Audi Powered Exotics

1. 1989 Zender Fact 4. Zender was probably better known to the European auto enthusiast as a body kit and alloy wheel manufacturer in the 70s and 80s. In an effort to show off their engineering capacity and capabilities, Zender built the Fact 4 as an engineering and design concept. The ultra lightweight body was built from Carbon Fiber (in 1989).
Even though the Fact 4 is a one off concept car, it is fully functional. The Fact 4 was fitted with an Audi 3.6 liter twin cam 4 valve per cylinder V8 engine, which would have been found in the V8 quattro sedan of the day. Feeling that the 240hp was not sufficient for such a “super car”, the engine was augmented by a pair of KKK turbos. The resulting engine package produced 448hp, and a top speed of over 190 mph.

2. Spyker C8 Aileron – The C8 model range is equipped with an Audi 4.2 litre V8 engine, producing 290 HP and a top speed of 186 mph. The C8 spyder T gets a more powerful Audi 4.2 litre V8 twin turbo with 525hp, giving it a top speed of 199 mph. The C8 Laviolette has the 290hp Audi engine but unlike the spyder models that come with either a soft or a hard top, the Laviolette has a glass canopy. The C8 Double 12R is a version made specifically for the 24 hours of Le Mans also using the Audi V8 engine with 480hp and the C8 Double 12S is the street version of this car which has the same glass canopy of the Laviolette and optionally has a 620hp engine instead of the 400hp.

3. Gumpert Apollo – The Gumpert Apollo is a sports car produced by German automaker Gumpert Sportwagenmanufaktur GmbH. The Apollo is a light weight mid-engined, rear wheel drive, two-seat, street-legal (barely) race car. It constructed on a tubular steel frame, with fiberglass or optional carbon fiber body panels. The Apollo uses a 4163 cc bi-turbo intercooled version of the Audi V8 engine. The 90° V8 has a closed-deck light metal crankcase with dry sump lubrication. The light metal cylinder heads have five valves per cylinder, four overhead camshafts, VarioCam Direct variable valve timing on the intakes, and hydraulic valve clearance compensation. The double-flow exhaust system has four oxygen sensors to monitor the gas mixture, and a 3-way catalytic converter. Modern controls include an on-board diagnostic system, eight-coil electronic ignition, sequential multipoint fuel injection, and an electronic (drive by wire) accelerator system. There are 3 engine types available, a 641hp, a 690hp, and a 789hp.

4. KTM X Bow – The KTM X-Bow (pronounced “crossbow”) is an ultra-light sports car for road and race use, produced by Austrian motorcycle manufacturer KTM. It is the first and only “car” in their product range. We first laid eyes on the X-Bow at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007, and have been intrigued ever since. KTM developed the X-Bow in collaboration with Kiska Design, Audi, and Dallara. The X-Bow uses a turbocharged four-cylinder 2.0 liter Audi engine (the 2.0T). The 2008 model produces 237 hp at 5500 rpm and 230 lb/ft of torque between 2000 and 5500 rpm, and can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds. Its top speed is 134.9 mph. For 2011, the X-Bow R model’s Audi engine is further tuned to produce 296 hp and 300 lb/ft of torque at 3300 rpm.

5. Melkus RS2000 – Melkus was a marque of single seat racing cars and sport cars founded by the race driver Heinz Melkus in Dresden in East Germany. The company existed between 1959 and 1986. The cars used engines from Wartburgs and much of the other parts came from Wartburgs and Trabants. The racing cars competed in Formula III, Formula Junior and Formula E.

The only road going car the company produced was the Melkus RS 1000. It was a sleek sports car powered by a tuned mid-mounted Wartburg 3-cylinder 2-stroke engine. Most of the cars used the 992 cc version, but some of the later cars had the 1200 cc version. It had gullwing doors. 101 cars were made.