We’ve seen several great motoring revivals this year, and a return to form for safari supercars has been one of the best. But while the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato and the Porsche 911 Dakar are great in their own right, they’re not what you’d call… affordable.
Happily, a knight in grubby armor has appeared by way of this V8-powered 2014 Audi R8 which, having been kept in factory spec until March of this year, has undergone a complete revamp to add some light modifications to give it a new lease of life off the beaten track.
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A two-inch lift kit has been paired with 5mm thick skid plates, a front nudge bar with Baja LED lighting, and an aluminum roof rack to provide more welly. So much so it could probably usurp Arnie as the world’s finest Predator catcher.
Otherwise, most of the bodywork still looks noticeably R8. Its seller has even ditched the rear bumper completely, which seems to be the norm with modified R8s (and Huracáns) these days, and leaves the stainless steel exhaust exposed.
Towards the flanks, Falken A/T treaded tires surround the 18in Braid multi-spoke alloys and ventilated, cross-drilled discs. Yellow calipers are also present, with a dark blue body finish and various ‘Adrenalin Industries’ vinyls completing the external look.
By comparison, the interior has seen next to no change. The sports seats are clad with black leather and red stitching, while the car’s standard array of switchgear and factory infotainment remains. This isn’t a complaint on our part, we love the fact that two personalities reside.
Unfortunately, it’s unclear how power and torque outputs have changed, but we do know an upgraded ECU and performance air intake now support the 4.2-liter FSI V8. It continues to send drive to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. In truth, a six-speed gated manual would be the only improvement that can be made here.
The car has clocked around 90k kilometers, but it’s fair to assume most of those would’ve been on velvety smooth roads. Yep, this R8 is in for a pretty substantial career change. Perhaps it’ll run for the presidency next?
More photos of the V8-powered Audi R8 rally car:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
