Think Dffrent: 2015 Audi Allroad is an Overland Battle Wagon
This amazing Audi Allroad overland rig goes where most wagons fear to tread!
It’s a sad fact. Despite the countless hours which goes into designing their sophisticated suspensions and specialized traction control systems, most SUVs are never destined to do anything more hardcore than run off over a curb at Whole Foods. So rare as it may be, it’s always awesome to a vehicle living up to it’s potential. Or, in the case of Gene Pascua’s 2015 Audi Allroad, go far beyond that potential, and be tested in ways the development team never anticipated. Meet the Dffrent Allroad.
What started life as a sure-footed family hauler is now a proper off-road beast, which regularly hangs with the rugged Land Cruisers, Jeeps, and pickups that populate the ever-expanding overlanding community. At this point, Pascua has put over 100,000 miles on the clock of his wagon, and from the looks of it, he’s just getting started.
While there’s a Stage 2 tune courtesy of APR, an intake, and a downpipe, the 2.0-liter turbo under the hood has mostly been left alone.
The biggest changes to the Audi were — pretty obviously — made to the suspension. The fully custom setup was put together by the folks at CAtuned Off-Road, who specialize in prepping all kinds of rigs to tackle trails. Strangely enough, there weren’t any off-the-shelf bits that fit the bill here.
The wheels are trick-looking CCV-ORs from Rotiform, and they’re wrapped with beefy Open Country A/T rubber from Toyo. While this is far from the first lifted Allroad we’ve seen, it’s unquestionably the most bad-ass, and these amazing pics prove it’s not just built for show. Far from it.
The Audi wouldn’t be a proper overland machine without a wicked roof rack, and the stout unit from Front Runner holds a jerry can, spare tire, and a Thule awning, along with a set of MaxTrax traction mats, for when the going gets extra tough.
There’s also a 40-inch Rigid light bar to turn night into day, which is one of the 13 additional exterior lighting systems present. It’s hooked to a Redarc Electronics dual-battery system to make sure all the vehicle systems get enough juice. A smaller rack over the rear glass holds other essentials like a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and coil of rope.
There aren’t many pics of the interior, but in talking to our friends over at Motor1, Pascua said there’s a Midland Communications radio system to stay in touch when he travels outside of cell service — which is often.
Even with all the specialized modifications, this baby remains a daily driver. So if you’re a regular on the roads of Southern California, keep your eyes peeled, as you might catch a glimpse of Pascua and his two dogs while they’re running errands or headed for the hills.
The brown exterior is actually a wrap, but we think it suits this unlikely overlander beautifully. Hopefully, it’ll keep the original silver finish protected, though with this many miles on the clock, two canine co-pilots, and lots more adventures on the horizon, we can’t imagine Pascua is too worried about a few scratches and dings.
We don’t know whether this build is complete, or whether there’s more in store for this Allroad, so we’ll be keeping our eyes on his Facebook page. While we could possibly dig some Mad Max-style front and rear bumpers, we really do love the look of this baby as it sits right now. What do you think? Head into the forums and let us know!
Photos: Facebook