Boosted at Essen.
The Essen Motor Show is over and companies are preparing to close for the Holiday season. ABT Sportsline was one of the companies getting everything all set and unveiled at the 2017 Essen Motor Show before the end of the year, and one of their stars to steal the spotlight was the ABT Sportsline Audi RS3.
The new Audi RS3 is an impressive machine in its own right as it’s the pinnacle of the model line. A 2.5-liter, turbocharged inline-five engine generates a potent 395 horsepower and 354 lb-ft. of torque, allowing it to reach 62 mph from rest in just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph. ABT Sportsline already unveiled a tuning program that pushed output to a healthy 460 horsepower. However, at the Essen Motor Show, they unveiled the ABT Power R – a specially-developed ECU that pushes output all the way to the 500-horsepower mark.
While that performance on paper is downright impressive, ABT Sportsline also took steps to improve the Audi RS3’s handling dynamics. A new set of ABT suspension springs and ABT anti-roll bars were installed on the show car along with a special ABT Damper Setup that was developed alongside KW automotive. These new dampers feature multi-valve technology that allows drivers to perfectly tailor the damping to specific rebound and bump settings for optimum handling in any situation.
Hitting the pavement are a choice of alloys from ABT Sportsline such as the ABT DR, ER-C, ER-F, or FR wheels. Behind those wheels sits a new ABT Brake Upgrade kit that cuts down stopping distances even more than the factory setup.
The Audi RS3 already looks more aggressive and powerful than the A3 and S3 models, however ABT Sportsline decided to turn things up a notch. A new front skirt add-on, front grille with RS3 logo and front fender vents change the character of the car. At the rear, a new glossy black rear skirt was added and makes room for the new ABT Exhaust system with two sets of 102-mm dual matte black tailpipes.
Passengers are greeted by a new set of ABT-branded entrance lights in the re-styled interior. Here, the ABT Sportsline Audi RS3 was given a new gearshift lever badge, start/stop button, carbon fiber trim pieces, and more to reflect the added athleticism of the German-tuned sports car.
The new ABT Sportsline Audi RS3 likely won’t be putting around town anytime soon until the company is back from their long Holiday break. However, you better get ready for some German power in 2018.
ABT Sportsline Audi RS3 Specifications
Engine:
Displacement: 2.5 liters
Number of Cylinders: Inline-five
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Maximum Horsepower: 500 / 368 kW
-ABT Power R
Wheels, Brakes, Suspension:
Wheels: ABT DR, ER-C, ER-F, or FR alloys
Brakes: ABT Brake Upgrade Kit
Suspension: ABT Suspension Springs, ABT Anti-Roll Bars, ABT Damper Setup
Exterior:
-Front skirt add-on
-Front grille add-on with RS3 logo
-Front fender vents
-Gloss Black rear skirt set
-ABT Exhaust System with two set of dual 102-mm Matte Black tailpipes
Interior:
-ABT Sportsline door entrance lights
-Gearshift level badge
-New Start/Stop button
-Carbon fiber trim
ABT Sportsline Audi RS3 Gallery
Source: ABT Sportsline
Is 500 horsepower enough for you in the new ABT Sportsline Audi RS3 or do you need more?
