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!

29 Aug 2018

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.

Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.

Comments

4 cylinder Audi R8? hmmmmm ever heard about the TT?!

But the TT is F4, not mid4

Call me sour but why couldn’t of just used a S3? This seems like a lot of unnecessary work and harm to a perfectly fine R8?

or an RS3.

The R8 is already mid engined and a 2 door, so it’s much more nimble and won’t understeer like an S3 would

[DELETED]

even some gtrs have their v6s ripped out for 4 cylinders

Audi R4?

Honestly? I like it! It’s no screaming V8 or V10, but it sounds brilliant, like an angry hornets nest, and is light as a feather for the sheer size of the car. I approve!

Reminds me of a Supra I saw in a magazine years ago. Out with the 2JZ and in with a I4 with a big turbo. Also running 600-650 hp. The I4 shed a lot of weight and let them mount the motor ~3” lower and about 6” further back (we all know how nose heavy the mkiv Supra is).