1997 AUDI A4 QUATTRO COMPETITION / RALLY CAR
CAR #339 • REBUILT TURBO ENGINE • 01E CLOSE-RATIO TRANSMISSION • LSD
034 ENGINE MANAGEMENT • OMP COMPETITION SEATS • FULL CAGE • UPGRADED BRAKES & SUSPENSION
THIS IS NOT AN A4 WITH RACING DECALS.
Every once in a while, something arrives at The Paddock Collection that forces us to abandon the normal way we talk about cars. This 1997 Audi is one of those machines.
What began life as an Audi A4 has been transformed into a purpose-built competition car. The interior has been stripped and caged, the drivetrain substantially reworked, the engine rebuilt, the transmission replaced with an Audi 01E close-ratio unit, and the suspension and braking systems upgraded.
The deeper we looked into #339, the more interesting it became.
DOCUMENTED ENGINE BUILD
The engine underwent a documented teardown and rebuild by Mtech Automotive Consulting, including removal, disassembly, inspection, machine-shop work and reassembly.
The build documentation records Mahle Motorsport 1.8L pistons, timing-belt components, water pump, gaskets, spark plugs, cleaned injectors, fuel-system work and a Walbro 450 fuel pump. It also identifies 034 standalone engine management, an aftermarket turbocharger fitted to an APR exhaust manifold, and a custom exhaust.
Importantly, the paperwork describes the turbo size as unknown, so we are not going to invent a specification or horsepower figure that we cannot substantiate.
Under the hood, a Carbonio carbon-fiber intake/airbox, extensive heat management and modified plumbing further reveal just how far removed this car is from the A4 that originally left the factory.
01E CLOSE-RATIO TRANSMISSION
The transmission is another documented part of the build. An Advanced Automotion invoice records an Audi 01E close-ratio transmission, transmission brackets and shift assembly, along with installation of the customer's differential. Additional engine-service documentation describes the car as having the 01E conversion with an LSD.
The build also documents upgraded front and rear sway bars and an aftermarket front braking arrangement, all contributing to a car that feels remarkably planted and connected when you begin to push it.
WHY I LIKE THIS CAR
I think the ritual is half the fun.
You don't simply climb in, turn a normal key and leave. You lower yourself into the OMP competition seat, secure the harness, look through a cabin filled with cage tubing, gauges and switchgear, and begin the starting procedure.
Switches are flipped, systems come alive, the ignition is armed, and then the engine fires.
There is something wonderfully theatrical about the process, except none of the theater is artificial. Those switches aren't there to make the interior look like a race car. They are there because this cabin was built around operating one.
A new windshield has also recently been installed.
THE COCKPIT
Inside, very little remains of the traditional passenger-car experience. The stripped cabin incorporates substantial roll-cage structure, OMP HTE-R 400 competition seating, racing harnesses, auxiliary instrumentation, dedicated ignition/start controls, accessible electrical equipment and diamond-plate driver flooring.
A suede MOMO Corse competition steering wheel is included with the car, while a Fresh Air Systems / Radio Racing ventilation arrangement and extensive cabin ducting add another layer of genuine competition equipment.
This isn't an interior designed around comfort or decoration. It is a working environment designed around the driver.
THE WAY IT FEELS
This is where #339 really won me over.
There is audible turbo spool as boost builds, followed by that unmistakable release when you come off throttle. The upgraded brakes feel serious, the chassis feels glued to the road, and yet the entire experience somehow feels incredibly free.
Modern performance cars are extraordinary, but many place layers of electronics between the driver and the machinery. This Audi feels different. Steering, throttle, boost, braking and gear selection all demand participation, and you hear and feel things that modern cars work very hard to isolate from you.
It isn't really about chasing a horsepower number. The fun comes from how much of the machine reaches the driver.
BUILT TO COMPETE
The exterior makes no attempt to hide the car's purpose. #339 wears white competition bodywork with black and red graphics, hood pins, front tow hardware, a modified front fascia and lower aero treatment, competition-style multi-spoke wheels and Bridgestone tires.
There are scratches, exposed hardware and places where function clearly won the argument over finish, and I wouldn't want it any other way. This isn't a restored street A4 dressed to resemble a race car; its character comes from the fact that it was prepared as a working competition machine.
MORE THAN A MODIFICATION LIST
Yes, there is a rebuilt turbo engine, Mahle Motorsport pistons, Walbro 450 pump, 034 management, aftermarket turbo, APR manifold, custom exhaust, 01E close-ratio transmission and LSD.
Yes, there are OMP seats, harnesses, a cage, upgraded chassis components, competition switchgear and fresh-air equipment.
But those parts matter because of what they created.
They created an Audi you climb into rather than simply sit in. A car you strap yourself into. A machine with a starting procedure. Something that whistles, spools, releases boost, vibrates and asks you to participate.
That is the real appeal of #339.
MY TAKE
At The Paddock Collection, we have never believed an interesting automobile has to fit into one category. Sometimes it is an Aston Martin V12, sometimes an analog sports car, and sometimes it is a 1997 Audi with a roll cage, a heavily rebuilt turbo engine and the number 339 on the door.
I think this may be one of the most entertaining cars we've had because it has absolutely no interest in pretending to be something it isn't.
You pull the harness tight. You work through the switches. You hear it fire. You select first gear.
And suddenly, you understand the whole thing.
THE PADDOCK COLLECTION
The Paddock Collection is a boutique automotive dealership and showroom in Dallas, founded from a genuine passion for automobiles and the stories behind them.
Build and service documentation is available for review. This is specialized competition equipment rather than a conventional road car, and prospective buyers should review its preparation and suitability for their intended use.
Our address is 3909 Main St. Dallas, TX, 75226. Fell free to give us a call at 972 895-4230, or e-mail us at office@thepaddockcollectiondallas.com
Trade-ins welcome
Financing and nationwide shipping assistance available