengthening measures to bring it up to modern standards, to be able to cope with the high horsepower and torque it will produce.
The challenge is in adapting the RS4’s proportions to the Quattro’s aesthetic. The RS4 has a much more sloping windscreen, for example. It also ought to be no less drivable or habitable, depending on how the customer has the car set up, than the RS4 on which it’s based.
The Quattro bit is of course in the bodywork and design, using real Quattro components to develop, then marry to the RS4 substructure. Audacious plans to offer both a steel and aluminium body and a carbonfibre body. The metal bodies, being hand-formed, mean that buyers can customise the car’s dimensions at a reduced expense by comparison to carbon. The carbonfibre cars, which will still take the RS4’s bones as their underpinnings, will be fixed as far as width and other dimensions are concerned.
Not that the IV is looking like it’ll need much additional extroversion, inspired as it is by the Group B Quattros and IMSA GTO racers with its enormous box arches and giant slotted rear wing. The finished cars will be at least 250kg lighter than the 1650kg B7 RS4 was as standard. The carbon-body cars could go as low as 1200kg and will not require an Ur Quattro donor car.
Inside, the Audacious has a more retro design than the cabin of an RS4 without going all the way to emulating the original Quattro. The steering wheel, wingback seats and dials are familiar from the RS4. However, each dial is integrated into a bespoke binnacle, while the seats and wheel are retrimmed in-line with the customisable interior. The first show car’s tan and tartan trim is no doubt a nod to the firm’s Edinburgh base of operations, where every IV will be built.
If you’re worried about precious iconic Audis being sacrificed to create these cars, fear not. Audacious plans to use cars that would otherwise be in need of an unrealistic level of maintenance and restoration, to give them a second lease of life.
Price and availability
The car is in development now, with the first deliveries expected to begin in the second half of 2027. Audacious will build no more than 50 examples, with 40 the full carbon set-up and ten the mixed-metal composition. Prices will start from £350,000 excluding local taxes, with the timeline from commission to delivery of around three years. Future models are in the works that will build on the learnings from the IV’s development.
