nrh

<a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a4/msgs/1715727.phtml">help me decide!</a>

NASA racer

1. What class will it run in?

You don't just "build a race car"...if it doesn't have a class then it's a track-day car only and that car will be worth next to nothing after you've put the $20-30k into it because it won't be a street car and won't be a race car so the universe of potential customers is VERY small.

2. What's your budget?

If you are looking for an actual race car or track car, there are ALWAYS less expensive, more fun and competitive options which don't involve a car as expensive as the S4 (or A4).

3. RWD is more fun on the track than FWD or AWD.

I'd say an A4 is about as far from a suitable track car as one could get due to its weight, cost and FWD bias.

4. HP does not necessarily make a good track car.

It's all about weight and power to weight. The less the car weighs the more fun and faster it'll be at the track. HP only semi-masks weight. If it's FWD, all you'll get is power-on understeer and torque-steer.

IMHO look for a track car that's RWD, lightest weight you can possibly get, can run or can be converted to run at least one SCCA and/or NASA class and that there are plenty of people racing them (so there's a base of support and parts for that car suited to the track).

Liam in Montreal

I rank it up there with "what's the meaning of life", and to tell you the truth I ponder more often on the race car question than the life question (need help much? probably).

only way to be competitive in an A4 is to have the same power/weight ratio as, say, all those civic swaps. something like 100hp/1000lbs (so 300 hp)

and a killer suspension,..big-*** tires.....stripped interior, etc etc.

BUT, if you're willing to pay for it, A4 track cars are pretty rare so there's that little prestige factor that weighs in..

good luck
Liam

WYSIWYG

ditto. cant wait for the day i'd have the heart to strip it down tho.

SKS

For a fun and fast track car I would choose the A4. Relatively cheap, easy to work on, and the 1.8T is good for 500hp if we can find a drive train to handle it. 1.8's are everywhere, they are like the German version of the small block Chevy. The S4 is heavy,to fast for most of it's components,CG is all screwed up and I would take a cage over an airbag any day. If you really want a serious DE car, gut the A4 and put a front trak in the back seat and make it rear wheel drive. It would do wonders for your "polar moment of inertia". It might fit into SCCA's ITE,a regional class, but with some seriously fast equipment.

techlogik

What car would you recommend as an entry level RWD and pricing estimates?

Lastly, I am in Florida and wouldn't want to travel out of the State to race.

Is this feasible to invest in a car to race down in this area?

Thanks, just looking for more info myself.