The time has finally come when virtually anyone can become the owner of a mini hatchback with 500 horsepower, or 375 kilowatts, under the hood. To think that a few decades ago, we used to associate this kind of performance with supercars…
Depicted here is an Audi RS3 Sportback tuned by ABT. From the outside, it looks more or less like the production car save for a few upgrades here and there. Peek under the hood, though, and you will find the stock 2.5-liter Audi five-banger boosted to deliver an astonishing 500 hp (373 kW) along with 570 Nm (420 lb×ft) of torque. The tuner proudly says the car now does the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 3.7 seconds and doesn’t reach its speed ceiling until 299 km/h (186 mph).
The performance surplus comes from a new intercooler, a sports exhaust system, and an ECU remap.
To put things into perspective: the Ferrari F430 sports car (2004 – 2009) used to sprint 0-100 in four seconds flat and maxed out at 315 km/h (196 mph).
Photos: ABT Sportsline