The small workshop was set up in 1896 and became the world’s largest automotive aftermarket and performance parts specialist for Audi and VW. “A motorsport mechanic will be responsible for the conversion of each individual example – a unique and exceptional event. One man, one vehicle – from start to finish”, enthuses CEO Hans-Jürgen Abt: “Six cars per month will be hand-built.” Johann Abt’s original signature pervades throughout the design of the collector’s piece as a central feature. The historic spelling with the single “n” and the doubling line represents the utmost in authenticity. The reference to the founding story is not merely a philosophical question, but is underpinned by a unique relic.
Hans-Jürgen Abt explains: “Johann Abt’s first anvil provided many years’ loyal service. On this anvil, my great grandfather transformed his vision into innovation. It is an irreplaceable piece of history, that has now earned a worthy place for eternity: not in the museum, but in the most exclusive ABT of all time.” Each of the 64 cars contains a time capsule with a fragment of the original anvil. An additional highlight: The elaborately manufactured and back-lit emblem strip with consecutive numbering # xx of 64. “The successor to our sold-out ABT RS6 R 1/125 is defined not only by the connection to our history and the myriad attractive details. Its performance, which was measured on the highspeed track at Papenburg, is revolutionary”, Hans-Jürgen Abt continues. A single statistic says it all: From 0 to 100 km/h in 2.91 seconds – a whole 0.69 seconds faster than a standard RS 6. The asphalt athlete achieves 200 km/h in just 9.79 seconds after the start. In less than half a minute – 28.35 seconds – it accelerates from 0 to 300 km/h. “The anniversary model has shortened this time by over 20 seconds compared to the production model”, the CEO enthuses.
Furthermore, the maximum speed is 330 km/h. Behind these figures is an engine that unleashes the brute force of a forging hammer: 800 HP (589 kW) means 200 HP (148 kW) more than the standard model. The maximum torque is 980 Nm, whereby a peak of 1000 Nm is possible. To achieve these figures, the performance upgrade* utilises in-house developed turbochargers and the high-tech control unit ABT Engine Control (AEC). In addition, new, larger intercoolers provide cooler air. And to maintain a healthy engine temperature even at top speed, an additional oil cooling system has been installed. Working closely together with the AEC, and making its debut in the Johann Abt Signature Edition, the new ABT App displays live parameters such as current increased performance, additional torque and a range of engine data.
Three different driving modes – ECO, POWER and RACE – control the intensity of the performance upgrade and can adapt to lower-octane fuel in the short term. Performance alone was far from enough for tuning specialists ABT Sportsline. ABT heightadjustable suspension springs and anti-roll bars ensure significantly reduced roll and lean tendency. The ingenious aero package also contributes to the handling. It was tested
