ABT Sportsline has now been customising vehicles for five decades – and
right on time for the Anniversary, the Allgau Company is presenting the
new, sixth Golf GTI.
Sporty and fast “Golfs” in particular have carried these three letters
since 1976. ABT was the place to go for everyone who wanted even more
dynamic and driving fun from the very beginning. The latest generation
of the compact sports car also bears the magic abbreviation, and of
course it is now available in a breathtaking ABT version.
The engine output is impressive, because due to optimized engine
management (ABT POWER), the standard 210 HP (154 kW) become a dynamic
260 HP (191 kW). ABT POWER S makes the GTI even hotter: a new
turbocharger, „Made in Kempten“, is used additionally in this case. The
2.0 TSI then has an output of a sporty 300 HP (221 kW) and accelerates
from zero to 100 km/h in around six seconds. Thanks to ABT chassis
springs, the GTI’s centre of gravity is located a good 30 mm lower, so
the uber-Golf can be driven even more sportily. The chassis setting,
which was designed by Christian Abt, is especially good fun on winding
roads. And in the extreme case, the powerful ABT braking system also
kicks in.
But an ABT Golf GTI is not only a hot piece of sports equipment for
the road, it also looks like one: the bodywork package that designers
have created underlines the car’s pure dynamics: no matter how you look
at the GTI, it is always impressive. Rear spoiler and rear apron
superstructure, side mouldings, front grill and apron as well as the
diagonal 4-pipe exhaust system form one unit. ABT engineers also
designed a front lip, which provide s a power-performance in
combination with the front apron and the new ABT Daytime Running Lamp.
The equally elegant as expressive colouring matches this: the paintwork
in carbon steel grey metallic harmonises perfectly with side mouldings
and front lip in the contrast colour red. The design also continues
consistently in the interior, for all screens, the ornamental rings of
the combination instrument and the steering wheel panels are painted in
the signal tone. One look at the car will tell you that it’s more than
a “normal” Golf GTI – and consequently the sixth variation of the fast
compact car with the large tailgate is steeped in the best tradition.
Namely, its five predecessors also became powerful Golfs at ABT. ABT
and GTI: these six letters have simply belonged together for 33 years.