2000 Audi S4
There are only so many times you can reinvent the wheel. And in this instance, Andy Kuo has rebuilt his '00 Audi S4 a dozen times and has displayed the car for nearly eight years. The widebody Audi has driven through snow and desert heat to attend shows across the US, but Andy is finally calling it quits and retiring the car from the show circuit. Ironically, he decided to do so after it had taken us a couple of years to catch up with him but we're delighted to uncover the story of this veteran champion.
In the beginning, Andy's Audi took shape when he joined national car club TWCompetition. He was simultaneously hired as a sales manager at Carrozzeria Design, which also helped the project grow.
Like many first-time builders, the project started life with basic bolt-ons including wheels, suspension, minor aerodynamics and exhaust. It was a clean daily driver, sporting 19" BBS LMs.
 Fiberglass enclosure on trunk...  Fiberglass enclosure on trunk lid houses Focal speakers and 7" monitors |  | |
If all that represented stage one of the project, fast-forward to stage two where the S4 said goodbye to the streets and hello to the show scene.
Initially, the owner had to decide whether he should focus on performance or cosmetic upgrades. Being involved in TWCompetition and the S4 having an automatic transmission prompted him to choose the latter, so he set out to design the best looking B5 S4.
The audio/visual system came first. The layout was kept simple, using two 7" LCD monitors and two 6.5" Focal Utopia speakers mounted on the trunk lid. Three polished Phoenix Gold Xenon amplifiers floated above the trunk floor, while two Diamond Audio 12" subs fired into the cabin from the rear deck. The front speakers are Diamond Audio Hex S500 units, with a Kenwood 7" touchscreen head unit controlling the system.
Once the stereo was completed, Auto Explosion in Gardena, CA transformed the exterior. The factory blue Audi has "gone through four color changes," Andy told us. "It went to grey, to blue/black, to blue/baby blue and is now two-tone with PPG silver and blue flake." A display of Audi rings in vinyl along the sides of the car, makes the S4 even more memorable.
The next modifications you'll notice are the bulbous fenders. A stock body doesn't score high points at shows, so the arches were extended 1.5" all-around. The bodyshop achieved this by cutting the original metal and essentially spacing it with fiberglass to achieve the extra inches. Kerscher bumpers and Abt side skirts were also integrated into the design by Auto Explosion to create a very powerful presence.
 Mildly-tuned 2.7 twin-turbo...  Mildly-tuned 2.7 twin-turbo motor looks impressive |  Nothing but suede and carbon;...  Nothing but suede and carbon; notice custom boost gauge install | |
Andy then added hints of carbon to the front splitter, rear diffuser and roof spoiler to create a motorsport theme. And to give the car even more appeal, the hood was vented to evacuate heat from the 2.7T engine bay. Hagus mirrors and an SGI front grille completed the list of upgrades.
The car's distinctive two-tone color scheme transcends to the 19x10" Kinesis K19 wheels, which feature silver-painted lips and powdercoated blue centers. A set of sticky 265/30-19 Falken FK-452 tires provides traction for the quattro, while massive Brembo GT brakes use four-piston calipers in each corners with 14" front and 12.9" rear drilled rotors.
The bodywork, paint and wheels put Andy's car on a pedestal, but total domination meant the interior needed to follow. So a pair of carbon Status Racing seats in black leather and blue alcantara was installed. But it's the rear that makes us envious - the bench was replaced by another pair of Status seats, surrounded by a rollcage that's been wrapped in grey suede.
The suede doesn't stop there. It spread to the dash, headliner, pillars and door panels. Blue carbon/kevlar was also used to replace the trim on the dash, steering wheel, center console and doors, thanks to Car Nutz Customz in Bellevue, WA. Finally, a boost gauge was mounted in the center vent.