The off-road addicts at Adrenalin Industries have built what could be the world’s first rally-ready Audi R8. The Utah-based company has been building off-road platforms for years, exploring everything from massive land-based F-550s to Unimogs, Cayennes and more. Founder Jud Eades was looking to go beyond what is done in sports cars and while a Porsche 911 would have been the expected starting point, he was looking to break the mold with this R8 version.
Off-road sports cars have come to prominence in recent years thanks to the aftermarket community. You can find dozens of videos on YouTube of other people lifting their cars and adding studded tires before sending them down a dirt road, but this might be our favorite so far.
The enthusiasm solidified when car brands got involved, and we now live in a world where the Porsche 911 Dakar takes shortcuts at the Nürburgring and the Lamborghini Huracan Sterratos takes the air seriously.
Starting with a 2014 automatic V8 R8, Eades contacted Mike Ngo at Eurowise to set it all up. First, they reinforced the strut towers and installed a Bilstein Motorsport suspension with fully adjustable tanks. Many factory parts have been left in place. So as not to overcomplicate things, making sure that the driving dynamics remain perfect on and off the road.
Skid plates were added at the front and under the engine as the vehicle is still low. Then they also added a new exhaust and intake system.
The team said opting for a wheelset was an adventure, given that no one had ever tried to build an R8 like this before, but they eventually settled on a beautiful set of white multi-spoke Beadlock Braid wheels wrapped in Falken Wildpeak. -All-terrain tires. Finally, a metal bumper with headlights and a roof rack were added to complete the look.
Once all that was done, the team put the car through its paces on a three-kilometer course where the 430 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque of the 4. 2-liter V8 can be used intelligently. It has to be said that the car looks wonderful, with a column of dust in its wake as it drifts in circles, making the most of the perfect quattro all-wheel-drive system.
Everyone knows that when you have a rally design, you have to take a breath, and the team clearly delivers on that. By locating the best hill for the stunt, the team can lift all 4 tires off the ground in total. twice. All additions are used cleverly with the jumps as you handle them without missing a beat. We love to see tricked Audis flying through the air, so we have to hand it over to those geniuses to combine the total projects.
The most productive component is that it looks like the version is on sale. All it says on their online page is to contact them for pricing, so if you’re looking for an awesome off-road sports car, this might be the car for you.