Historically, I've always been the car guy that buys whatever vehicle sparks my interest. If I'm truly into a car, I will buy it, and then proceed to upgrade every single aspect of it far more than I truly need to.
A great example of this was one of my previous project cars: the CC-R. For those unfamiliar with that project, It started life as a FWD 2.0T CC that I completed a full 4Motion AWD swap on. I also built the engine from head to rod bearings, had a custom hybrid K04 turbocharger made for it, replaced every single factory suspension bushing with track spec polyurethane or 034Motorsport spherical upgrades, swapped TTRS brakes on it, and installed a full track suspension as well. There's far more modifications that I did to it, but I could easily fill this article talking about all of that.
However, at this point in my life, I need a vehicle that has the perfect blend of practicality and performance. A vehicle that could essentially do it all for a relatively low price (otherwise this project would be about a C8 RS6 Avant). One that I can drive comfortably every day on the interstate, and on rough backroads when I'm on an adventure. As the saying goes, I want my cake and I want to eat it too.
When it came time to start searching for this jack of all trades vehicle, I had a list of specific requirements. All wheel drive was a must since I regularly make trips to areas where the roads aren't always the best. Cargo capacity was also a concern as I regularly lug around two 50+ lb Labradors along with lots of photography equipment. I'd also need good fuel economy because of all the driving around I do, so a four cylinder turbo engine was a must. It would need to be reliable and easy to maintain as well. Naturally, due to who I am and where I work, it would have to be an Audi or VW. Finally, I personally am just not a big fan of SUVs.
Due to all of these requirements, there were really only two vehicles in the VAG lineup I could consider, and they're both wagons. This isn't an issue, as my last car was a 2013 VW Mk6 Sportwagen 2.5L (and I absolutely love wagons). This brought my list down to just two models: the 2017-2019 VW Mk7 Golf Alltrack and the 2017-2025 Audi B9 A4 Allroad. After some further research, I found that surprisingly, you can find a lot of 2017-2019 Allroads for almost the same price as the facelifted 2018-2019 Mk7.5 Alltrack. Also surprising to me was that the Allroad is capable of better fuel economy than the smaller Alltrack (its gearing doesn't do it any favors). Since the Allroad edged out the Alltrack with more room and better fuel economy, I decided that the Allroad was the right direction and began searching for one. While there were several on the market, I was patient and waited for one that had the trim and features I wanted.
My patience was rewarded with this 2017 A4 Allroad Prestige in Glacier White Metallic with close to 80k miles. It was a single owner vehicle that had also been custom ordered from the factory. This meant it came with a black headliner, beige leather seats and arm rests, walnut wood trim with black door cards and dashboard. The original owner also paid for the extra option to have the exterior cladding painted to match the rest of the car. The previous owner had also stayed on top of the maintenance schedule and only took it to their local Audi dealership for service.
A Powertrain with Room to Grow
I'm a big fan of the B9 Audi A4, A4 Allroad and A5 models because of the powertrain they come equipped with. 2017-2020 models come standard with the venerable Gen 3 2.0T TSI engine, good for 252 HP and 273 FT-LBS of torque. They also come equipped with Audi's legendary Quattro AWD system. In the case of the Allroad, it gets Audi's latest Quattro Ultra tech, which is a fancy way to say that it can de-couple the rear wheels when cruising for better fuel economy.
At NGP, we're no strangers to upgrading the Gen 3 TSI engine. Extracting more performance from this engine is easy, with many performance parts available. As a result, I already have several upgrades planned to extract more power out of the engine. I'll cover those upgrades in detail in a future installment of this series.
Adaptive Suspension is where it's at
This B9 A4 Allroad also came equipped with Audi's electronically adjustable adaptive suspension system. This system allows you to switch between comfort and sportier suspension modes with a simple button press. You can also fine tune your adjustments into your own "Individual" mode.
Though the car does sit a bit higher than I would normally prefer, I do very much like the overall suspension feel. It's very firm and direct when in "Dynamic" mode, and actually handles quite well for a factory equipped suspension. While there is certainly room for improvement, the factory suspension has impressed me quite a bit. Yes, I will be upgrading the suspension in the future, but I could definitely live with this suspension if I had to.
What's in a Name?
It just wouldn't be a proper NGP project car if I didn't come up with a name for it. I played around with several, but ultimately one won me over. Though I will fully admit that it is slightly difficult to say repeatedly, this Allroad is now known as Project Practical Performance.
Where We're Headed
As the title suggests, my main goal with this vehicle is to focus on building a fun, yet practical vehicle that performs well all around. Along the way I'll also be covering any maintenance services performed on the car. The goal is to provide regular updates covering a variety of performance upgrades, modifications and service information. My hope is that I can provide you with some helpful information that you can use for your own project car.
So whether you also own a B9 generation Audi, or you simply love reading about the progress of a proper project car, I hope you stay tuned for more!
In the next update, I cover a PPI service and initial maintenance.
