The Audacious IV Restomod Puts A 10,000-RPM V8 And An Audi RS4 Chassis Under Classic Quattro Bodywork
Audacious Automotive has unveiled the Audacious IV, a restomod that stuffs modern Audi RS4 engineering beneath the unmistakable boxy silhouette of the original Ur-Quattro. The Edinburgh-based builder is swapping the rally legend’s five-cylinder turbo for a 4.2-liter V8, with one version targeting a 10,000-rpm redline.
The IV uses a B7-generation RS4 (2006-2008) as its mechanical foundation, retaining that car’s chassis, suspension, brakes, electronics, and six-speed manual gearbox. Pricing starts at £350,000, or roughly $468,000, with just 50 examples planned and a three-year build process from commission to delivery.
Why The RS4 Platform Made The Cut
Audacious founder Mac Zaglewski has been direct about the thinking behind the donor choice. The current RS3 was considered and rejected because its 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine doesn’t pair with a manual gearbox, and its Haldex all-wheel-drive system sends power forward-biased rather than rear-biased like the RS4’s Torsen setup. The B7 RS4 also offered better rigidity and suspension tuning than the RS3, according to Zaglewski, making it the stronger base for a car he wants to be “very much usable, very much enjoyable and very much analogue.”
That RS4 donor brings real structure to the build, not just borrowed parts. The crash architecture, electronics, and brakes were all engineered together at the factory, which gives the IV a sounder foundation than a typical restomod cobbled from salvaged bits and aftermarket upgrades.
Four Engines, One Wild Target
The standard Audacious IV bolts a supercharger onto the RS4’s naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V8 for 600 horsepower. A Stage Two tune adds strengthened internals and more cooling capacity to reach 750 hp. Beyond those two confirmed options, Audacious is developing two additional engines, both targeting a 10,000-rpm redline, one naturally aspirated and one supercharged, built in partnership with Audi engine specialists LAA Performance. The company hasn’t published power figures for either high-revving variant and has described the program as requiring dedicated engineering, manufacture, and validation, meaning the rev ceiling is currently a development target rather than a locked production spec.
All four configurations retain the RS4’s six-speed manual and Torsen-based all-wheel drive. Audacious claims the 750-hp car will hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and reach 200 mph, figures that put the IV well past anything the Group B-era Quattro ever managed.
What Buyers Actually Get
Of the 50 planned units, 40 will wear carbon-fiber bodywork and 10 will use a metal finish, with buyers supplying both an RS4 and a Quattro donor vehicle regardless of which body material they choose. Carbon cars target a curb weight of 1,200 kg, while steel-bodied examples built from original Quattro shells land between 1,400 and 1,450 kg. Zaglewski has said he prefers restoring tired, high-mileage Quattros over breaking up pristine survivors, and Audacious expects roughly 80% of customers to opt for the carbon body rather than supply a classic shell.
Inside, the cabin keeps the RS4’s wingback seats and steering wheel but strips out its digital displays in favor of a new dashboard, analog gauges, and switchgear meant to echo the original Quattro’s blunt, brutalist character. Audacious offers extensive personalization across trim, suspension tuning, and mechanical spec, meaning no two commissions are expected to be identical. First deliveries are scheduled for late 2027.
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