ABT Sportsline will be building only 200 units of the RS3-R Sportback, drastically enhancing road and track driving experience over the regular Audi RS 3.
The addition of a custom external ECU and a cold air intake system enables the liftback to churn out 500 PS (493 hp / 368 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque. The improvement comes alongside a half-second reduction in sprint time (down from 3.8s to 3.3s 0-100 km/h).
Major changes were made to the suspension. The dampers are now adjustable for compression and recoil, while coil-over springs can be used to drop ride height on both axles by between 20 and 40 mm (0.8 – 1.6 inches). The latter should be of particular interest to track day enthusiasts, because the car can now accelerate all the way up to 300 km/h (186 mph) and supports drive modes called Eco, Sport and Race. Switching between them is as easy as launching an app called myABT on your smartphone and tapping the desired mode.
To spice things up from the aesthetic standpoint, the RS3-R gets a carbon aero kit incorporating a front spoiler, side winglets, mirror caps, rear spoiler and rear bumper. Standard wheels can be replaced with 20-inch forged ABT rims shod in GOODYEAR Eagle F1 SuperSport R tires.
Rounding off the list of options is a mild cabin makeover that includes premium seat upholstery, illuminated kick plates, branded floor mats, special edition plaques and the ABT start/stop button.