Every once in a while, there are benefits to being on the e-mail list of aftermarket parts supply companies. In my case, I joined the mailing list of 034 Motorsport a couple of years ago when I purchased a coil-pack update kit from them for my I5 Turbo Audi S6. After enduring their advertisements for those 2-3 years, I got an e-mail that was relevant to my interests. 034 was hosting an open house event for VW and Audi enthusiasts to gather at their shop in Fremont, California. Drink some coffee, have some donuts, and look at some pretty cool cars all morning? I’m in! They offered a shop tour, runs on their dyno, and general camaraderie. It was worth the trip, and I’m happy I went.
When I pulled in, the very first car I noticed was this Golf GTi Fahrenheit edition. I don’t know why I love these, as they were only available with a DSG transmission, but there’s something about that color that is so seductive. I guess I’ll just chalk this up to “because it’s cool” and leave it at that.
What is not to love about an Audi Avant?
There was a very wide variety of Audi sedans, Avants, and coupes at the event, and the vast majority of them were pretty awesome. As an Audi owner, I think I’m predisposed to loving their cars, but some of these cars were just so close to perfect. So many wagons with sticks!
Audi’s A3 has always been a favorite of mine. This particular car features an 034 Motorsport turbo kit on a modified 3.2 liter VR6 engine. It’s got a dyno-proven 600+ horsepower, and one of their employees drives the car every day. Rad. So rad.
Tucked in the back corner of the 034 shop was a trio of I5 Turbo cars, including a pair of Ur Quattros and an Ur S6 in rare Tomato Red. Since I got my Ur S6 a couple of years ago, I’ve fallen in love with Audi’s 20V I5 Turbo, and these cars drew me like moth to flame. The crunched rear of the Quattro to the right of the S6 made me more than a little sad.
The inside of the shop was a bit packed with Audi bits. From TTs and A6s to S4s and A3s, there was a little of everything four-rings in this shop. Very cool.
This R32 featured a very similar turbo setup to the A3 shop car. There’s something about 600 horsepower in a bone-stock appearing chassis that appeals to me. Can you say sleeper?
More I5 Turbo goodies. This car had to have been sporting some pretty massive power numbers. I didn’t get a dyno sheet for this car, but power must have been stratospheric for the craziness that was going on under the hood. Don’t try to drag race against this car. It’ll kill you if you look at it wrong.
There is just something about a clean MKII GTI that catches my eye. A nice set of Borbet wheels, a tasteful drop, and a nice roof rack just make it all the better.
The drop on this car was a little more than could be called ‘tasteful’, but for some reason I still liked it. The garish yellow paint and the more-wild-than-mild wheel choice made it stand out from the crowd.
I think I might be extremely jaded. Having been reporting on cars for a handful of years now, I have been in the presence of a number of supercars that are much more exciting than an R8 V10. Yeah, it’s neat, and certainly looks the business, but I wasn’t much interested in navel gazing at or around this car.
This, on the other hand, is a car that I’d like to get to know a little better. It’s got an Audi 20V 2.0 Turbo in the middle, probably an Audi 012 gearbox routing power to the axles, and what looks like a lot of upgrades to the air pressurization system. Would it be too much to ask to have 300 horsepower in a 914? Not at all!
Having driven a 2.0 ABA powered 914 LeMons racer last year, and been blown away at how awesome it was, I am having a hard time imagining what this car is like to drive.
It appears that this car was prepared, at least somewhat, for the SCCA’s X Prepared class. In XP, you are allowed any engine swap from any car that shares a brand with either the chassis or engine manufacturer for the original engine. For example, this 914 could use any engine from any Porsche or Volkswagen product ever built. In this case, the 2.0T was available in any number of Passat, Golf, or Jetta among others. The donor vehicle was probably an A4 judging by the longitudinal placement and the badging, but an A4 is basically a Passat, so it’s probably mostly class legal.
Here’s a gratuitous picture of my old Rowdy Audi in line with some much more expensive cars. My 3 inch cat-back exhaust caught the attention of some show goers, though. This car is probably more rare these days than that R8 that I couldn’t be bothered by.
This Audi Coupe Quattro was originally delivered in a naturally aspirated guise, but this car was decked out with a massive front mount intercooler and corresponding turbocharger. I loved everything about this car except for its matte plastidip finish. S2 badges were particularly rad.
