Everybody wants to do a Tesla swap for their old car. The problem is not only that it's complicated or expensive, but also has an impact on the environment, since you're turning two cars into one. But this Audi S5 build takes a slightly different approach.
The Audi S5, this particular version at least, was in production between 2007 and 2012. Initially, it came with a 4.2 FSI, like the one in the R8, but down on power. Later Audi fitted a supercharged V6. Either way, some people might call that a gas-hungry sports car.
Meanwhile, the Tesla Model S came out in 2012. While some disputed its green credentials due to the way batteries are manufactured, it's pretty clear these EVs help you do your part... provided you can afford them.
Nobody would think to swap an Audi S5 to a Tesla motor, but Samuel Polyak (people call him Sam) did and took a very interesting approach. Most people just try to stuff the existing Tesla setup into a classic car. But this is different.
The motor from a P85D is turned longitudinally and placed under the hood where the original Audi engine would have sat. Sam had to make an adapter plate with his own gear reduction to link the Tesla drivetrain through the factory transmission housing to the quattro all-wheel-drive system.
That's right; it's all-wheel-drive, but not dual-motor. We can't think of many EVs like that. As for the battery pack, this is apparently the whole 85kWh system, but it's been stacked vertically and stuffed in place of the back seats and the trunk.
It's pretty clear that the project is about making an interesting daily driver and not pure speed. This is kind of weird for some Tesla fans, as they're more used to smoking Audis than swapping engines with them.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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