ooooIYKYK, ISSUE #0014
It’s been a challenging couple of years for car manufacturers. Even if the emergence of electromobility weren’t grabbed and twisted into emotional pressure points by partisan players, its arrival would still have been off-putting to traditionalist consumers and brand staff alike who seek a more visceral, emotional and familiar experience. Watching manufacturers wrestle with the shift, it’s obvious that the moves aren’t always graceful nor are they readily embraced by automotive enthusiasts. And while a march toward lower fleet emissions may be lemons for internal combustion aficionados, I’d wager creative reuse of recycled would-be icons could be the lemonade.
I mainly attribute the idea to Singer, the Porsche builder whose formula is so strong and coveted that they’ve become a model for the industry. Porsche grudgingly learned to accept Singer so long as the California builder tread carefully, like using the “Reimagined by” terminology. Porsche then expanded its own paint-to-sample, Sonderwunsch (special wishes) department and restoration services to get in on the trend. Meanwhile, over at Singer, most transactions today top $1 Million per car.
Porsche and Singer aren’t alone. Brands such as Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls-Royce have publicized major efforts in expanding their own internal tailoring services for consumers seeking to commission bespoke new cars. BMW stepped up and purchased the legendary BMW-tailoring firm Alpina, while marques like Land Rover, Jaguar and more have begun offering continuation cars based on an older chassis… but with a factory associated pedigree.
Of course, there’s also the independent space where Singer resides. Name an iconic vintage car and there is likely at least one firm out there pitching some sort of “resto custom” formula for their chosen model. I also cover this space, one we’ve come to label “remasters”, on the website TailoredDriver.com. From exclusive projects like the legendary Italian styling house Touring Superleggera and their remastering the Ferrari 550 Maranello to Rocketeer’s much more approachable and affordable remaster of the early Mazda Miata.
The Audi-focused firm ABT Sportsline recently made news when they announced their own limited run of remastered ur quattros, a joint venture with the remastering firm LCE Performance that is known for its short-wheelbase Sport quattros. So yes, while Audi doesn’t currently offer factory restoration services for clients like Porsche does just yet, there are already independents beginning to fill the space.
SIDE NOTE
I pitched this idea to Audi back in 2016 where an established partner builder would develop and construct the cars. The formula seemed obvious to me – DAZA 5-cylinder crate motors, 6-speed manual, rally car pedigree… how could we go wrong? We’d stay independent, but Audi would commission the first one. The project and associated budget were verbally approved, however I was told the funds got pulled when the executive involved left his senior post at Audi for a role elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group. He’s now got enough on his plate bringing back the Scout brand. So, while he definitely gets building upon heritage and taking it into the future, he was no longer at Audi to champion the cause. Since that time, no further champions came forward to move the ball forward, but the lack of volume of ur quattros probably would have doomed the project anyway. Abt only plans to build a handful of cars and they’re all already sold out.
The reality is, not every brand can be Porsche. As a manufacturer most known for sportscars and with a long history of prioritization on restoration and maintenance, Porsche boasts one of the industry’s highest in-service rates for old cars still on the road. That its iconic 911 has been on sale since the mid 1960s also helps. Few brands have that level of commitment to keeping models on the books or selling parts to support old cars.
So, how do more mainstream premium brands with a great history if not the greatest word-wide parts support such as Audi get in on the action? Yes, you could insert the always-present request of getting Audi Tradition parts distribution going in the U.S.A. That’s long overdue, a challenge Audi of America and their franchise dealers need to tackle at some point, but I wasn’t going to suggest it here. Small volumes and complex American dealer rules make this more of a commitment than makes good business sense unfortunately.
My idea is simpler. Look at the model – creative reuse through reimagining and offering something new and never available before. To illustrate, let me direct you to Aston Martin and their first-generation Vanquish. Though it boasts a starring role in the James Bond film franchise plus a beautiful design, the Aston Martin Vanquish has suffered from mediocre resale. Why? It’s new enough to be relatively modern and reliable, but so new that it was not offered with a manual? Remind you of any other cars? For me… only every modern Audi Sport model since the B7 era, first-generation TT RS and the original R8 Mk1.
