If you've read our review on the recently upgraded Audi RS 4 Avant and you're wondering why the German company didn't do more to its drivetrain during the facelift, then maybe tuning house Abt Sportsline can help - as it'll give you a thumping power upgrade for the mighty wagon if you want it.
Big power gains
Abt Power S is the package which has done the work on the Audi's 2.9-litre biturbo V6 petrol motor, which in stock form doles out robust figures of 450hp and 600Nm. Yet, with Abt's know-how, you get 80 additional units of both power a torque, resulting in peaks of 530hp and 680Nm. The kit to liberate this sort of punch includes an Abt Engine Control (ABT) high-tech unit, an additional water-cooler package and a revised air intake cover. You can even go further by adding an optional Abt intercooler to the mix, although it's not necessary for the 530hp/680Nm digits.
Abt doesn't say what this sort of hike in power does for the RS 4's performance stats, but with the stock version managing a 4.1-second 0-100km/h sprint and a 250km/h limited top speed (optionally able to be raised to 280km/h), the power-to-weight ratio of the Audi RS 4 Abt is beyond 300hp-per-tonne; it's therefore reasonable to expect it to be as fast, or maybe even faster, than its larger RS 6 sibling, which'll run 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.6 seconds.
Styling mods
As Audi changed the looks of the RS 4 during its facelift, you might think this was an area Abt has left alone. Not so; instead, it offers Abt Aero Components for the RS 4, including wheel-arch vents adorned with real carbon-fibre fins and a gloss-finished carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) rear spoiler. There's also a full Abt stainless-steel exhaust system fitted to the car, which enhances the acoustics and provides a quartet of larger, carbon-fibre-tipped tailpipes that measure 102mm per aperture... oof. Alloy wheels are also uprated, with ABT Sports Wheels DR and FR available in 20-inch sizes and a Mystic Black finish, or alternatively the GR design can be specified in either glossy or matte black, in either 20- or 21-inch diameter.
Furthermore, there's an Abt Height-Adjustable Suspension Kit for the RS 4, or a simpler Abt Height-Adjustable Springs, either of which drop the Audi lower to the deck, while both suspension packages can be combined with Abt anti-roll bats from the front and rear axles. Interior styling isn't neglected either, with an Abt-specific switch cap for the start-stop button, ABT seat-frame covers in carbon fibre, and dashboard trim fillets also rendered in carbon fibre. An Abt shift knob, integrated entrance lights and a leather/carbon-fibre finish steering wheel complete the set.
If you fancy having a play around with Abt's RS 4 configurator, you can do so right here.