Tag: audi

BAGGED AUDI R8: PINEAPPLE EXPRESS

Exotic, rapid, and mind-warpingly creative, Jordan Clarke’s bagged Audi R8 Mk1 is smokin’ hot…

Fast Car. Words: Joe Partridge. Photos: Harry Hartland

The Pineapple Express is a jet stream that flows from the Hawaiian Islands across to the Pacific coast of the United States, its fusion of warm rain and low ground temperatures resulting in some pretty freaky weather. It’s also the name of a weapons-grade strain of sticky hyper-ganj that lent its moniker to a slacker movie about mind-altering infumations; a movie which contains possibly the only Hollywood line to make a Daewoo sound cool or edgy: “You just got killed by a Daewoo Lanos, motherf*cker!”.

If we smoosh together the key elements of this admittedly quite esoteric introduction, it starts to resemble something akin to a bright green Audi R8: jet streams, unexpected conditions, mind-warping visuals… and, somewhat improbably, even the Lanos is instrumental. How so? Well, we’d better ask Jordan Clarke – he’s the man holding the keys to the story as well as to the bagged Audi R8.

“My first car was a Daewoo Lanos,” he admits, as the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle begin to tumble into place. “I’ll be honest, my previous car history isn’t great. After a couple of weeks with the Daewoo, I wrapped it around a tree…”

Best thing for it, probably. But things didn’t get much better in the immediate aftermath: “I bought a Mk3 Golf next – that broke,” he continues, totally poker-faced. “Then it was a Mk4 Golf which I absolutely loved… but then sold. Next up was my absolute dream Fiat Punto Grande, an Abarth replica that was all blacked out, and that blew up after two days resulting in me losing all my money. Due to the skintness caused by that, it was back to a £300 burgundy Toyota Corolla that I ‘drifted’ in the snow, ripped off the rear bumper and bent the rear wheel so was running a spacer-saver – a really good look. I then moved onto my EP2 Civic, my first ever properly modded ride, and the car I subsequently started SlammedUK with.”

That’s right, we’re looking at a mighty oak that’s grown and blossomed from a slightly crap little acorn. Following a relentlessly shaky start, Jordan’s superlative business acumen got the better of his wonky automotive luck; spying a prime niche within the UK automotive crowd, he founded a lifestyle brand focused on cool apparel and accessories as well as popular meets and shows. SlammedUK has grown into a scene colossus, by virtue of the fact that it’s run by true petrolheads – there’s no cynical marketing here, it’s all about people living the lifestyle. And as Jordan began to take the new endeavour really seriously, it was necessary to sell his beloved Civic to fund the genesis of this quirky brand – but you know what they say about karma, it always comes back around. Before too long, he was able to pick up a Mk2 MX-5 (“my favourite car ever, I love MX-5s!”) and give it the proper modding treatment. In time, the Gravity show was founded – another scene linchpin that’s grown into something massively popular and successful – and a project van was built for merch and suchlike, the ‘Slamsit’. So the next logical step was, obviously, an Audi R8.

Yep, it’s perhaps an unexpected move, but there are two principal reasons why a first-gen V8 R8 with a manual ’box is the perfect demo car for a brand like SlammedUK and a show like Gravity: first of all, it’s something desirable and aspirational that modding enthusiasts can look up to and be inspired by. And secondly, well, Jordan just really wanted one. That’s the best reason, really.

It’s a magnificent head-and-heart choice, there’s no denying that. The R8 enjoys all of the creds of a bona fide supercar: gorgeous design that’s as much desktop wallpaper fodder as it is automobile; insane powerplant; stunning performance figures. But at the same time it’s an Audi, which means it’ll always start on cold mornings, it won’t overheat in summer jams, it’ll be faultlessly reliable, the clutch won’t catch fire if you drive it in inner-city stop-start traffic. It’s got uniform panel gaps and decent interior plastics. It genuinely is an everyday supercar. And with the launch model packing 414bhp from its 4.2-litre V8, this really is a car that ticks pretty much every conceivable box. (Unless you want to carry passengers, of course. But what would you rather have sitting behind you – a couple of ungrateful mates kicking your seat and whining about the music choices, or a dirty great V8? Exactly.)

“I have owned the car for two years now,” says Jordan. “I’ve done around 30,000 miles, and have just paid a huge maintenance bill to fit a new clutch and flywheel as well as a major service, coil packs, master cylinder, slave cylinder, plugs, filters, exhaust heat-wrap, and a few other bits by my good friend Raj at Supercar Service, totalling around £8.5k. Saying that, the car hadn’t cost me anything other than fuel, service and tyres in those 30,000 miles.”