Here again, at least in the case of the Vanquish, the aftermarket has seized upon some of that opportunity. An independent company Aston Workshop began to really find a niche converting Vanquishes to a manual transmission. Later, Aston Martin took notice and even began a factory service of their own where owners can ship their cars back to the factory in Newport Pagnell in order to have the process performed. Just ask The Smoking Tire podcast creator Matt Farah who shipped his ex Ralph Lauren Vanquish back to England for this very reason, making the car much more fun to drive while increasing the value. A factory-built manual Vanquish is a rarity due to the circumstance, one Matt was keen to embrace.
A similar situation exists in the Audi space. Third Pedal LLC has built their own following by creating a conversion for the first-generation Audi R8 (also Lamborghini’s Murcielago and Gallardo). R-tronic only R8 GT owners are obvious participants in Third Pedal’s Audi services, but they’re not the only R8 owners flocking there.
Even still, we can’t all have R8s. We also don’t all have shops, including me, so I’ll have to just dwell on my ideas until I can get Audi or someone else to bite. So, here’s the concept. Focus on modern Audi models where a manual was offered somewhere during production or in another market (just as with the R8 GT) and then follow Third Pedal’s move by perfecting a conversion using OEM parts to make the cars more viscerally enjoyable for drivers in an emerging EV era when straight line speed is becoming ubiquitous and an all-too-common commodity.
Visceral experience then is the key, and something attainable in cars modern enough to be reliable and feature rich, yet old enough to offer a visceral experience that can be improved upon for a fee. Based on what we know, the Mk3 TTS and 8V S3 and current 8Y S3 were available in manuals elsewhere. Alternative configurations suggest the B8 RS 5 should be relatively easy, while you have to wonder if the R8 Mk2, TT RS Mk3 and current 8Y RS 3 couldn’t be made to work as well.
Here’s the thing. Audi Tradition, some other partner or independent player wouldn’t have to homologate the car. These are used cars already sold and on the road. Simply offering parts and services to install a manual and then make it all work with the car’s electronics would be effectively all that’s needed. Even sold as a crate package to partners or dealerships would be an interesting business model given dealers will likely have less and less service work as they sell greater percentages of EVs.
To me, the obvious place to start is the B8 RS 5. The predecessor B7 RS 4 is universally loved by the automotive community for its manual transmission only and potent high-revving 4.2 shared with the first-generation R8. Pair that with a rowdy NASCAR-like V8 howl and the visceral experience of the RS 4 makes it a particularly sought-after performance buy.
The B8 RS 5, in comparison, was sold as a coupé that was arguably better looking than the somewhat upright B7 sedan. It featured box flare fender design and had better weight balance thanks to a transmission redesign. That change means the RS 4’s manual won’t fit the B8. However, unlike the S-tronic only RS 5, the B8 S5 V8 was sold with a manual so the hardware is all there.
If Audi were interested in dipping a toe into the remastering market, taking a page out of Aston Martin’s Vanquish playbook for converting the RS 5 just makes sense. It’s significant and repeatable volume business that replacement parts for the much rarer ur quattro simply won’t match. From there, you can build upon the model. Add more kits – R8, RS 3, TT RS, etc. Add parts. Add full-on retro customs like Land Rover’s vintage Defender offerings. Work with Porsche Classic and Sonderwunsch department and add classic restoration and upgrades for the RS2 Avant or much-less expensive B3 and B4 models that could be reimagined in RS2 form.
Look, I get it. The market will eventually go EV. That’s likely inevitable. Creative and intelligent reuse vintage cars is one path to remaining authentic and building upon the strength of a brand such as Audi with an amazing back catalogue. Centering on remastering younger classics would also be a smarter choice for Audi, requiring less lift and by targeting cars built during a period where sales volume was considerably higher.
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