Is it us, or do Americans have an uncanny attraction to wide objects? Almost everything in this country, whether natural or man-made, can be made bigger and wider than its intended purpose. Our trailers are wide, our roads are wider and too many of us have waists that go way beyond wide. What is this attraction, and where does it come from? Does it stem from our seemingly infinite wide-open spaces in the middle of the country, where you can walk for days and see nothing but wheat and tractors? Perhaps it stems from the old Pontiac mantra of wider is better. And maybe, just maybe, J.Lo has something to do with this whole wider-is-better phenomenon.
Regardless of wherever our obsession originated, it has taken a strong hold, and doesn't look as though it will leave any time soon. As our burritos and burgers grow bigger, so do our waists, and as our driveways and roads grow wider, so do our cars. But what should you do if you don't have one of those fashionably large cars that take up every square inch of a freeway lane? Will you be shunned by your family and friends for not going big? Will you be forced to drive a (gasp!) compact car, the Scarlet Letter of vehicles?
Fear not, fellow patriots, for what's laid out before you is Bradzo Jeremich's widebody A4, proof that there is hope for the wide-deficient. And unlike our forever-widening waists, this example looks good.
Bradzo originally decided to build this widebody to impress the womenfolk, but since that idea didn't work too well, he can now say he built it to have one of the most unique A4s on the road. In fact, he claims this is the first B6 widebody in the good ol' US of A. We really have no way of verifying that, so we'll just agree and hope somebody doesn't prove us wrong by the time this issue hits newsstands.
What does it take to build such a unique vehicle? Money and time, both in large quantities. It took Bradzo a full year and about $20k to build his car. M1 Autobody in California was trusted to make it wider, and that's what it did. But when this A4 was first expanded, there was a slight problem: The wheels Bradzo had were too wide, sticking out of the fenderwells like excess cellulite pouring out of low-rise jeans. It wasn't a pretty sight, so M1 had to remold the fenders and Brad purchased new wheels, eventually creating the look you see here. Bradzo's words of advice: "Get wheels made before you get a custom widebody."
Blending seamlessly into the widened fenders is a Rieger body kit consisting of a front end, side skirts and a valance, all stretched a bit to give that sexy, big-hipped look from the front or rear. A Kamei grille was stuck on the front and Stick It Graphics added the signage, completing this A4's body mods. Of course, a widebody extension calls for some wicked wheels, and those come in the form of DTM Kreuz 19x9 wheels in front and 19x10s in the rear, all encased in Toyo Proxes T1-S tires. Not only does this stylish combination help fill the fenderwells quite nicely, without rubbing, it also helps the car stick to the road - always a plus. And those bright-red things screaming for your attention behind the front wheels? They would be StopTech calipers. Brembo rotors take position behind the rear wheels, and all are fed through Neuspeed stainless steel lines. KW Variant 2 coilovers bring the car down 3 inches in front and 3.5 inches in the rear, allowing the car to attack the twisties with aplomb, and H-Sport front and rear antiroll bars stiffen the suspension. With the new look, wider tires and lowered stance, it's immediately apparent that any extra work required to get the car to this point was worthwhile.