640bhp 5.2-litre V10 Audi R8 Type 4S

There’s a school of thought in this glorious scene of ours that a good modified car is never truly finished. Serial modder Steve Fraser not only subscribes to this notion, he has a YouTube channel and social media presence dedicated to documenting the constant evolution of his fleet.

Words: Graham Leigh

Photos: Ade Brannan

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Some of you may well recognise thirty-one-year-old Steve Fraser from his S30BMX YouTube channel and social media presence. His ever-growing army of followers is well deserved as he somehow manages to put out regular good quality material for his own channel and that of his sponsors as an automotive content creator whilst still working full-time as a British Gas engineer. Don’t do socials but still recognise him from somewhere? His old Mk6 Golf GTI was featured in these hallowed pages twice. You guessed it, it changed so much that a further article was felt fitting to showcase its development back in January 2015.

At the time, the South East London-born then twenty-two-year-old was living in Kent but has now made the move north of the border and resides just outside of Glasgow with his Scottish wife Becca. “Bec is not quite as obsessed with the scene as I am but she enjoys the shows and appreciates a nice car as the photos of her Porsche Macan will testify. It’s a 2018 2.0-litre TFSI model. It’s got an APR Stage 1 file, a Forge intercooler, Rotiform BTLs and Air Lift Performance 3H suspension. We’re both delighted with how it turned out.”

Steve started his automotive journey fairly typically at the age of 17 with a Polo 9N3 1.2. He fitted this with a subwoofer and used it as transportation for travelling around various skate parks as a budding young semi-professional BMXer. As with a lot of extreme sports guys, the ‘boys and their toys’ progression into the world of cars felt like a pretty natural one. It wasn’t long before Steve was attending shows such as GTI International where the influence of the drag strip and the modified metal on display was being hungrily absorbed by his young mind. A Golf Mk5 1.4 TSI was a decent upgrade over the Polo and this was followed by the aforementioned Mk6 Golf GTI that we had the pleasure of featuring twice. This beauty was a comprehensive show car build with a spec list that included a fully custom trimmed interior (with matching Alcantara engine, battery and fuse box covers!), rear seat delete with Car Audio Security air and ICE install, 19” Rotiform MHG wheels and a Revo tuned 300bhp engine.

Stage 3 tuned Audis were next on the wish list in the form of an S3 8V Saloon and latterly a Mk3 TTRS. “Going right back to the early days of Instagram, I remember seeing a second-generation Audi R8 in black that had been bagged by a guy called Wayne Simpson. It was a real moment for me, it looked so good.

I looked at it and knew that I needed to make it happen.” Fast forward to November 2019 and hardworking Steve had indeed made it happen. He bought it sight unseen from lauded high-end dealers Premier Sports Solutions who sent him a lot of images and videos. The car was as described and having owned a particularly spicy TTRS just beforehand, it needed to impress. Safe to say the Suzuka Grey 2016 5.2-litre V10 Gen 2 R8 with its celestial 8,700rpm rev-limit, seven-speed twin-clutch ‘S tronic’ gearbox and rear-biased all-wheel drive delivered the goods with aplomb. Steve lives by the mantra that “Everything looks better on air.” It didn’t take long for the R8 to go this route. “This was the development car for Car Audio Security and Airlift UK.

There wasn’t an off-the-shelf solution for the second generation R8 prior to this one being perfected on this car. It’s turned out fantastically and it’s pretty cool that this is the first one. There is now an off-the-shelf solution for the platform and the Lamborghini Huracan that it is twinned with. Whilst I like to do most things myself, I was more than happy to leave the kit development, installation, 3H management fitment and accompanying ‘frunc’ build in Car Audio Security’s capable hands.”

Perfect stance isn’t achieved with air ride alone and thankfully Rotiform came good with the KPS wheels. The single piece beauts measure up at 20x9.5” at the front and a girthy 20x11” at the rear. The killer rolling stock package is shod in 235/30/20 and 285/30/20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres. “I’m pretty good at visualising a project and following the tradition of many of my builds, I knew it had to be dripping in carbon fibre. The bonnet is by CARBONID and the interior trim panels are actually hydro-dipped. The rest of it is from Automotive Passion including their side skirts, V-style spoiler, vent covers, and side blades. I didn’t used to be a fan of the facelift front bumper but when I saw Automotive Passion’s accompanying aggressive front lip I just had to have that combo on the car.”

