ABT Sportsline boosts looks and performance of Audi S5 and A5 Sportback

The Audi RS5 Coupe is a real stunner with its athletic looks and sporty performance. Regarded as a Gran Turismo among RS models by Audi Sport’s chief executive, the Audi RS5 Coupe offers 450 hp (336 kW) of max output and a 442 lb.-ft. (600 Nm) of peak torque, as derived from a 2.9 liter bi-turbo V6 engine. Getting a top-down version of the Audi RS5 Coupe is out of the question for now, but the good guys at ABT Sportsline are willing to offer a beefed up variant of the Audi S5 Cabriolet.

It is not exactly the RS5 Cabriolet, but ABT Sportsline’s creation is close – the ABT S5 Cabriolet. The most fundamental change made for the S5 Cabriolet is its power rating. As standard, a typical Audi S5 Cabriolet is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 turbo engine that could deliver 354 hp (260 kW) of max output and 500 Nm of peak torque.

That’s nowhere close to the power rating of the dynamic mill inside the RS5 Cabriolet. However, the German tuner’s ABT Engine Control (AEC) made this already powerful engine become more dynamic, with the output and torque levels surging to 425 hp (313 kW) and 550 Nm, respectively. ABT Sportsline is also making this power tweak available for other body variants of the Audi S5.

To match and communicate the considerable surge in power, a number of aerodynamic and visual tweaks were implemented on the ABT S5 Cabriolet. The ABT S5 Cabriolet was fitted with the ABT Rear Skirt Set that includes the ABT Rear Muffler with two black chrome-plated 89-mm double pipes.

The ABT Rear Skirt Set also lends the ABT S5 Cabriolet a distinctive diffuser design. ABT Sportsline also dressed the ABT S5 Cabriolet on the front with ABT Front Spoiler as well as an offset air splitter. Clients could choose from an array of 19- and 20-inch wheels for their ABT S5 Cabriolet, available in colors like “gun-metal,” “mystic black” and “silverbullet.”

Interestingly, ABT Sportsline is also introducing the ABT A5 Sportback, a more powerful tuned version of the Audi A5 Sportback. Audi A5 Sportback gets the same cosmetic treatment as the ABT S5 Cabriolet. Furthermore, the Audi A5 Sportback also receives ABT Engine Control, thereby increasing the power levels of its available engines.

For instance, the tweak increased the output of the 252-hp (185 kW) 2.0-liter TFSI engine to 330 hp (243 kW), and the output of the 190-hp (140 kW) 2.0-liter TDI mill to 215 hp (158 kW). The tweak also increased the outputs of the 218-hp (160 kW) 3.0 TDI engine to 250 hp (184 kW), and the 272-hp (200 kW) 3.0 TDI engine to 325 hp (239 kW).

ABT Sportsline is planning to offer an ABT Height Adjustable Suspension Kit in the future, allowing the A5 and the S5 to sit between 15 mm and 40 mm lower to the ground.

PRESS RELEASE

ABT S5 Cabriolet and A5 Sportback rustle the leaves with up to 425 HP

Popular wisdom states that roses blooming in late fall indicate a late winter. ABT Sportsline prefers to plant two attractive vehicle highlights on the asphalt to blow away any winter blues. Hardy drivers can have brilliant fun with the S5 Cabriolet all year round, while the A5 Sportback turns out to be everybody's darling, offering enough space for a sled or snowboard under the tailgate.

First, let's call “top down” for the S5 Cabriolet, improved by the German company with the ABT Engine Control (AEC): With 425 HP (313 kW) instead of the standard 354 HP (260 kW) and 550 instead of 500 Nm, it takes no seasonal storm to feel the wind in your hair. The substantial power boost of around 20 percent for the 3.0-liter V6 turbo engine is also available for other body versions of the S5. And if the wind created by the vehicle's speed is not enough, the resonant ABT Rear Muffler with the two black chrome-plated 89 mm double pipes will certainly blow the last dry leaves off the trees. The finely tuned instrument also forms part of the ABT Rear Skirt Set, which gives the Audi a particularly aggressive rear with the distinctive diffuser design. To match this, the front end receives a dynamic ABT Front Spoiler with an offset air splitter from ABT Sportsline. Of course, the shelves at ABT also offer different 19 and 20 inch rims in attractive colors such as “gun-metal”, “silverbullet” or “mystic black”, in FR, GR, DR, ER-C.

So the ABT S5 Cabriolet sets a brisk pace – but the attractive ABT A5 Sportback certainly does not need to hide, either. After all, it received the same styling package from ABT – only the tail pipes are in regular chrome instead of black. Where the S5 scores with ultimate power, the A5 stands out on account of the large engine variety. Thanks to ABT Engine Control, a little bit more is no problem: The 2.0 TFSI with 252 HP (185 kW) as a standard now offers 330 HP (243 kW), the 2.0 TDI evolves from 190 HP (140 kW) to 215 HP (158 kW) and the “little” 3.0 TDI boosts its standard 218 HP (160 kW) to 250 HP (184 kW), while the “big” one grows from 272 HP (200 kW) to 325 HP (239 kW). So, the ABT A5 Sportback definitely has a lot more to offer than just convenient cargo space. Soon, an ABT Height Adjustable Suspension-Kit will complete the range and get both, A5 and S5, 15 to 40 mm nearer to the tarmac.