Crate engines are all over the place, as long as you're willing to limit yourself to American makes and V8s. As cool as an LSX-powered Audi would be, it would offend the sensibilities of some, though it'd be great in a "that's just not right" sort of way. What would be right, though, is a crate engine from Ingolstadt.

More pie-in-the-sky after the jump

[Source: Fourtitude.com]

Fueled by rumor and rampant speculation, Fourtitude has laid out a convincing manifesto for a crate motor to serve as the cornerstone to a line of classic Audi restoration and upgrade parts. Nothing is confirmed, of course, but the scuttlebutt at SEMA was that Audi is working on an FSI-fed, turbocharged five-cylinder to go in upcoming overachiever versions of the TT. A modern Audi five gets the salivary glands of enthusiasts going, as the original Audi five is a thing of legend, and there's a finite amount of them. The zooted up engines carrying RS2 or Sport Quattro bits are the VAG equivalent of GM's ZL-1 big block.

We're not sure what engine-management would look like for a turbo FSI engine in a box: it's not like you're not just bolting a set of carbs on it and setting the timing. Modern engines use tightly integrated engine management systems that communicate over networking protocols like CAN. CAN is a tough nut for the backyard DIY car geek to crack, but we're hopeful that something will materialize should the engine ever make it past the point of dreaming. We could certainly envision a stripped-down longblock and a series of available induction and fueling systems sold alongside. Of course, there's always the non-trivial matter of bolting it into the car and getting it to play nice with transmissions. It is an intriguing idea, and Audis are rewarding cars to turn wrenches on, so let's cross our fingers. Besides, there's nothing like the snarl of a wound-out five.