|
From YourSITE.com Feature Cars In competition, when an abnormally skilled contestant with an unfair advantage is brought in for the specific task to dominate, that contestant is often referred to as a “ringer”. The very same reference harkens to Audi and its dominant motorsport heritage and the word itself conjures up Audi's four-ring logo. One might argue that the name could also be assigned to Chad Block and his take on the Audi S4.
One of the unique components of the kit is AWE’s special K04/16 turbo manufactured by Borg Warner. It’s basically a K04 housing, but similarities with a K04 end there. The turbo uses K16 internals, an RS6 compressor wheel and a clipped turbine wheel. The kit also includes stock RS4 intercoolers, upgraded injectors, larger 4” MAF housing with silicone intake pipe, Swain Tech-coated AWE/McNeil anti-reversion header, SAMCO high-pressure lines, SAMCO throttle body boot and some rolled-edge clamps. To help it breathe, the flow of exiting gases was improved by adding AWE/McNeil downpipes and high flow catalytic converters to a Twin2 exhaust with dual 2 1/4-inch pipes. AWE worked with GIAC to develop the X-chip software that is custom tuned to make the most use of this potent concoction – the result being a tall and wide power band that goes all the way up to a redline raised to 7200 rpm. The car has dynoed on AWE’s Mustang four-wheel dyno at 350hp and 310 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. Convert for drivetrain loss and Block figures it makes about 450hp and 420 lb-ft at the crank of this 3300 lb car. To help deal with all the added power, Block set about making several supportive modifications to the car, beginning with an RS4 clutch. To bring the car down from warp speeds, StopTech 355mm brakes were installed at the front, providing all the bite necessary to keep this beast on a leash. Brake fade is now almost nonexistant. As a result of a conversation during the 2001 racing season with a certain race team from Florida who knew a thing or two about building RS4 sedans, Block acquired a set of RS4 body panels originally designed for the production RS4 Avant. In his garage, this “renaissance man” now put his body shop cap on and, along with a friend with a penchant for body work, began fitment of the panels.
As one might expect, the front bumpers, front fenders and rear door skins from the Avant fit with no problem. The rear quarter panels and rear bumper were another story. The flared fenders blended in with parts of the sedan's rear fenders, though that still left the trouble of making a bumper that fit the sedan. Before Chad, others have tried using part of a stock RS4 rear bumper and blending it, while some have used an unmodified S4 sedan rear bumper and left it at that. The latter approach tends to look somewhat unsightly due to the fenders' overhanging the leading edge of the narrower bumpers. Chad opted to use heat to mould the S4 sedan's bumper to match the RS4’s rear flare. The result is a clean and very factory-looking solution. Now sporting the wide-body look, the car was sent off to the body shop for a silver respray. Keeping with the subtle theme, Block added a few touches to give the car a little something extra. At the rear, an E46 M3 trunk lip spoiler was color-matched and affixed. At the front, a simple Oettinger grille kit was also painted silver and fitted with a blacked-out 4-ring logo. RS4 badges were added at both the front and the rear. To further improve handling, the suspension on this silver bullet was later upgraded to an H&R Performance Ultra coilover kit. Koni packers were fitted to the rear to minimize the bump rubber gap. Three-piece HRE 547 19X8 wheels with black painted centers were fitted during the first week of ownership. When the wider RS4 fenders went on, the HREs were widened to 9” (7” inner/ 2” outer) and were fitted with 275/30-19 Bridgestone S-03s. Block then added 5mm H&R spacers and finally the oversized fenders were satisfyingly filled.
The added power, large HREs at all four corners and more rigid suspension began taking a toll on the car’s tire wear. To help remedy that problem, Block went to Custom Performance Products for installation of some spherical CPP upper control arms with heim joints, tie rod ends, rear toe links and swaybar drop links – all allowing for improved adjustablility and making it so he could use more aggressive alignment settings. His preferred setup is some toe-out in the front and zero in the rear for quicker turn-in. Inside, the S4 came stock with Audi’s sexy black leather and contrasting silver Alcantara seating. Still, Chad wasn’t completely satisfied with the cockpit of the car. From Oettinger, a set of pedals, dead pedal and shift knob were sourced and installed as were Stratmosphere’s handsome black floormats with silver trim. The audio system was replaced by a Panasonic TV/DVD in-dash head unit and supported by Polk Audio components with an Xtant amplifier. More on the functional side, Block installed a UUC short shifter to keep off-throttle time to a minimum while Omori 45mm electric metric EGT and boost gauges were added and nicely match the red and white Audi dashboard lighting. Perhaps on that modified rear bumper this RS4 should have a sticker that reads “My Other Car is an LMP 675 MG Lola.” For some, it’s a rough life, but we think Chad Block's life does not fall under that description. After stepping out of his LMP 675 racecar, Chad might very well find the RS4 to be a bit sluggish for an instant or two, but when compared to basically any other car on the road, this silver sedan is a definite "ringer".
Since our photo shoot, Block’s RS4 has been sold to its new owner who resides on the West Coast. Mr. Block is working on an LMP-2 campaign for 2005 and has moved on to new business endeavours. We hear his latest project is a Subaru WRX STi. Look for thorough coverage of that car buildup over the next few months on our Subaru sister-site www.Subdriven.com . More information www.ChadBlock.com www.AWE-Tuning.com www.HRSprings.com www.Bridgestone-Firestone.com www.StopTech.com
© Copyright 2004 by YourSITE.com |
