When I first entered the car scene, my heart was set on a 2007 Subaru WRX STI. The debates over STI vs. EVO were fierce, and I was firmly in the STI camp. I even bought a 2005 WRX, convinced it was the greatest car of all time. That belief held strong until a chance encounter at a local car meet with an old high school friend who drove up in his 2000 Audi S4.
We got to talking, and he introduced me to the potential of the B5 S4, a car capable of reaching 500 horsepower with just a tune and some bolt-ons. He showed me a picture of Hoodrich’s B5 S4 and shared both the car's appeal and its notorious reputation for being unreliable, plagued by issues like turbo failures and coil packs blowing every other week. He mentioned that this platform was often considered the worst car you could own from VW and Audi, requiring significant time and money to maintain properly. Despite these warnings, I was hooked. The EVO vs. STI debate was over for me; the true king was the B5 S4, and I knew I had to own one someday.
During college, I had a brief stint with a B5 S4. Unfortunately, the car’s notorious turbo failures and my limited budget forced me to sell it after just two weeks. Despite this setback, I never lost sight of my goal. I knew that one day, I would own another B5 S4 and build it the way I wanted.
In 2021, that dream became a reality when I purchased one of only 52 pearl white B5 S4s imported to the United States. The motor was assembled by Euro Speed out of Long Island, with the engine built in-house by SEP Automotive and fitted with Silly Rabbit Motorsports RS6 turbos.
Over the past 4 years the S4 has gone through lengthy process to get it where it is today. S4 is currently making a modest 400whp, tuned by Brad at German Elite Tuning, riding on 3H Airlift Performance Suspension, and sitting on a set of BBS RS 18x9.5 et +15.
Current Setup
Wheels: BBS RS 18x9.5 +15
Suspension: Airlift 3H with Airlift Performance Struts and Bags