V10-Powered Audi S2 Blends The Best Of Two Quattro Kings

Big engine, small car. It’s always an iconic result, going back to the very first days of hot-rodding. More cylinders means more smiles, and more horsepower means more fun. There’s no better example of that than this Audi from South Africa. It started out as two rare Audis and became one, an Audi S2 coupe with double the number of cylinders thanks to the V10 from an Audi R8.

Audi

Audi is a German automaker that produces a range of luxury vehicles that combine sporty driving dynamics with the latest technology. Its history goes back over 100 years and includes both production cars and a rich racing heritage.

Founded

1909

Founder

August Horch

Headquarters

Ingolstadt, Germany

Owned By

Volkswagen Group

Current CEO

Gernot Döllner

Production Status

Available

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The Audi S2 was the first ever Audi with an S badge. Audi’s boringly-named Coupe got a new engine and new nose, launching a brand that has ended up on some of the coolest cars ever to come out of Germany. You can watch the full video at the bottom of this article.

Cars.co.za/YouTube

V10 Transforms Classic S2 Into A Monster

Its 2.2-liter five-pot was impressive for the time, making 217 hp. But that’s less power than a family crossover makes these days, and it’s pretty sad when a performance legend gets absolutely spanked by a RAV4 that smells of spilled milk.
The KwaZulu-Natal crew has solved the Audi’s slow-going problems by cramming the 5.2-liter V10 from a modern R8 into the car. It doesn’t fit under the hood because this engine is long and going in the wrong direction, so most of it is on display to the outside world.

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It’s also worth noting that the quattro system works, making something this light a riot. There’s more than just a big engine to make this car stand out, though. It has a fully custom widebody kit to give it serious Sport Quattro vibes and an Audi S-branded livery to finish off the amazing package.
In the video, the builder talks about the trouble they had finding an S2 to start with because Audi only made around 8,000 of these coupes during its run. Finding a V10 wasn’t exactly easy either – the team had to buy a whole car just to pull the engine.
Even The Air Tank Has Amazing Detail

Then it was time for the installation. « It sounded so easy, » said the car’s builder. Obviously, it wasn’t. A modern CANBUS engine in a car built before OBDII. « I can’t tell you how many modules. » So, it ended up with a standalone engine management and EFI system.

Cars.co.za/YouTube

The car is slammed on air suspension, and there is a beastly audio system in the back that looks like it was taken from a ski boat. You’ll need it to overcome the massive NASCAR-style exhaust tips poking out of the side. A modern tablet-style infotainment system lets the driver control everything.

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There’s one more amazing detail hidden in the back of this car. The tank for the air suspension’s compressor system is an Audi four-ring logo. We’ve never seen anything like this before, and we might not ever see it again. The work here is just incredible, with the air pipe tubing more art than machinery. If you’ve got 12 minutes to spare, it’s definitely worth your time.