The Audi Quattro’s boxy silhouette usually comes with a five-cylinder soundtrack. Audacious Automotive has something rather different in mind.
Its new IV pairs Quattro-inspired bodywork with B7 Audi RS4 mechanicals, a six-speed manual gearbox and a 4.2-litre V8. Supercharged specifications offer up to 750 bhp (559 kW), while more ambitious engine programmes target 10,000rpm. A claimed top speed of 322 km/h (200 mph) puts the performance ambitions well beyond those of the original rally icon.
Audi RS4 Hardware Beneath Quattro-Inspired Bodywork
The IV takes its mechanical foundation from the 2006 to 2008 Audi RS4, combining its drivetrain and chassis architecture with styling inspired by the short-wheelbase Sport Quattro.
Customers can commission a car using an original Quattro upper structure or choose a newly manufactured carbon fibre body that removes the need for a classic Quattro donor. Founder Mac Zaglewski favours restoring tired examples rather than dismantling pristine survivors, and Audacious expects roughly 80% of customers to choose carbon fibre.
The RS4 platform was selected to deliver everyday usability without losing the physical involvement of an older performance car. Its manual gearbox and rear-biased Torsen all-wheel-drive system are central to that brief.
A modern RS3 might have supplied the familiar five-cylinder engine, but its transmission and drivetrain layout did not suit the direction Audacious wanted to take.
Four V8 Specifications, Including Two 10,000rpm Programmes
The starting point is a supercharged version of the RS4’s 4.2-litre V8 producing 600 bhp (447 kW).
Stage Two raises that to 750 bhp (559 kW), supported by upgraded engine internals and additional cooling, fuelling and driveline development.
Beyond those sit two bespoke programmes targeting 10,000rpm: one naturally aspirated and the other supercharged. Audacious describes these as dedicated engineering projects requiring further manufacture and testing, so the headline rev limit should be treated as a development target rather than a proven production specification. Power figures for these engines have not been announced.
All four routes retain a six-speed manual gearbox. For buyers drawn to the mechanical appeal of projects such as the Tedson Lamborghini Gallardo restomod, that combination should be a sizeable part of the attraction.
Carbon Fibre Cars Target A 1,200 kg Kerb Weight
Audacious is targeting between 1,400 kg and 1,450 kg for cars incorporating an original Quattro shell. Carbon fibre versions have a considerably leaner target of 1,200 kg.
The styling draws heavily on the Group B Quattro, with broad arches and assertive aerodynamic detailing. There are also hints of Audi’s spectacular 90 IMSA GTO racer, although the finished car wears Audacious branding rather than Audi badges.
The Zermatt Silver example shown is specified with the 750 bhp (559 kW) engine and a setup intended primarily for road use.
A New Cabin With An Old-School Approach
The interior moves away from the RS4’s appearance towards the simpler, angular character of the original Quattro.
A new dashboard, instruments and switchgear reshape the cabin, while the donor’s digital equipment makes way for a more traditional presentation. The RS4’s distinctive wingback seats remain, complete with their electric adjustment.
Personalisation extends beyond paint and upholstery. Customers can tailor the body construction, materials, instrumentation, suspension character and mechanical specification around how they intend to drive the car. Audacious plans no more than 50 commissions, each individually specified.
Audacious IV Price And Production Plans
The IV will be built at Audacious’s base near Edinburgh. First customer deliveries are scheduled for late 2027, with the full commissioning process expected to take around three years.
Pricing starts at £350,000 (approximately R7,789,985) before VAT, donor vehicles, transport, registration and individual specification. The rand conversion represents the base price only, rather than a landed South African cost.
That is serious money, but the proposition is unusual even within the increasingly crowded restomod market: Quattro looks, RS4 running gear and a manual V8, with the possibility of an extraordinary rev ceiling.
