Get A Load Of ABT's 523bhp Audi 'RS5-R' And Its Massive Wheels

With 444bhp, a 40 per cent increase in torque over the old V8 version and a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds, the new Audi RS5 can hardly be described as ‘sluggish’. But that hasn’t stopped German tuner ABT Sportsline having a performance orientated fiddle.

The results look and sound rather agreeable, we’d say. Power from the 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6 has increased to 523bhp, while torque has received a 15 per cent bump to 509lb ft. As a result, the 0-62mph time has dropped from 3.9 to 3.6 seconds.

The standard RS5 isn’t the most raucous-sounding RS-badged Audi, but ABT has that sorted too thanks to a new exhaust system with a quartet of 102mm carbonfibre tailpipes.

On the suspension front, ABT anti-roll bars and ABT height-adjustable springs are available. Want to go a step further? The firm is currently working with KW to develop a set of coilovers specifically for the RS5.

Aesthetic tweaks at the front include a new splitter, small Gurney flaps and a grille frame with an ‘RS5-R’ logo. There are optional vents for the front wings, while at the back you’ll find a new diffuser element and a new spoiler. The most dramatic change for the outside? That’d be the huge 21-inch wheels.

There are no images of the interior just yet, where ABT has added RS5-R-branded part-leather seats, a new cover for the gear selector, a numbered plaque, and “many other extras.”

The RS5-R will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show. It’ll be limited to 50 units, sold for an as-yet unreleased price.