THE ABT RS3-R IS WHAT THE HYPER-HATCH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE START.
ABT Sportsline is known worldwide for its top-quality aftermarket components and tuning options available to the owners of the best cars from VAG (the Volkswagen and Audi Group), which makes complete sense seeing as they’ve been around for more than 125 years. Johann Abt, a blacksmith, founded an innovation workshop in 1896 where new ideas were literally forged making a complete change from the usual items offered by similar companies at the time. Not happy with just making horseshoes and related repairs, the man invented a new-design carriage that doubles as a sleigh in harsh winters. Ingenuity is in the family DNA. Trickling down, grandson Johann Abt appreciated fast cars, and so in 1967 he established ABT Tuning and kicked things off by fiddling with the iconic Mk1 Golf in 1978, he even launched the world’s first chip tuning product in 1980. The heritage at ABT Sportsline is pretty much identical to that of the world’s first ‘hot-hatch’, and the brands will be forever linked.
The latest incarnation of Audi’s uber-popular and ridiculously fast hatchback, the RS3, is as good as it gets. The car is packed with all the best tech and features money can buy - and it all adds up to a hefty price tag. For owners who want something a little more special, ABT Sportsline has a tuning package available to transform the run-of-the-mill RS3 into the pretty damn awesome ABT RS3-R. As you can see from the images, the package includes a plethora of visual upgrades that stand out thanks to their bare yet shiny carbon fibre finish.
In OEM guise, the new and relatively lightweight Audi RS3 has an already impressive power output of 294 kW (400 hp) with torque set at a powerful 500 Nm. Via the options already available through ABT Sportsline the high-tech ABT Engine Control unit, along with a specially developed hi-flow intercooler takes the 5-pot’s power up to 368 kW (500 hp) with a 100 Nm bump to 600 Nm. this rather non-invasive upgrade sees the car’s 0 - 100 km/h dash drop from a manufacturer-claimed 3.8-seconds to a quick 3.3-seconds. We quite like this. Exterior bits include a front lip, front flics, mirror caps, a rear skirt insert and that wicked ABT rear spoiler in glossy carbon fibre. There are also the 95mm ABT 4-pipe tailpiece trims in matt black stainless steel. Rolling stock sees a swap to a set of extremely lightweight HR High-Performance rims, and the drive is tightened up with an anti-roll bar and optional height-adjustable sports suspension with individual adjustment options. For the cabin, the door light sees a change to the Audi logo shining down to the floor, it gets replaced by the ABT Sportsline logo. The same is seen on the ABT floor mats, door sill trims, the ABT Start-Stop switch cap as well as the in the refinement of the seats with the ABT and RS3-R logos. Optional ABT gearshift paddles, seat frame covers and dashboard cover complete the overall look.
It's clear why ABT Sportsline has been around as long as they have. Their tuning packages are well thought out, they feature the best quality products available and they have the ability to completely, yet tastefully transform a ride. When the South African distributors of ABT Sportsline components and kits, VAG Café (www.vagcafe.com) supply one of these limited edition kits locally, we'll be the first to let you know. It would be awesome if someone locally transforms their RS3 into an ABT RS3-R, we need at least one of the 200 available kits to be seen on our shores.
Take a look at the YouTube video that showcases all the coolest bits available for Audi's super-hot new RS3 from world-renowned Audi tuner ABT, to create the ABT RS3-R: THE NEW ABT RS3-R | ABT Sportsline