ABT Audi AS4 Avant

[Matt]

Abt AS4 Avant. A noble sportsman in a tailor-made suit.

Truly extraordinary ability of a tuner only shows then, when the production model that has to be tuned already appears to be quite a success. Such as, for instance, the new Audi A4 Avant. A very special challenge for Abt Sportsline’s creative designers and technicians. “I am very proud of the result”, says managing director Hans-Jürgen Abt about the masterpiece achieved by his team. The company from Kempten is not only the first tuner worldwide to offer a comprehensive range with performance increases and aesthetic tuning, but the Abt AS4 Avant is also that little bit more sporty and dynamic, which represents the highest level of tuning.

“With the AS4, we want to conquer Germany and the rest of the world”, Hans-Jürgen Abt already announced last Spring at the launch of the sedan. A strong word, which was followed by the action of the customers. The Abt tuning-programme for the bestseller from Ingolstadt already enjoys a huge popularity, only months after its introduction. This applies both to the sedan and the Avant, which makes its world debut as the Abt AS4 Avant at the IAA.

The specialists from Kempten have succeeded in even further improving the production model. For instance with a dynamic body-kit, which optimises the muscular basic shape of the A4. The distinctive Abt front grill and an Abt front spoiler lip clearly identify the aggressive look at the front, which fluidly continues through the Abt side skirts to the rear wheels. A sporty Abt rear skirt as well as a decently integrated Abt rear wing round off the appearance of the car’s rear end. A noble sportsman in a tailor-made suit, that is the positive echo commonly heard.

With all Abt models, suspension set-ups are a matter of the boss. With Christian Abt, managing director and brother of Hans-Jürgen Abt, the company has its own in-house expert. Christian Abt is rated as one of Germany’s best racing drivers. “I have chosen a sporty stiff suspension for our AS4 Avant, so that the driver gets a better impression of the power”, he explains about his philosophy for the set-up of the suspension.

And the AS4 Avant has plenty of power indeed. To be specific, 221 kW (300 bhp), which provide extraordinary driving pleasure. The complicated recipe for the power boost: take a 162 kW (220 bhp) strong A4 Avant 3.0 quattro and fit a compressor, which fills the six cylinders with overboost. The show car at the IAA has been fitted with A14-type wheels of the size 8.5 x 19 inches with 235/35 Continental tyres on the driver’s side. On the passenger’s side, the visitors can see the wheel A27 in 9 x 19 inches with identical tyres. The Abt-people have also added a knowledgeable and tasteful note to the interior. Abt foot mats and a shift knob round off the Abt AS4 Avant.