ABT AS5 SPORTBACK : CHIC, SPORTY AND FAST

2013 ABT AS5 Sportback

There are cars and then there is the Audi A5. The “Sportback” is characterised by an unobtrusively elegant body that makes it really stand out. “The clear design of its stretched, sporty body makes it an utterly wonderful car, a car of its own”, says Hans-Jürgen Abt. For the managing director of the globally largest manufacturer of cars produced by the Volkswagen Group, the new A5 is a masterpiece with which the ABT Sportsline philosophy can be perfectly implemented. “The car is very sporty and individual, assertive and dynamic – an ideal basis for our engineers and designers”, he says.

When conceiving the upratings for the ABT AS5, the developers took account of the respective engine's characteristics and saw to full dependability and roadworthiness. The result is a car that gives a lot of pleasure, coming with a guarantee and regardless of which engine you have opted for. There are three turbo petrol engine variants. After having been “ABTPOWERised”, the economical 1.8 TFSI shows 211 hp or 155 kW (serial version: 170 hp/125 kW), the 2.0 TFSI delivers 270 hp/199 kW (serial version: 211 hp/155 kW). Especially impressive is the 3.0 TFSI: 380 hp or 279 kW (serial version 272 hp/200 kW), and a torque of 500 Nm makes this variant a real athlete. For frequent drivers, we recommend the turbo diesel engines, which also get uprated by ABT Sportsline: to 300 hp or 221 kW (serial version: 245 hp/180 kW) and an impressive torque of 570 NM for the 3.0 TDI and torquey 205 hp or 151 kW for the 2.0 TDI (serial version: 177 hp/130 kW).

Rather befitting this extra performance and agility, the creative Bavarian developers also came up with components that underscore the elegant and dynamic character of the ABT AS5: the front lip spoiler and an assertive rear end, including a rear skirt and the four-pipe exhaust, form a unit with the Sportback’s extravagant design. Sporty CR or DR alloy wheels, available in 19 or 20 inches, make the car perfect. Needless to say that ABT also sells them in combination with high-speed tires and wheel spacers.

The ABT Sportsline chassis springs lower the car’s CoG by 25mm, which does not only leave a sportier impression but also gives it more performance precision. This is best done with the sport coilovers that makes for a maximum lowering of 50mm. The driver selects the right setting for any given situation and positions the A5 between a luxurious limo and a racing car. At its limit, the car is made safer by the ABT braking system, which is also fully geared to the uprating. The new ABT AS5 is always an unobtrusively elegant high-end sports car and a real pleasure to drive.

Images : 2013 ABT AS5 Sportback