5 Minutes
FCP Euro builds a Porsche Macan with a literal Audi heart
FCP Euro and TSH Auto just turned an early-generation Porsche Macan into something the Stuttgart badge never intended: a four-seat drift taxi powered by a proper Audi RS7 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Rather than a token parts-bin swap, this is an unapologetic reimagining of the Macan platform — AWD deleted, luxury trimmed, and an Audi V8 bolted into the nose to produce gobs of torque and endless tire smoke.
The swap and drivetrain
The donor is a 2014 Audi RS7 4.0TT V8. Targets are 550 horsepower at the wheels with the hardware capable of exceeding 600. To make the package drift-friendly, FCP Euro converted the Macan to rear-wheel drive and adapted a ZF 8HP automatic transmission to behave like a true drift gearbox: quicker, more sequential paddle response and usable for clutch-kick techniques. Even the clutch is drive-by-wire — it sounds odd on paper until you experience the geometry and software working together during full opposite lock maneuvers.
Purpose-built for sideways fun
This isn't a GT3 RS-style track car chasing lap times and aero efficiency. Think of it as a slip-angle specialist built for events like Gridlife, SEMA displays, and drift demonstrations. The conversion keeps four seats — now race buckets with harnesses — and fits a full roll cage, hydraulic handbrake, and a custom control panel. In short: anything that didn't help the car go sideways was removed.
- Engine: 2014 Audi RS7 4.0 TT V8
- Power: 550+ hp at the wheels (capable of 600+)
- Drivetrain: RWD conversion from original AWD
- Transmission: Reworked ZF 8HP with paddle control
- Safety: full roll cage, four racing buckets, harnesses
Design cues and components
Visually, the car reads like a DTM pit lane project: widebody panels, aggressive splitter and wing, lowered stance, and front-end negative camber so extreme it looks industrial. Rotiform five-spoke wheels hide 034 Motorsport brakes painted in FCP Euro red. Underneath, the bones still reference the Audi/Porsche shared architecture — the MLB Evo lineage that made this kind of swap technically plausible in the first place.
There's also a proper race-car convenience: an Aston x Moton air-jack system for quick service in the paddock. Pull up, hook the hose, and the car pops up like a purpose-built competitor rather than a static showpiece.
Where this fits in the market
This Macan drift taxi sits at the intersection of several trends: the rise of crossover-based performance builds, the drift-culture demand for novelty passenger experiences, and the aftermarket enthusiasm for platform-sharing swaps between Volkswagen Group marques. It isn't aimed at Porsche purists; instead, it targets event promoters, drift fans, and anyone who wants a four-seat vehicle that can yank passengers into a new appreciation for sideways driving.
Debut, schedule and real-world use
The drift Macan made its debut at SEMA in Las Vegas where it drew predictable crowds. FCP Euro plans to take the car on a 2026 US track schedule as a working drift taxi — not a garage trophy. Expect passenger laps, drift demos, and tire-smoking runs that showcase heat-soaked V8 torque in the nose of a Porsche-branded crossover.
Quote highlight: "It's a smoke machine with a VIN." That line sums it up — a road-legal(ish) machine built to be used hard, entertain, and prove that a crossover can be just as exciting when the goal is drift angle debauchery rather than lap time discipline.
Whether you love it or hate it, the project is a reminder of how shared engineering across brands can be turned from corporate convenience into creative motorsport expression. For fans of Audi RS7 power, Porsche chassis dynamics, and drift culture spectacle, this Macan is one of the most interesting crossovers you'll see on a track calendar next year.
Source: autoevolution
Comments
atomwave
Cool project but is RWD conversion on an MLB Evo really reliable? sounds like a lot of custom mounts and $$$. curious about durability
v8rider
Holy crap, a Macan with an RS7 V8? Pure madness. 4 seats, roll cage and smoke for days.. I wanna ride it, but insurance probs a nightmare tho
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