For it is a jolly good fellow... ! ABT Sportsline congratulates the Audi A3 on its 20th birthday. The original version, 8L, based upon the Golf IV, was a real innovation. After all, it was the first premium compact car in the entire group and to become very important for ABT Sportsline. And the body variants have become ever more: the first A3, from 1999 also available with five doors, in the next generation, 8P, had become a spacious “sportback”. And there also was a convertible. The latest generation, 8V, also has an impressively dynamic notchback.
ABT Sportsline has always dealt with all new variants, with the racy S3 always having had a special place. With the 8P, we then had the even faster RS3, still not racy enough for ABT or its fans. Thanks to ABT Power S with its own control unit, the latest version, based on the 8V, shows 450 hp/ 331 kW instead of 270 kW/ 367 hp, with torque at 550 Nm, up from 465. By comparison with what we had 20 years ago: this was what a Porsche 911 Turbo was able to show – and only when having been equipped with the factory performance upgrade. And the ABT Audi RS3’s acceleration is also perfect, with 4.1 seconds to get from naught to 100 kph. The current top speed is 300 kph.
In terms of road holding, the RS3 and its a bit less powerful siblings are also perfect, as are their looks – all thanks to the optional ABT suspension springs. The “more staid” A3s are also lent a more sporty body: while the RS3 features an optional sonorous muffler system and cool fender inserts, these also receive a front and rear spoiler, a front grille and a striking rear skirt set, including a 4-pipe exhaust system. A huge selection of alloy wheels is available for all A3 variants. We should also mention that the conventional petrol and diesel engines can be upgraded up to 210 hp/ 154 kW – what the very first S3 showed as serial version. The modern S3, however, is upgraded by the leading tuner of cars produced by the Volkswagen Group from 300 hp/ 221 kW to up to 400 hp/ 294 kW. And just like always with ABT Sportsline extensive tests on the dynamometer and public roads and an extensive warranty mean maximum dependability and safety.