ABT Sportsline Readying New Audi Models for 2011 Geneva Motor Show

VW Group specialist ABT Sportsline will bring several Audi models to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, including the eye-catching R8 GTR with a chrome finish pictured above, as well as its newest tuning proposals for the A7 Sportback and 2012MY A6 sedan.

Alongside the R8 GT-R, A7 Sportback and A6, the German tuner will also be presenting a fourth model, which is being kept a secret for now. “We will be bringing along a sports car which I personally like a lot. For it shows our technical capabilities and offers a maximum level of driving enjoyment. I am looking forward to seeing how it is received by the public in Geneva," said the ABT general manager, Hans-Jürgen.

ABT Treats New Audi A8 with 385-Diesel-Ponies and Styling Kit

Not quite the Audi S8-alternative we were expecting from ABT, but the diesel-powered AS8 appears to be a promising start. Using the 2011 A8 with the 4.2-liter V8 TDI as a base, ABT Sportsline tweaked the turbo diesel engine boosting output from 350HP and 800Nm to 385HP and 880Nm / 649 lb-ft of peak torque.

As no ABT conversion would be complete without the usual styling upgrades, the German tuner bundled a body kit comprising of a front spoiler, side skirt, a somewhat discreet boot lid spoiler and a new rear apron housing a diffuser and the new quad tail pipes.

A choice of 20- or 21-inch ABT CR alloy wheels wrapped in sport tires and an available matte black foil complete the upgrades to the AS8.

The new ABT AS8 – data and facts

ABT ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
Engine: 4.2 TDI, 4134 ccm capacity
Performance tuning: ABT Power
Performance: 385 HP/283 kW (standard: 350 HP/257 kW)

ABT AERODYNAMICS
ABT front wing
ABT side skirts
ABT rear wing (three-part)
ABT rear skirt with exhaust covers

ABT WHEEL TECHNOLOGY
ABT CR wheel in 20 and 21 inches
Available also as complete set of wheels with sports tires

ABT Fine Tunes the New VW Polo, Gets Up to 130 Diesel or Gasoline Ponies

We don't know when (or if, for that matter) Volkswagen will drop a high-output version of its 1.4-TSI along with a GTI badge on the fifth-generation Polo, but until then, buyers can head over to ABT as the German firm launched a new tuning programme for the supermini. Under the hood, ABT's power kit boosts the output of the base version of the 1.6-liter TDI turbo diesel from 75HP to 90HP, the 90HP version to 110HP and the 105HP variant of the same unit, to 130HP. For the 1.2-liter TSI gasoline engine, ABT's programme lifts output from 105HP to 130HP.

ABT says that despite the power upgrades, fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures remain at the same level as the stock engines.

The tuning firm upgrades the chassis of the Polo with a new set of springs that drops ride height a few millimeters while buyers may also opt for a subtle aero kit that includes a carbon fiber roof spoiler and rear apron that houses twin tailpipes along with a set of 18-inch titanium colored alloy wheels and special decals.

For the interior, ABT's offerings are limited to an aluminum gearshift knob and specific floor mats. Pricing (and real-life photos...) are to be announced closer to the launch date later on in the year.

DUI: ABT Creates One-Off Audi A5 Convertible Special for Radeberger Pilsner...

DUI as in 'designing under the influence'... You see, some things in this life, such as asking a German tuner to create a one-off special for a German brewery, are just not meant to be. We understand that this is a promotional vehicle with Radeberger Pilsner's traditional black and gold color scheme but, well, let's just say that the photos speak for themselves. Anyway, aside from the ABT two-tone bodykit, chunky alloy wheels and logos, the special A5 Cabrio gets a red leather interior with Radeberger's name embroidered on the headrests and the floor mats.

ABT also equipped the A5 Convertible with a pair of LCD screens that are mounted on the back of the front headrests while another highlight is the drink cooler located under the center armrest.

