Audi Sport quattro: the Group B myth is reborn in a 600 hp restomod

Munich, HSR Manufaktur reinvents the Audi Sport quattro in a restomod version with a brutal five-cylinder, the Type 859, limited to 84 units and costing 500,000. Lightweight, carbon fiber, and a manual transmission promise a Group B revival that has yet to be fully measured.

New sports cars are becoming increasingly quiet, assisted, and heavy, to the point of alienating some enthusiasts. For them, a workshop in Munich is preparing a turbocharged five-cylinder weighing less than 1,200 kilograms, with all-wheel drive, manual transmission, and a price tag of 500,000 excluding taxes. The goal is to rediscover the brutal thrill of Group B with the reliability and safety of a modern car.

This 80s-inspired cocktail is called the HSR Type 859, a restomod of the iconic Audi Sport quattro conceived by the young HSR Manufaktur in Munich. According to Auto Bild, HSR stands for “Homologation Specials Reimagined,” a program that reinterprets homologation race cars with current technology. The foundation is a completely disassembled Audi Coupe B2, scanned in 3D, and shortened by 32 centimeters to recapture the compact proportions of the Sport quattro, of which around 220 units were produced.

HSR Type 859: an Audi Sport quattro reinvented for purists

HSR Manufaktur aims to deliver what many miss in modern sports cars: raw feedback behind the wheel. According to Auto Bild, Iván García’s vision is a highly analog driving experience, with clear mechanical controls rather than omnipresent screens. The HSR Type 859 is set to be produced in only 84 units, a nod to Audi’s 1984 rally world championship title, with a price tag of 500,000 excluding taxes, including the donor car.

Behind this positioning as a ‘civilized rally car’, the equipment remains meticulous. Auto Bild describes a fully customizable interior, with the option of two or four seats, bucket or semi-bucket seats, and a partially visible or non-visible safety cage. Autoblog.nl explains that the interior can be as extreme as the customer desires, ranging from a track day weapon to a collectible piece registered for road use.

Five cylinders, carbon fiber, and manual transmission for the HSR Type 859

Technically, the HSR Type 859 does not use an old rally engine block; instead, it adopts the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder DAZA engine from the Audi RS 3 and TT RS. Auto Bild indicates that this engine, initially rated at 400 hp, will receive a larger turbo, forged pistons, a reworked intake, and dry sump lubrication to achieve between 500 and 600 hp. All of this power will move a completely carbon fiber shell, weighing less than 1,200 kilograms.

To transmit this power, HSR has chosen a manual transmission from the Audi S4 B8, with a visible selection grid. Auto Bild mentions a permanent all-wheel drive system with a 40/60 split Torsen center differential and a mechanical locking differential. The chassis is reinforced with an integrated roll cage connecting the front and rear subframes, while carbon-ceramic brakes complete the setup to withstand intensive track use.

An extremely exclusive Audi Sport quattro restomod, still virtual

Auto Bild mentions a fully digital project with a first prototype in preparation. Despite the replicas by LCE Performance and the Audacious Automotive project, this Sport quattro restomod presents very convincing arguments.