The Vortec 6000 doesn't really get the attention it actually deserves. The only engine of the Gen 3 small-block family to feature a cast-iron block is particularly good for high-output applications, including Marnell's 2001 model year Audi S4.
As the headline implies, we're dealing with a quad-turbo LQ4 truck engine that rocks On 3 Performance GT35 61-millimeter turbochargers. T3 housings also need to be mentioned, along with forged internals, an LS4 water pump manifold, and an LS6 intake manifold. It allegedly makes 900 ponies. Being fitted with four turbos, we're pretty certain it has torque for days.
Pictured with 19- by 8.5-inch wheels and semi-slick tires at every corner, the German sedan further sweetens the deal with Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, a stripped-out interior featuring Corbeau racing buckets, a Coolerwork short-throw shifter, and a good ol' manual with six forward gears. Tipping the scales at roughly 3,400 pounds (1,542 kilograms), the S4 has to face a punchier yet heavier Camaro.
Kyle's 2016 model year SS originally sported the naturally-aspirated LT1, a 6.2-liter small block rated from the factory at 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet (617 Nm) of twist. Upgraded with 4.070 pistons compared to the stock 4.065s, this lump now boasts a centrifugal supercharger from Vortech and an HP Tuners tune. 1,040 horsepower at the rear wheels is why the owner went for really fat drag radials and beadlock wheels from the folks at Bogart.
Also equipped with a manual, the sixth-generation Camaro breathes out better through a Borla exhaust system topped off by carbon-fiber tips. Also worthy of note, the Camaro is rear-wheel drive as opposed to all-wheel drive for the B5-generation Audi S4.
Most of the Hoonigan crew predicted that Marnell would smoke Kyle over 1,000 feet (305 meters), and they were spot on with their bet. Not only does the S4 launch better from a dig, but it also makes easy work of the SS from a rolling start. Beating a Camaro in a drag race is one thing, but obliterating a 9-second Camaro this easily is undeniably staggering. Then again, that's what a truck engine with four turbochargers can do in a smaller, lighter, and much simpler vehicle that has the advantage of AWD.
The B5 originally sported a five-valve-per-cylinder V6 of the bi-turbo variety. Indeed, five valves like the Ferrari F355, 360 Modena, and Bugatti EB 110. Since the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the S4 leveled up to the EA839 twin-scroll turbo V6. Designed to compete against the likes of the M340i and C 43, the S4 is available to configure at $53,800 for the 2024 model year.
As for the Camaro, well, the sixth generation is going the way of the dodo in January 2024. That's not the end of Chevrolet's pony car, though, because General Motors has confirmed the name will eventually come back. Rumor has it electric four-door sedan, but only time will tell what's cooking.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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