Pop up the bonnet and you'll find a tweaked version of Audi's 2.0-liter TFSI that has received a series of upgrades boosting output to 275HP, up from 180HP. ABT says that the drop top A5 can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in 6.7 seconds and achieve a maximum speed of 271 km/h or 169 mph. The ride and handling are improved as well with brake and suspension upgrades.

The one-off ABT Radeberger Audi A5 Cabrio special will be raffled off in Germany sometime before the end of the year.

Summer Tuning: ABT Takes on the new Audi A5 Convertible

ABT Sportline, the German tuning house that has an appetite for VW Group products, has applied its tuning skills to the new Audi A5 Convertible. Similar to the A5 Coupe, ABT's AS5 tuning package offers power upgrades for most of the engines available in the A5 Convertible's engine range, with the 2.0-liter TFSIs producing 275HP instead of the factory models' 180HP and 211HP, the 2.7-liter TDI diesel 230HP, up from 190HP and the 3.0-liter, 282HP, or with a new ABT turbocharger, 310HP and 610Nm of torque, up from the stock engine's 240HP.

To harness the extra power, the tuning firm also offers an array of suspension and brake system upgrades.

Of course, no tuning package can be complete without visual enhancements. For the A5 Convertible, ABT has readied an aero kit that bundles a distinctive front apron, ABT's black grille, side skirts and a rear apron housing a quad-pipe exhaust system. Customers can also equip their car with a set of BR alloy wheels available in two sizes, 19- and 20-inches.

Factory Supported Audi R8 LMS to Compete at the 24h of Nurburgring

The competition is heating up for next month's 24-hours of Nurburgring as Audi has announced that it too will take part in the famed endurance race with four factory supported R8 LMS racecars, two for each of the ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing teams. The R8 LMS is a rear-wheel drive GT3 version of the German firm's mid-engined sportscar equipped with a 500HP-plus 5.2-liter FSI V10 that was developed by Audi's motorsport division for private customers and race teams alike.

"The 24 Hours is not only one of the biggest motorsport events in Germany," says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. "The Nürburgring-Nordschleife is considered one of the world's toughest and most demanding race tracks. Similar to Sebring for the sports prototypes, it is superbly suited for revealing the final improvement potential of any new race car. This is exactly what we're planning to do at the 24-hour race before delivering the R8 LMS to customers, starting this fall."

The ABT Sportsline and Phoenix Racing teams will hit the 'Ring on May 23 with driver squads consisting of five current Audi "factory" drivers, four DTM Champions, four Le Mans winners and five drivers who have won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring at least once.

Among others they include the reigning DTM Champion Timo Scheider, who – together with his DTM teammate Mattias Ekström and three-time Le Mans winner Marco Werner – will compete for Team ABT Sportsline, and three-times 24h Nurburgring winner Hans-Joachim Stuck, who will pilot one of the cars of the Team Phoenix Racing.

The Audi teams at the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring:

Audi R8 LMS #97 (ABT Sportsline)

• Christian Abt (D)
  
• Jean-François Hemroulle (B)
  
• Pierre Kaffer (D)
  
• Lucas Luhr (D)
  

Audi R8 LMS #98 (Phoenix Racing)

• Marc Basseng (D)
  
• Frank Stippler (D)
  
• Mike Rockenfeller (D)
  

Audi R8 LMS #99 (Phoenix Racing)

• Frank Biela (D)
  
• Marcel Fässler (CH)
  
• Emanuele Pirro (I)
  
• Hans-Joachim Stuck (A)
  

Audi R8 LMS #100 (ABT Sportsline)

• Mattias Ekström (S)
  
• Timo Scheider (D)
  
• Marco Werner (D)
  

ABT AS5-R: Modified Audi S5 with 510HP set for Geneva Debut

The Audi S5-based AS5-R from ABT Sportsline will be making its worldwide debut at next month's Geneva Show. ABT's tuning proposal for the most powerful variant of the A5 coupe includes an updated version of the current S5's 344HP 4.2-liter V8 engine that has been modified to produce an output of 510-horsepower. For the record, Audi is planning to replace the S5 Coupe's V8 with the recently introduced S5 Cabriolet's new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 engine that develops 333HP.

