European automakers have created the most impressive machines in automotive history. From Porsche to Ferrari, car brands from Europe have captivated their audience for over a century. Despite being under the threat of American and Japanese-made vehicles, European cars have maintained their hegemonic status throughout time. One country can be defined as the powerhouse of outstanding automobiles: Germany.
The Germans have dominated the automotive industry for decades thanks to brands such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Even if Audi is part of the Volkswagen group, it has still produced some of the most respectable German beasts. To make things even better, some of the most reliable cars Audi ever made can be tuned to produce an indecent amount of power.
10 1985 Audi Sport Quattro
Produced between 1980 and 1991, the Audi Sport Quattro was one of Audi's most revered sports cars during that 11-year period. The Sport Quattro became famous for its turbocharged and intercooled inline-five engine mated to a four-wheel drive system. This combination allowed Audi to dominate the World Rally Championship for the first five years of the Sport Quattro's existence.
There are several reasons why every gearhead should drive an Audi Ur-Quattro. Setting aside the fact that the Audi Sport Quattro radically revolutionized the sports car scene, the classic Audi can turn out to be a great project car. Built by LCE Performance, a tuner based in Germany, this insane hill-climber comes with a turbo diesel 2.5-liter inline-five from the first generation Audi A6. The unit has been modified to produce 750 hp. With a curb weight of 2,425 lbs, this modified Sport Quattro is a true muscle car killer.
9 1995 Audi S2
The Audi S2 is the very first S-badged Audi ever made. Produced between 1991 and 1995, the S2 comes either as a sleek sports coupe, a stylish sedan, or as a mean station wagon. Underneath the hood sits a turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-five unit that makes 217 hp at 5,900 rpm and 227 lb-ft of torque at 1,950 rpm.
Audi then decided to take things to the next level and through a collaboration with Porsche, the RS2 was born, and it was a beast that was way ahead of its time. Produced in very limited numbers between 1994 and 1995, some gearheads logically thought that turning an S2 into a RS2 would be the right thing to do. The origins of this RS2 look-alike are obscure. However, this 800 hp Audi S2 Avant is known to hit low 10s on the quarter-mile.
8 2000 Audi S4
First released in 1994, the Audi A4 B5 was marketed as Audi's higher-end sedan. While the sedan's success is undeniable, its power may have not satisfied some of the more serious car enthusiasts out there. In 1997, Audi unveiled its S4 based on the A4 B5. Equipped with a twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V6, the second generation Audi S4 was not made for faint of heart.
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Owned by German YouTuber Philipp Kaess, this Audi S4 went from being a great sports sedan to becoming a barely street-legal drag beast. Dubbed the Hannover Hardcore RS4, this outrageous S4 is powered by a highly-modified S4 engine that pumps out 1,100 hp.
7 2013 Audi RS6
The very first time Audi applied the RS treatment to the A6 was back in 2002. The top-line A6 of the same year came with a 4.2-liter V8 powerplant that made 296 hp at 6,200 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. It is quite impressive for a mass-produced car that was somewhat accessible to the vast majority of people. The RS6 of the same year was also fitted with Audi's 4.2-liter V8, but the unit develops 444 hp at 6,400 rpm and 413 lb-ft of torque at 1,950 rpm.
The Audi RS6 C7 is undeniably one of the best sports wagon ever made. However, professional skier Jon Olsson decided to come up with the ultimate machine for Gumball 3000. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 was equipped with an STM Stage 3 package, which brought the total output of the engine to 1,000 hp. Sadly, Olsson's RS6 ended up being burned to crisp following a botched robbery.
6 2015 Audi RS3
The Audi A3 was made available for the first time in 1996. Following the failure of the Audi 50 in the '70s, Audi simply gave up on offering subcompact cars. The A3 was a huge success in Europe, which led to the creation of the S3. Years later, both the A3 and S3 were made available in the States. The international success of Audi's subcompact vehicle encouraged Audi to come up with the RS3.