Newish Golf R. All wheel drive and big boost turbo engine sounds like fun.
Strapping down to the dyno. Now that I look back on it, I probably should have had my Audi run on the dyno while it was so accessible.
This kid was riding around giving everyone the mean mug. For a kid with his own R8, he didn’t look too happy…
Volkswagen’s CC is a pretty car. Stick roof racks on it, though, and it loses a little of its curvy appeal.
More Ur Quattro. I freakin’ love this car. One of the best 1980s cars ever.
B5 S4 on a set of 18″ Avus wheels. I can’t get enough of this car, and Avus wheels are probably the best OEM Audi wheel. I have a 17″ set of Avus wheels for my Audi, I love them that much.
Speaking of wheels… I like to say that it’s often the wheels that make the car. In this case, that is absolutely true. This set of TurboFan reminiscent wheels makes this mostly stock Avant look way cooler than it has any right to. Very cool. I need a set of my own.
All photos ©2015 Hooniverse/Bradley C. Brownell, All Rights Reserved.
Hooniverse Goes To 034 Motorsport's Open House
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"This kid was riding around giving everyone the mean mug. For a kid with his own R8, he didn’t look too happy…"
Typical Audi driver, always miserable.-
"Mean mug…you're looking at $6,000 to $36,000 to fix that."
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the B5 A4 is such a good Audi. i don't know if it's a good car or not, but it's sort of the last of its breed o audi – upscale but without pretension. modern audis, especially the B7 and up, are too caught up in themselves. the B4 and its contemporaries are clean without being "minimalist", consistent without being gimmicky. they have a design language all their own that was, IMO, audi at its best – standing apart from the crowd without resorting to LED running lights; being the best Audis without trying to be good BMWs too.
the cars are probably better-built now, but their designs don't have the lighthearted and unique approach to luxury car styling they once did. that's why the "dubber"-set goes for older audis – the new ones just aren't fun anymore. they're so obviously in pursuit of those wealthy buyers that one asks oneself why one wouldn't just buy the BMW and be done with it. the company that made the original TT could not have made the R8 – it's just so fucking dull.
but i'm sure their profit margins are doing well, so there's that. and these are my opinions, as someone who doesn't really like luxury cars; i'm sure audi buyers are making the right choices for themselves, all things considered. i just feel like audis these days leave me cold. i should be in love with the mega-weird A7, but i just can't, man. i just can't get my heart into that car.-
I've thumb-upped your comment thirty times but it only seems to have registered once.
B5 A4 looked great in the same way as D2 A8 did. In the nineties Audi architecture was bang on, inside and out.
I very much doubt I'd still have mine if I didn't prefer it to every other A4 built since. Right now I look forward to my monster turbo installation with sooooo much glee. -
I've owned a B5 and B6 and you're right. The B5 is a classic sedan while the B6 started the slow shift into making BMWs and MBs.
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Build thread on the white 914 can be found here: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=…
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THANK YOU!
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I'm a sucker for a good build thread. I stayed up half the night last night reading this. I wish it was possible to build something like this in my area and use it on the street.
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The CC almost drug me back to VWAG… I found a VR6 4motion CPO for about $20k. I looked great inside and out. But the warranty was 25k miles or something silly. I've been burned too many times.
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Am I crazy or the yellow one is a b5 A4?
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It's a b5s4
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I'm the 914 owner. It is a 1.8t from a Passat. Right now it has a Getrag 466, 6 speed. 034 did the tuning and it is in the 300hp range. Find me at 914 World if you want to go for a ride.
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This post makes me miss my B5 S4 6MT a whole, whole, whole lot. I still drive a VAG car (a '12 Jetta TDI DSG Nav+), but it's (obviously) nowhere remotely as awesome as my old S4. Damn I miss that car. But I do not miss the repair bills. At all.
<img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8580/16220090988_6e183a783f_o.jpg" width="800">
Also miss my dad's '03 S8… nicest car interior I've ever been in ever. (his had the toffee brown option).
<img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7389/16381773026_1fb2452ff3_o.jpg" width="800">
Both Audi's together:
<img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7316/16220335250_7b2f0fa25a_o.jpg" width="800">-
My dad had the D2 A8. Absolutely gorgeous inside and out. Miss it.
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I miss my A3
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