Audi A4 Avant

B8 to 8.5 conversion scores high.

Some enthusiasts need to build cars that set them apart from the herd. In this case JJ Larson, founder of Driver Supply Company (formerly Dubkorps) and Rotiform in-house video production manager/graphic designer did just that. Ultimately he wanted to convert his B8 Audi A4 Avant to an RS4 but decided he’d do something a little more understated. The B8.5 (Audi refers to this as the mid-model facelift) A4 Avant conversion was born.

Now this isn’t anything new to the car world, but it is to North America. Residing in the U.S. means the chances of Audi sending any of their higher level wagons from Germany are slim. So sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands, if you want one that bad. JJ did just that. Once he sourced the entire S4 sedan front end from North America and the Avant back end from Europe, it was time to figure out a plan for the perfect wheel. Discussions began about designing a simple looking 5-spoke wheel to meet his aesthetic vision.

JJ had a few ideas in mind for a minimal style wheel that wasn’t in the current design inventory. It turns out some of his favorite 5-spoke designs consist of the BBS RF and the OZ Futura. The challenge was melding these 2 retro designs together with consideration to how it would look on a modern style vehicle.

Introducing the WRO.

Since we had a solid starting point for design, the rest was easy. We engineered a 3-piece forged 20×10 with subtle design cues, maximum lip and perfect fitment for the Audi’s generous fenders. A flat lug cover plate and thread-on hex nut center cap contributed to the retro styling. Considering the simplicity of the wheel, gold hardware was used for some extra wow factor. In the end the WRO turned out how we all imagined it would, and complimented the sharp character lines of the B8.5 quite nicely.