See? Practical. You don’t get that sort of good behaviour with a Ferrari (probably). However, as you’ve no doubt spotted from the photos, this isn’t a story about a man buying a stock R8 and driving it about a bit. This isn’t that sort of mag. Jordan’s done stuff. Cool stuff. In fact, this is probably the lairiest and most eye-catching R8 in the UK today.

“The car was bought and designed as a marketing tool, mainly for my Gravity show,” he reasons, and if you’ve seen the kind of awesome modded cars that are on display at Gravity every year, the treatment this Audi has received will make perfect sense. First and foremost, you can’t really miss that wrap. Designed and fitted by Identity Wraps, it’s a custom flavour in TeckWrap Gloss Metallic Acid Lime, and it’s just about as in-your-face as it’s possible to get. To make the styling even more extreme, Jordan’s added a set of Prior Design sideskirts along with a splitter and spoiler from Maxton Design. Bystanders can’t really overlook the fact that those sideskirts are sitting on the ground either, as he’s done that most magnificently sacri-licious thing anyone with a sense of cheekiness can do to a supercar – he’s bagged it. Purists be damned, this is a mind-blowingly awesome setup, the modding superheroes at Intermotiv crafting a full bespoke air-ride setup for the R8, running Air Lift Performance 3P management and brutally airing out over a set of custom 20-inch OZ Futuras. These rims were fully reimagined by Wheel Unique, with staggered widths, gloss black barrels, metallic silver faces and all new hardware. The guts of this system aren’t hidden away, but instead proudly displayed in a clever three-tier boot build which features oodles of custom work involving tanks, hardlines and nifty Perspex to create something truly alluring. As a complete aesthetic package, this R8 acts like a sledgehammer to the temple.

Now, absolutely nobody has ever climbed out of an Audi R8 and said ‘hmm, it’s not really quick enough,’ but of course more is more and these things can always be improved. With this in mind, Jordan’s seen fit to have SS Autowerks knock up a custom 3-inch straight-pipe exhaust system; the motor’s also running a Revo Stage 1 map, which elevates the peak to an amusing 440bhp.

“As someone who drives a lot, and has driven a lot of cars, I honestly can’t fault it,” Jordan grins. “It’s the most fun and most driver-focused car that I’ve driven. Two years and 30,000 miles later it still puts a smile on my face every single time I drive it; that even surprises me as there are a lot of other cars I want to own, but I’m just not sure I’ll ever be able to get rid of this.” Well, it’s certainly a step up from a Daewoo Lanos. The mind-altering properties of the Pineapple Express have blazed up their magic once again. Who knows what freaky mysteries they’ll spirit into being next?

Tech Spec: Bagged Audi R8

Styling:

TeckWrap Gloss Metallic Acid Lime custom wrap designed and fitted by Identity Wraps, Prior Design sideskirts, Maxton Design splitter, Maxton Design spoiler

Tuning:

4.2-litre FSI V8, 6-speed manual, Revo Stage 1 map, custom SS Autowerks 3-inch straight-pipe exhaust system, 440bhp

Chassis:

8.5×20-inch (front) and 10×20-inch (rear) OZ Futura wheels rebuilt by Wheel Unique – with polished lips, metallic silver faces, gloss black barrels and new hardware, 12mm (front) and 25mm (rear) spacers, custom Intermotiv air suspension with Air Lift Performance 3P management

Interior:

Custom perforated hexagonal Alcantara/leather seat covers by SeatSkinz, custom fascia and Kenwood headunit by Car Audio Security, custom three-tier boot build with four tanks, custom painted hardlines and embossed Gravity logo Perspex floor, custom SlammedUK Audi R8 floor mats by REEFined, custom forged carbon steering wheel with colour-coded stitching by ControlCustoms

Source

July 6, 2021
NEW AUDI RS3 TECH SPEC REVEALED

The new Audi RS3 is here! It sticks with 394bhp but gets substantial chassis changes for a more dynamic drive.

For those that complained that the Audi RS3 didn’t have enough about it to elevate it to the top of the hyper hatch market, say hello to the new Audi RS3, a car that promises to deliver sharper dynamics and even a little fun with the inclusion of a RS Torque Rear mode, in other words, a drift mode.

It’s new RS Torque Rear mode is possible thanks to a new torque-vectoring rear differential that allows it to mechanically split the power sent to either rear wheels depending on the drive mode selected. As you can imagine, “drift mode” sends 100% of the torque to the outside wheel in order to increase oversteer. OK, because the quattro system is front-wheel drive bias, the rear wheels will only ever see 50% of the total engine power.

