2.2 litres = 900hp

["Jouko Haapanen" <joukoh@vtoy.fi>]

Yesterday I mentioned the Special Saloon race car of Pertti Kuismanen.  I
was in error in calling the car a type 44.  The car is mostly tube framed,
with a steel floor pan, built by Audi Sport in Ingolstadt, and for the last
few years has been
wearing carbon fibre panelling resembling a 92-94 Audi 100 with approx. one
foot extra width for fenders.  The engine is a 2.2 litre 20V turbo.   

Some of you doubted the power I quoted, but today I double checked, and yes
indeed, with full boost etc. excess of 900hp is available.  This engine has
been a better performer than the rare five valve per cylinder I5 turbos,
also built by Audi Sport, in practice.  

The car has been travelling in Germany on the Special Saloon circuit for
the last couple of years with a few random events in Finland.  Maybe some
of our German listers follow such series - apparently he has been quite
dominant over old 935's etc.

The car has a HUGE front mounted IC, approx 50cm tall and 70cm wide, a rear
mounted radiator, and the alternator, oil/hydraulic pump etc. are driven by
the driveshaft, mounted on top of the rear diff.  The friggin exhaus pipe
is approx. 15cm in diameter and exits behind the right front wheel around
what would be the middle of the front door.

I am fascinated by this car, and its' history.  There were boxes and boxes
of parts, from springs to numerous Motronic ECU's for different setups, all
in Audi Sport boxes sitting there.  Somehow I think dealing with Audi Sport
is something very few of us will ever get to do, even if we could afford
it.  The basically don't do customer work - with some exceptions, such as
this and the ex-STW A4 quattro.

There is a car being built for him for next year out of a 1994 Audi 80
Competition quattro, another ex-factory car.  A little nimbler, it will be
interesting if the monster engine will find its way under the hood.  Yes
the new car has foot wide flares on it as well.

If I manage to find some pictures on the web, I'll post the addresses. 
I'll be there with my camera in a couple of weeks otherwise.

Jouko Haapanen
Pori, Finland