Mad Scientists Stuff a Quad-Turbo LS Into an Old Audi Sedan
This Frankenstein Audi four-door has surprisingly good driving dynamics, but it also has trouble completing a lap.
Speed Academy‘s Dave Pratte recently got a chance to drive an unusual creation: a boxy Audi sedan with an LS under its hood. Not just any LS, though. It’s an LS with four turbos. Yeah, you read that correctly. Four.
It’s from a shop called DeBoss Garage. Why did they create such an unusual machine? It was originally going to be a derby car, but then the guys at DeBoss decided to turn it into a race car. Master mechanic Rich Bosch tells Pratte the reason for making it: “Because we don’t have any money and we were racing up against some big money so we figured the only way to make an impression is to come up with something crazy.” They succeeded.
But why four turbos? Audi is all about quattro (aka four) all-wheel drive, so that was the number DeBoss shot for. Bosch combined parts from a TT’s six-speed with hardware from a 4L60 gearbox to create a custom transmission and added a twin-disc clutch. To make sure everything stays at the right temperature, he installed an array of coolers for the transmission, power steering, differential, and other components.
Given that in its current tune the augmented Audi is getting 500 horsepower at the wheels (a conservative estimate), DeBoss was smart to use substantial brakes. Instead of going with the discs from a Camaro or Corvette, they used the brakes from an SRT Dodge.
Bosch and company colleague Stefan Meier know how to turn wrenches, but they’re less confident about how to develop a race car. Bosch tells Pratte, “We don’t know what we’re doing. We’re hoping that you kind of get a feel for it and you’d tell us. It’s gripping, it’s not, like it feels heavy in the front, understeer or oversteer.” Pratte is happy to oblige.
Despite its odd assortment of parts, the Audi seems surprisingly well-tuned out on the test track. Pratte says, “It handles well. It’s got good turn-in response. The brakes are strong.”
Those turbos are a problem, though. Once Pratte hits a certain RPM, he hears a popping sound, then feels a significant loss in power. It turns out the charge pipe came off of the throttle body. After Bosch throws on a different clamp to remedy the problem, Pratte goes for another lap…and experiences the same issue.
Clearly, the guys at DeBoss Garage have plenty of work to do. The good news is they’re on the right path. Pratte tells Bosch and Meier, “I’m kind of blown away, actually, by how well it handled.” Once they sort out the clamps issue, Pratte will be blown away by the LS up front.
Join the LS1 Tech forums now!
