Videos – Pulpaddict

Ken Block’s Audi Sport quattro Replica is Bonkers

Ken Block's Audi Sport Quattro Replica

Next-gen electric cars will deliver amazing performance, but they won’t sound anything like Ken Block’s Audi Sport quattro replica.

When Ken Block was tapped to work with Audi on electric vehicle development, we knew the partnership would pay dividends. The long game, of course, is about keeping future Audi product as fun to drive as possible. But in the short term, we also knew we were going to get some killer videos. And while we’re still waiting on the long-promised Electrikhana, the reigning king of hoonage has just released a first test video of his Audi Sport quattro replica.

Now, this car was actually done in time for the SEMA show last year. Thanks to his busy schedule, however, Block hadn’t gotten a chance to test the new whip until now. It’s basically the same setup that sat in the Borla booth at the big show in Sin City, though there have been some small changes here and there. For instance, the steering wheel has been swapped out, the giant e-brake handle has been relocated, and because Block wants to daily this in his hometown of Park City, there’s an actual parking brake!

One thing which hasn’t changed is the weapons-grade 2.5-liter turbo I5 under the hood. While road-going versions of the quattro made around 300 horsepower, and Group B spec racers topped out around 600 ponies, Block’s machine is significantly more powerful. Thanks to a tweaked 20-valve cylinder head from an S2 and a huge amount of boost, this baby is pushing a whopping 730 horsepower to all four corners. So yeah, it’s a proper beast.

It’s also sporting a trick Borla polyphonic exhaust which uses a quintet of pipes in the muffler to enhance sound, without compromising flow-though. The result is an absolute riot of noise, which serves to remind us that while we’re sure to see crazy performance from the next-generation of electric sports cars, they’ll never wail like this glorious piece of rally-derived kit. So turn up the volume on this clip, and stay tuned for the Electrikhana video!

Photos: Youtube

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This 2022 Audi RS 3 is Illegal… But It Sounds GLORIOUS!

Tuned 2022 Audi RS 3

For legal and reliability reasons, Ingolstadt left power on the table when it came to the new RS 3. This tuner just sent it.

In stock form, the 2022 Audi RS 3 is no slouch. The turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder makes a robust 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of twist, which is enough poke to make the sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds. Reviews for the diminutive performance car have been excellent, and after attending the first drive event last month, AudiWorld’s own Michael S. Palmer called it an “absolute blast on the street, track, and skidpad.”

Now as good as that sounds, the engineers at Ingolstadt obviously had to leave some power on the table, both for legal and reliability reasons. However, tuners have already been tweaking the greasy bits, and the folks at German tuning house Manhart have goosed output to almost 500 horsepower, which you’re certain to feel when you drop the hammer. But in this latest clip, we get evidence that some folks have gone even further.

This Turbo Blue RS 3 makes several pulls on the dyno, and delivers a whopping 506 horsepower to the wheels, which means it could be making as much as 20 percent more than that at the crank. And better still? Even thought the little five-pot has a pretty good exhaust note stock, this baby wails like a banshee in the upper register, and if that noise doesn’t move you? You might have to turn in your gearhead card.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned in the headline, there’s a big catch to this big power bump — and it’s not just the prospect of turning the quattro all-wheel drive system into metal shavings. Because since this RS 3 has lost its catalytic converters, it’s no longer street legal, and you can forget about keeping it registered in any area that requires emissions testing. That said, given how popular catalytic converter theft is with the methamphetamine crowd of late, you might be able to plead your way out of a ticket if you did happen to get stopped. Enjoy the video!

Photos: YouTube

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650 HP 1991 Audi S2 Mops the Floor with Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R

1991 Audi S2

Both powerplants in this video produce 650 HP. But only one of these revamped classics features quattro all-wheel-drive.

Few things can make 90s kids nostalgic about their early years. Grunge fashion was the most popular trend of the era, and for millennial automotive enthusiasts, a 1991 Audi S2 and Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R were the epitome of everything cool. As our avid readers might already know, the S2 was the first Audi S model to hit the streets. In a recent OFFICIALLY GASSED-OG video, the two legends battle it out in a series of exciting drag races.

The proud owner of the R32 GT-R, Billy joins Jamie from OFFICIALLY GASSED-OG and offers an in-depth look at his exciting car. Like the Audi S2, the Nissan Skyline GT-R is a heavily tuned machine. Both vehicles produce 650 HP maximum power. Under the hood of the Skyline sits a 2.6-liter straight-six motor, whereas a 20-valve 2.2-liter 5-cylinder motor propels the 1991 Audi S2.

Both cars also get a slew of performance upgrades. The S2 has a fully forged ABY motor, Supertech valve springs, custom-built GTX3582R turbo kit, methanol injection, and 1000 cc injectors. The German performance sedan rides on Uniroyal Rainsport tires and weighs around 3417 lbs. Under the heart of the GT-R, we find a fully forged RB26DETT motor, TOMEI Type A valve springs, BorgWarner Twin scroll turbocharger, TOMEI Type B Poncams, and much more.

