This Awesome Electric Restomod is the Work of Audi Apprentices
Over the past few months, a dozen future automotive technicians and engineers trained by Audi worked to restore and electrify the classic Prinz 4 designed by NSU Motorenwerke, the company that was purchased by Volkswagen AG in 1969 and merged with the four-ring brand.
NSU was originally founded 150 years ago in Neckarsulm, Germany, which today is home to an Audi factory manufacturing the A6, A7, A8 and R8.
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"We wanted to build a car that was not only fast and looked cool but also honored the 150th anniversary of the site," said Dean Scheuffler, an apprentice automotive mechanic, speaking about the EP4 concept you see here.
The project began back in January of this year with a fairly rusty 1971 Prinz 4. Part of the team tackled the car’s chassis and outer skin, while the others got to work on the powertrain, battery and suspension.
Where a rear-mounted, two-cylinder gasoline engine with 30 horsepower once resided, you’ll now find an electric motor generating 236 horsepower—essentially eight times the original output. It comes from a 2020 Audi e-tron and gets its energy from a battery used for the Audi Q7 TFSI e quattro, a plug-in hybrid SUV we don’t get in Canada.
Said battery is located under the new carbon fibre hood up front, replacing the old fuel tank. The electrified machine breathes cooling air through a wide air intake at the bottom of the bumper, while heat can escape through a large opening in the hood. The tailgate also improves cooling and can be fixed in a half-open position, thus revealing the electric motor. It’s also reminiscent of historic racing cars based on the sporty NSU Prinz 1000.
The big leap in performance required extensive modifications to the chassis and the bodywork. A modified floorpan from an Audi A1, including brakes and axles, forms the base. The apprentices mounted the extensively modified and significantly widened body on top. Broad wheels wrapped in modern performance tires are tucked beneath the fenders, which were designed using 3D printing.
The body is painted in Suzuka Grey and Brilliant Black with Signal Yellow accents all around and "150" anniversary graphics on each side. The new LED headlights and taillights are impossible to ignore, as well.
In a unique twist, the rear wing is not attached to the body, but rather to the roll cage (the supports therefore go through the rear window). Both are finished in Signal Yellow, too. Apart from that, the all-black interior is reduced to the essentials in typical race car fashion. Occupants sit on Recaro Podium bucket seats.
We can’t help but applaud Audi’s young trainees for this fun and awesome creation. Oh, and in case you forgot: the next-generation R8 supercar will be fully electric, as confirmed by Audi. That being said, you should still check out our review of the 2023 Audi R8 RWD below.