Prepare To Be Befuddled By This Inline-Four Audi R8

This 650bhp, 950kg hill climb-spec R8 is powered not by a V8 or V10, but by a heavily-boosted inline-four!
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The defining feature of any R8 - be it a V8 or a V10 version - is surely the engine. So, the idea of whipping out one of those many-cylindered works of art and slapping in a heavily turbocharged inline-four is just a bit wrong, isn’t it?

In the world of motorsport, not really. This fascinating hill climb car from a company called Dialynx Performance has been given a 2.0-litre engine transplant for class reasons, a move which has also helped the mid-engined Audi shed a load of weight - this one tips the scales at just 950kg.

It’s no ordinary four-banger sitting behind the cabin, either. It’s a hybrid of two VW Group engines of the past: an ALT 20-valve aluminium block married to a 16-valve ABF Mk3 Golf GTI cylinder head. The whole shebang is fed by a Garrett turbocharger running at 30PSI.

When brimmed with racing fuel, the engine - which sits on a custom rear subframe - develops 650bhp. It may not sound quite as nice as it did originally, but damn, does it make for one fast R8.

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Comments

Anonymous

So it’s like a Class-B R8?

09/02/2018 - 08:08 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Nah, it’s still too big to be a rally car

09/02/2018 - 16:41 |
0 | 0
Wogmidget

[DELETED]

09/02/2018 - 09:13 |
7 | 1
ᴶᵘˢᵗᴬᴿᵃⁿᵈᵒá

In reply to by Wogmidget

Lemme help ya out

09/02/2018 - 10:33 |
20 | 0
09/02/2018 - 15:23 |
1 | 0
Freddie Skeates

I literally had this idea about a week ago for a super light Group-S homage but with the 2.5l 5cyl instead of a 2.0 4cyl

09/02/2018 - 09:14 |
49 | 0

Deja Vu starts playing

09/02/2018 - 10:42 |
15 | 0
Rubnr34

The only way you can justify to swap a v10 for a i4 is for weight reduction

09/02/2018 - 09:26 |
1 | 1

And to sneak into a lower displacement class
And for weight distribution

09/02/2018 - 13:06 |
3 | 0
Ian.L

I’m sorry but this is absolute sacrilege, I’ll live with a 2.0L I4 LMP1 but I condemn this I4 R8

I’m stubborn so what

09/02/2018 - 09:40 |
2 | 1
Bring a Caterham To MARS

In reply to by Ian.L

Did you just forget about whatever i4 donor having received an R8 v8/10?

09/02/2018 - 10:17 |
2 | 0
Dave 12

In reply to by Ian.L

Class reasons. Fair enough if its fast!

09/02/2018 - 10:52 |
1 | 0
H4R1S_01

Another victim of Dieselgate😞

09/02/2018 - 09:44 |
7 | 0
CannedRex24

how it feels to see the engine in the R8s MASSIVE Engine bay……

09/02/2018 - 10:27 |
32 | 1
Destroya

What’s that sound as it accelerates? Not the straight cut gears that make that high pitched whine, but the thing that sounds like a Lionel model steam train

09/02/2018 - 11:58 |
2 | 0

Pretty sure that was something on the bottom scraping. You can see at 0:25 and other front-facing shots that something ( rear diffuser ? ) is hitting the ground repeatedly when under acceleration

09/02/2018 - 16:14 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

How da faq is it that light?

09/02/2018 - 12:08 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Very light engine+extreme weight reduction for the body and chassis

09/02/2018 - 13:09 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

There’s a time attack Gallardo with a 1.9 VW 4 cylinder…

09/02/2018 - 12:26 |
6 | 0