ABT did not disclose any more information on the car, but aside from the engine-tune up, the AS5-R will also benefit from a new bodykit and larger alloy wheels along with a modified suspension and a more powerful braking system.

The German tuner's Geneva booth will also host the firm's latest creations including the ABT VW Sciorcco Coupe and the ABT Audi Q5 and R8.

ABT Sportsline Readying Modified KTM X-BOW with 300HP

As well as announcing the availability of KTM's unashamedly sportsbike-inspired X-BOW from its dealerships, VW Group tuning specialist ABT Sportsline, also revealed its plans to develop a more powerful version of the open-top road-racer. In standard form, the X-BOW is powered by a VW-sourced 2.0-liter TFSI engine with 240HP that launches the 790 kg / 1,742 lbs ultra lightweight sportscar from zero to (62 mph) 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

With the performance improvements that ABT Sportsline is working on, the 2.0 TFSI will deliver a hefty 300 HP. The German tuner said that it will provide more detailed information about the technical key data of X-BOW ABT version once the standard tests have been carried out.

In what concerns the availability of the X-BOW from its dealerships, as a large outlet partner, ABT Sportsline said that it will not only take on the sale of the car itself, but also all the service work on the vehicle.

Power to the People: ABT Tunes the VW Golf VI

If you're looking for a little more zest out of your 2009 Golf VI, then you might want to take a look at the new tuning packages from VW Group specialist, ABT Sportsline. The German tuner has introduced an array of cosmetic and mechanical upgrades for Volkswagen's latest generation Golf, including a power kit for the forthcoming GTI that boosts the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine's output from 210 to 240HP.

With ABT's power kit, the entry-level 1.4 TSI engine that delivers 122HP in stock form produces 170HP, while the more powerful 1.4 TSI with 160HP gains an additional 40-horsepower for a total output of 200HP. As for the popular in Europe diesel version, the 2.0 TDI delivers 170HP from 140HP.

Other mechanical modifications concern the sport-tuned suspension and the availability of two braking packages (345mm and 380mm brake discs).

As for ABT's aerodynamic bodykit, it consists of a front grill, front and rear aprons, side sills, rear wing plus quad exhaust tailpipes and 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.

The new ABT Golf – Data and Facts

ABT POWER

Series: 1.4 TSI 122 HP ---- ABT Power: 170 HP

Series: 1.4 TSI 160 HP ---- ABT Power: 200 HP

Series: 2.0 TSI 210 HP ---- ABT Power: 240 HP

Series: 2.0 TDI 140 HP ---- ABT Power 170 HP

ABT AERODYNAMICS

ABT Front grill
ABT Front apron
ABT Sidebars
ABT Rear apron attachment
ABT Rear spoiler
ABT All-in package consisting of: ABT front grill, ABT front apron, ABT sidebars, ABT rear
apron attachment, ABT rear wing, ABT wing inserts, ABT wing enlargement

ABT SPORT WHEELS

ABT AR and BR; 18 and 19-inch; diamond turned or high-gloss polished.
Also available as a full wheelset with sports tyres.

ABT EXHAUST TECHNOLOGY

ABT 4-pipe exhaust

ABT SUSPENSION

ABT springs, lowering of the vehicle's centre of gravity
ABT Thread sports chassis

ABT BRAKES

ABT Braking system, brake disks 345 millimetres
ABT Sports braking system, brake disks 380 millimetres

ΑΒΤ Audi A3 Convertible with up to 270Hp

Although ABT is still working on the A3 Convertible’s optic package, the German tuner has revealed details on the available mechanical upgrades for Audi’s newest soft-top that competes against the BMW 1-Series Convertible. Starting off with ABT’s basic “Power” pack, the 1.8 TFSi’s output is raised to 200Hp (from 160Hp) while the 2.0 TFSi delivers 240Hp (from 200Hp). For those who want more, ABT offers the “Power S” kit that increases the 1.8 TFSi’s output to 240Hp and the 2.0 TFSi’s to 270Hp. -Image gallery after the jump