1991 Audi S2

Unlike its Japanese rival, the 1991 Audi S2 benefits from its quattro all-wheel-drive system, which comes into its own during the first run.

The Audi manages to obliterate the R32 GT-R easily. The German coupe hits the 60 MPH mark from a complete standstill in just 3.19 seconds. The Audi S2 manages to cross the finish line in just 11.24 seconds. Billy wins back some points in the first rolling drag race; however, the GT-R is no match for the S2. Audi’s performance coupe wins the final two races and impresses everyone on the track.

“Once again, in an incredibly close race, Audrius (S2 owner) and the S2 managed to just take the win by about half a car length, boy that was close,” shares Jamie. He also proclaims, “So today ends in an old-school German S2 taking home the win.”

Image Source: OFFICIALLY GASSED-OG

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Deep Dive: Audi A5 vs Audi A7 Comparo

Audi A5 vs Audi A7

Both the A5 and the A7 are stunning examples of the hatchback platform. But is one inherently better?

As generations of commuters, college students, and enthusiasts know, the hatchback is one of the most versatile vehicle configurations available. But while it might have its roots in practicality and cargo space optimization, for many of us, it’s also inherently pretty platform. That said, it’s hard to imagine executions of the concept which aim higher—and deliver more aesthetically—than Audi’s A5 and the A7. Both are design masterpieces, and in this new video, Thomas Majchrzak from Autogefühl provides a comprehensive comparison of the models.

And when I say comprehensive? I’m not kidding. At nearly 40 minutes long, there’s basically nothing Majchrzak doesn’t go over with a fine-tooth comb here. So If you’re considering either one of these vehicles, I’d say this breakdown of character traits and features is a fantastic place to start. It also led to some eye-opening realizations for me, not the least of which is the fact that in its native Germany, the A7 — which starts at a whopping $70K on this side of the Pond—doesn’t even come with a standard backup camera. Seriously Audi? How does that happen?

Now obviously, there’s a big price difference between these two machines. As Majchrzak explains toward the end of the comparison the difference is about $25k — which is not an insignificant amount of coin. Personally though, I appreciate that while there might be a wide delta between the MSRP for these vehicles, from a looks perspective, these cars are close enough to be negligible. Both are stunning examples of a modern sedan, and both make me wish we saw more traditional cars, and less SUVs and crossovers on the road. Because as I always like to say? If you want car-like handling, it really helps to start with a car.

If I were given the choice, and cost wasn’t a factor, I’d likely go with the A5, mostly because I like the proportions a hair better, and since I live in a dense urban environment, I’d appreciate the smaller footprint too. But what do you think? Watch the whole video below, or just use the handy chapter reference in the comments to skip around to the parts you’re particularly interested in. Regardless of which Audi is tops in your book, give me a shout and let me know what you think!

Photos: YouTube

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This 700 HP Audi RS3 Delivers Awesome Performance

Zack Klapman from TheSmokingTire gets behind the wheel of a 700 HP Audi RS3, which can complete the quarter-mile in just 9.9 seconds.

A glance at this 2019 Audi RS3 makes it obvious that this sedan is not for the faint-hearted. One can judge the capabilities of this car by its giant air intakes at the front and the huge tailpipes at the rear. In a recent TheSmokingTire video, Zack Klapman got a chance to get behind the wheel of a 700 HP Audi RS3.

This 2019 model might not be as lean as thoroughbred supercars. Nevertheless, This dark horse can give Ferrari Pista a run for its money. In its factory spec, the 2019 Audi RS3’s 2.5-liter turbo 5-cylinder motor produced 396 HP of maximum power and 354 lb-ft of peak torque and ran to 60 in just 4 seconds. But this RS 3 isn’t stock.

In the video, Klapman also highlights the impressive features of this 700 HP Audi RS3. “With a little push of the button to go to the dynamic mode, this now has 700 horsepower at the wheels, and on the right tires is capable of running a 9.9-second quarter-mile,” reveals Klapman. He further adds, “I swear, I mean these days with modern turbo cars, you can basically have oligarch levels of power for summer job money.”

700 HP Audi RS3

This 700 HP Audi RS3 sports an all-black paint job and rides on a set of alloy wheels that also flaunt a matching black finish.

The owner of this RS3, Chris, joins Klapman and offers a complete breakdown of all the performance upgrades responsible for this car’s awesome performance. In addition to a mid-pipe and down-pipe tune, an ECU map and a larger turbocharger are also responsible for this RS3’s power bump.

Chris also reveals that his Audi RS3 retains its original transmission and axles. Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system sends power to all four corners. This 2019 RS3 proves that its 5-cylinder motor has plenty of untapped potential.

Image Source: TheSmokingTire

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