At the front, wider track, bespoke pivot bearings and stiffer lower wishbones, subframes and stabilisers all help tighten up the front for a sharper turn in, only aided by an extra degree of negative camber compared to regular A3 models as well as sitting 25mm lower.

New Audi RS3 figures

Let’s get down to business. Producing 394bhp and 369lb ft (up 15 lb ft) from its 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine and mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, 0-62mph comes about in 3.8 seconds while top speed is limited to 155mph, with an optional 174mph limiter with the standard brakes or 180mph with carbon ceramics. Crucially, that 0-62mph is down 0.3 seconds on its predecessor, as well as being 0.1 seconds faster than its AMG A45 S rival.

Finally, the new Audi RS3 is available with a new variable sports exhaust system, allowing you to switch between a loud or quiet exhaust note.

The full Audi RS3 reveal is right around the corner, we’ll bring you more when we find out.

Source

June 22, 2021
BAGGED AUDI A4 B6: INTO THE RED

Scarlet style makes Adam Waggott’s 287bhp, bagged Audi A4 B6 an Audi like no other.

Fast Car magazine. Words: Emma Woodcock. Photos: Rich Pearce

Class. You know it when you see it. It can’t be measured like ride height or g-force but automotive elegance makes every journey special. Sometimes it’s the way a paint job works under every kind of light, or how a minor styling tweak lifts the best out of the bodywork. Maybe it’s the style of an interior that’s been tailored to the driver’s tastes. Or the way a perfect set of rims looks so right you can’t imagine the car rolling on anything else. For Adam Waggott and his bagged Audi A4 B6, class is all that and more. It’s how they stand out without compromises.

Coilovers and a set of BBS LM alloys kicked the build into action but it wasn’t long before the Audi got serious. Adam wanted to go lower and air ride was the answer. Working with a friend, he installed a full set of AirREX air springs, 12-level adjustablestruts and digital management in a single day. “It took us from eight in the morning till half seven that night but I was over the moon with it!” The fit was flawless and the Audi can lay frame at will.

Adam built up the bagged Audi A4 in JDM style and turned heads around the country, but winter 2019 came and it was time for a change. Faced with the cold, quiet months, Adam tore down the car to take it in another new direction. “I wanted to go really high end, with too much carbon and too much leather.” When lockdown hit and the show season disappeared, he went even further. The engine, running gear, sound system and paintwork have all been transformed. But it started with the interior.

The colour. That’s the first thing you notice because the rich red is everywhere, from the seats and steering wheel to the doorcards and rear bench. Chocolate brown flocking provides a counterpoint on the doortops and dashboard, creating a unique combination. The plastics have been swapped out too, Adam fitting C6 Carbon Reflex Red tinted carbon fibre in its place, and an Audi B7 RS4 donated the flat-bottomed steering wheel and front Recaro seats. Every memory of entry-level executive commuting has been banished, to the point that almost none of the original cabin remains.

Twin Rockford Fosgate twelve-inch subwoofers add equal might to the audio system, which also benefits from a Pioneer 1200 watt monoblock amplifier and a heavy duty four-gauge power cable. Vibe component speakers provide support and it’s all controlled by a Kenwood doubleDIN headunit. “I’ve always liked minimal audio builds in my earlier cars but I had to go all out on the Audi. I’m putting my twist on every part of the car.”

In sharp contrast, the bodywork received its most important alteration straight from Audi. Adam’s car is fitted with a full Votex bodykit, an official package that combines full-length sideskirts with a deeper front apron and redesigned rear bumper. It’s a rare package and one he’s only altered by smoothing the front assembly and teasing out the rear wheelarches. “The Audi already looks aggressive with this kit, so I didn’t want to do much to the outside.” A vanishingly uncommon JE Design rear window spoiler tightens the rear quarter even further.

Other styling modifications are subtle but effective, bringing the nineties Bauhaus look right up to date. Debadging declutters the shape, HEKO front wind deflectors add definition and a full set of front and rear DEPO LED lights brings the B6 in line with modern Audis. “They’ve got a slight tint to them which looks really 2020 and I love how all the lights cluster together at the back. It really works with the paint.” A full respray at PMC Paintworks ensures the Audi Misano Red has the intensity to match.

A gloss black roof breaks up the scarlet shade and keys in with a collection of race-ready exterior details. Adam has fitted a Maxton Design RS4 splitter to skim the road, while the door pillars and mirror base plates have been replaced with glittering red-weave carbon. It’s the same tinted material that upgrades the interior. “When the sun pops on the carbon it just looks absolutely insane,” Adam grins. A pair of Audi B7 RS4 door mirrors complete the conversion, replacing the chunky B6 generation items with a smoother, more aerodynamic shape. Adam loves their dual mounting points and chose them to stand out.