Built by Eventuri, an England-based tuner, this savage RS3 is far from your average small sedan. The 2.5-liter inline-five engine originally develops 362 hp. Eventuri's RS3 boasts 800 hp at the crankshaft. It is unclear how much Eventuri charges for this super RS3, but what it sure is that this beastly RS3 meant business.
5 2017 Audi S8
The Audi S8 is at the top of the food chain when it comes to S-badged Audis. From the very first generation, the S8 showed the competition that it meant business. Equipped with Audi's 4.2-liter V8, the sport luxury sedan was a serious contender to the BMW M5 and the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG. Fast-forward 28 years, and the S8 is still a serious mean machine.
MTM's Audi S8 Talladega R is the sort of German beast that would more than keep up with the Charger Hellcat. The motor remains the same twin-turbocharged 4.0L TFSI V8 found in the regular S8 Plus. However, the unit found on the Talladega R comes with a plethora of performance parts that brings the total power output to 802 hp. A brand-new Talledega R is far from affordable, with a $243,000 price tag, it is fair to say that only very few people will ever get their hands on MTM's beast.
4 2018 Audi TT RS
The Audi TT may have not been everyone's favorite Audi upon its original release, but the two-door car grew into something very appealing. The very first generation was at some point given a 3.2-liter V6 that makes 237 hp at 5,700 rpm and 236 lb-ft of torque at 2,300 rpm. The second generation was also given a sportier treatment, however, things got extremely serious with the third generation.
Though there are several reasons why every gearhead should drive an Audi TT RS, some tuners thought that the TT RS simply was not enough as is. German tuner MTR Performance developed several packages for Audi's two-door sports car. Among those packages, the TTE700 brings the power output of the TTRS' powerplant to a solid 800 hp.
3 2018 Audi R8
Audi is known for its luxurious and sporty cars. However, when the German automaker introduced the R8 back in 2006, gearheads worldwide lost their minds. In 2009, the R8 went from being a mean machine to becoming an absolute monster. The R8 shared the same chassis and V10 engine found on the Lamborghini Gallardo. As if this was not enough, the power generated by the V10 could be transmitted to all four wheels thanks to a six-speed manual transmission.
The reasons why gearheads should drive an Audi R8 are quite obvious; it is one of the best high-end Audi vehicles released in the last two decades. Hennessey Performance Engineering took things to the next level by adding two turbos to the naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10. Now producing north of 900 hp, the HPE900 R8 goes from a standstill to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds.
2 2020 Audi RS7
The A7 is one of Audi's most recent nameplates. Available since 2010, the executive luxury sedan is not just made for C-level employees to go to and from work. At best, the A7 comes with a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 that makes 335 hp between 5,300 and 6,500 rpm and 325 lb-ft of torque between 2,900 and 5,300 rpm. Things got way more intense in 2013 when Audi launched the RS7.
ABT is well-known in the industry as one of the best tuner for Audi. Given the huge potential of the RS7, ABT developed a solution for the ultra-luxurious sports sedan. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 makes 690 hp and 649 lb-ft of torque. While it is less power than a conventional Charger Hellcat, the RS7-R beats the Dodge with its high level of luxuriousness and overall aggressive look.
1 2020 Audi RSQ8
Audi hopped on the SUV bandwagon back in 2005 with the larger-than-life Q7. Following its huge success, Audi started offering SUVs and crossovers of various sizes. The mid-size Q8 is one of the latest additions to Audi's SUV and crossover portfolio. In 2020, Audi launched the RSQ8. Fitted with the same engine found on the RS7, the RSQ8 is a true super-SUV.
The ABT RSQ8-R is often called the Lamborghini Urus killer. While both super SUVs are fitted with similar engines, the regular RSQ8 is far less power than the Urus. In an effort to enhance the potential of the RSQ8, ABT created a package that brings the power to 740 hp. With only 125 units ever made, it is fair to assume that the RSQ8-R will be worth a lot more than a Durango Hellcat in the coming years.