The beautiful BMW 507 and all-conquering Audi Sport Quattro are being remade in Latvia using today’s tech.
Norman Auto‘s take on the 507 is actually a coupe rather than a straight copy of the original convertible, with a flowing fastback design, presumably to get around intellectual property issues. Nonetheless, it still looks period-correct and rather dashing.
“The 1950s, 1960s were the golden age of automotive design. The BMW 507, which was made exclusively with convertible bodywork, is undoubtedly one of the most striking representatives of this era,” says Norman Auto. “Our aim is to make a fastback coupe similar to this car with modern technical characteristics, safety and practicality for everyday use, by preserving the charm of the 1950s.”
The Norman 507 Coupe is built around a racing-specification Docol R8 tubular steel spaceframe, with additional carbon fiber reinforcement. The bodywork is also carbon, with plenty of chrome trim, and the car rides on 20-inch alloy wheels with a design that apes the 507’s.
Under the hood is a BMW S85B50 naturally aspirated V-10 engine from the 2005-2010 M5, which makes a highly appropriate 507 hp and drives the rear wheels through a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed SMG transmissions. Suspension is by double wishbones all around, with adjustable shock absorbers.
Fast forward three decades from the time of the BMW 507, and it was Audi’s ur Quattro that was making headlines by dominating the world of rallying. Norman Auto is remaking the classic Quattro with a slightly softer, more modern look.
“The most important time in the history of rallying was the 1980s, when Group B cars were introduced to the world,” says the firm. “Audi engineers pioneered the all-wheel drive system and the Quattro was born. Today the car is a cult classic and it has been delighting enthusiasts already for four decades. To preserve this heritage, we have created such rally car by looking back in history and using modern technology at the same time.”
The structure is again taken care of by a tubular steel spaceframe, with carbon bodywork over the top. MacPherson struts with Reiger adjustable shocks and more than 11 inches of wheel travel form a suspension system designed to tackle the roughest roads. Alcon four-piston calipers with Brembo floating discs provide the stopping power. A 20-valve five-cylinder motor, linked to a six-speed sequential transmission, takes care of propulsion, but Norman hasn’t revealed a power output.
It’s not the first Quattro restomod we’ve seen, and it probably won’t be the last, and although the hero images here are renders, both cars have actually been built and documented, so they are more than just pipe dreams.
Report by Nik Berg for hagerty.com