Get behind the Audi and there’s no missing the other twin-pronged modification – the four-inch exhaust finishers dominate the wide Votex rear bumper. Built by fabrication experts Read Performance, the rolled tips emulate the legendary Ford Sierra RS Cosworth and form the last stop on a custom three-inch system that starts with a decatted turbo downpipe. “The tips look so aggressive, they really make a statement. I don’t think I’ll ever change them.” There’s the sound to match the looks too. “You can drive it quietly but, really, it’s loud. When the turbo comes in the noise is immense.”

The exhaust improves airflow with the help of a Ramair induction kit and a larger, eight blade K03s turbocharger to give the Audi serious power. Combined with Audi S3 fuel injectors and an Ozmo Motorsport ECU software calibration, it’s enough to push power up by almost 100 horsepower. The standard 1.8T produces 188bhp and Adam’s car puts down 287bhp. “It’s not about going fast with this car but I still want it to be nippy and reliable!” Engine trouble almost brought the build to a halt in 2020, when the cambelt snapped. Adam’s friends convinced him to keep going and – with the help of Josh at ICON Automotive – he’s rebuilt the motor to be stronger than ever before.

More mechanical heartache was in store when Adam went to fit a set of Porsche Cayenne Z18 brakes. The upsized calipers bolted to the front hubs without issue but the rear end was nothing but trouble. “We bolted the backs into place with adapter plates and only then – at half nine that night – did we find out my current wheels didn’t clear the brakes.” A set of 30mm spacers got the alloys spinning freely but pushed the tyres way outside the arches, so Adam started hunting for a set of adjustable camber arms. 034Motorsport parts provided the solution.

The handbrake provided yet more strife. Audi built the A4 with a self-adjusting emergency brake mechanism and it just wouldn’t function with the manually-adjusted Wilwood replacement caliper. “It was a nightmare of little changes and new cables just to get it working,” says Adam. After all the heartache, the A4 finally rolled back onto the road on a set of 19-inch Ispiri FFP1 Carbon Grey alloys. “They’re the best wheel I’ve had to date. I always try to do something different and a mesh design really suits the B6.”

Now the brakes are mounted and working, the Acid Green calipers form an integral part of a three-hue colour scheme. Adam has painted the rear show rollcage in the same vibrant hue and – when fitted – it gives the Audi an unmissable side profile. “I went one step further with the cage and the feedback has been insane. Red, black and green. It all flows now.” The bagged Audi A4 has only made it to two shows in 2020 but the high class aesthetic has gained recognition at both, with a show and shine win at 24/7 Modified UK and best interior at a TUCKED Automotive Meet & Eat. You can’t buy class but you can sure as hell build it.

Tech Spec: Bagged Audi A4 B6

Styling:

Audi Votex full bodykit, JE Designs rear window spoiler, Maxton Design Audi RS4 front splitter, Audi B7 RS4 wing mirrors in gloss black, smoothed front bumper, PMC Paintworks full respray in Misano Red with gloss black roof, DEPO front and rear LED light conversion, HEKO wind deflectors, C6 Carbon Reflex Red tinted carbon fibre mirror base plates and door pillars, carbon fibre engine cover, scuttle panel, ECU cover, battery cover and bonnet strut

Tuning:

Audi 1.8-litre turbocharged inline-four with Ramair induction kit, K03s turbocharger, decat, Read Performance three-inch custom exhaust with twin four-inch rolled finishers, Ozmo Motorsport
ECU calibration

Chassis:

Ispiri FFP1 alloys in Carbon Grey, 8.5×19-inch front and 9.5×19-inch rear, 235/35×19 tyres throughout, AirREX air ride conversion with AirREX struts and management system, Porsche Cayenne Z18 brake calipers throughout, 380mm brake discs front, Wilwood handbrake caliper

Interior:

Marana Upholstery custom retrim in quilted red leather, brown flocked dashboard, glovebox and doortops, black flocked centre console, Audi B7 RS4 steering wheel, Audi B7 RS4 Recaro front seats, Audi RS4 headlining and pillar covering, C6 Carbon Reflex Red tinted carbon fibre front seat backs, pillar covers, steering wheel, rear view mirror and armrest, rear show rollcage in Porsche Acid Green

Audio:

Kenwood doubleDIN headunit with Vibe component speakers, Pioneer 1200 watt monoblock amplifier, Rockford Fosgate twin 12-inch subwoofers, four-gauge power cable

Source

June 15, 2021