Steve had already had his seat centres finished in charcoal Alcantara by Optimus Trimmers. He was inspired by images of a German R8 online sporting a full Alcantara interior. The seats were sent back to Optimus who trimmed the bolsters to match with red contrast stitching and Steve applied Alcantara to the dash and centre console. This ties in smartly with the factory Alcantara headliner and pillars. The Carbon Steering UK steering wheel with LED rev counter is the icing on the stylish cockpit cake. The OEM Bang & Olufsen hi-fi is almost as much of a treat for the ears as that screaming V10 amplified yet further through the titanium Quicksilver exhaust. An APR Stage 1 remap gives the R8 640bhp meaning that this supercar has both mouth and trousers.

Nearby KW Kustoms carry out all of the everchanging vinyl wraps. Oracal Chalk Grey vinyl was initially applied. This was then changed up for the Black Cherry Ice Teckwrap as per the main photos, which is a very close match to the sought-after Audi Merlin Purple. At the time of writing, the Audi is once again sporting its factory Suzuka Grey with Automotive Passion wider LMS-style side blades and Vossen LC3- 01 forged monoblock alloy wheels (20x9” up front and 21x12.5” out back). For those of you who want to see the next iteration, you’ll need to get yourself on Steve’s S30BMX YouTube channel and socials or get along to Ultimate Dubs for its first show. Fast Car is due to film it for their channel soon too. If the drool-worthy exclusive description that Steve gave us is anything to go by, you won’t be disappointed. “KW Kustoms are wrapping the car in one of Inozetek’s new 2024 colours that were recently released at SEMA.

Their vinyl range is renowned for its paint-like finish and we’re super excited to be using their striking Pearl Marigold Orange. Miami-based Vossen has supplied the first set of their new ERA-6 three-piece splits which measure up at 20x9” up front and 21x12.5” at the back and feature polished lips and brushed satin centres with a clear finish. We can’t wait to see it.

2024 looks set to be an exciting one for Steve and his channel. “We’ll be starting the show season with Ultimate Dubs and the unveiling of the new look for the R8, Bec’s Macan will be getting a new set of wheels and I’m going to be documenting my journey into the world of drifting with Dragon Energy. My brother used to campaign an S13 180SX 12 or 13 years ago but he’s been busy with his training and subsequent career as a British Airways pilot. I’ve rescued it off his driveway and I’ve got some good teachers here up here in Scotland with Crail and Driftland not too far away. We’re excited to get amongst it and the introduction of a motorsport angle will provide a nice bit of diversity for the content. They’ll probably be yet another colour change for the R8 later on in the year but I don’t know what yet. I don’t do the whole planning six months in advance thing but when an idea pops into my head, I want it done yesterday.” We told you he has unfinished business and long may it continue.

DUB DETAILS

• ENGINE: 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed twin-clutch ‘S tronic’ gearbox with rearbiased all-wheel drive Quattro system, Quicksilver titanium exhaust, APR Stage 1 remap, 640bhp
• CHASSIS: Rotiform KPS alloy wheels (20x9.5” front and 20x11” rear), 235/30/20 and 285/30/20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres, Airlift suspension kit with 3H management and Car Audio Security ‘frunc’ install
• EXTERIOR: Black Cherry Ice Teckwrap applied by KW Kustoms, CARBONID carbon fibre bonnet, Automotive Passion carbon fibre side skirts, V-style spoiler, vent covers, side blades and front lip, facelift front bumper
• INTERIOR: Full charcoal Alcantara trim with red contrast stitching, Carbon Steering UK steering wheel with LED rev counter, factory Bang & Olufsen hi-fi
• SHOUT: A big thank you to all my sponsors including KW Kustoms, Dragon Energy, Air Lift Performance, Vossen Wheels, Meguiars, Inozetek, Toyo, APR, Automotive Passion and Forge Motorsport. A special thank you to my wife Bec for putting up with my hissy fits when it doesn’t go right