The Audi RS Q3 stronger than ever: now with 440 CV thanks to ABT

Audi continues forward with a major overhaul of its RS models, which are beginning to succumb to the latest design trends. One of the latest additions to this select group of vehicles has been the RS Q3, a car that went rather unnoticed in its first generation but returns to the fray with far more force than ever, previewing important traits of the long-awaited new RS3. However, ABT has wanted to intervene and make this new formula that Audi offers even more appetising, if that is possible with significant mechanical improvements.

We already know well the German tuner’s predilection for Audi’s sporty models, so it was to be expected that, sooner or later, the RS Q3 would pass through its hands. Now that this fantasy has come true, we are faced with a high-performance SUV that has proven capable of much more with a “simple” adjustment of the nuts.

Although on other occasions we have seen ABT intervene in the aesthetic side, this time they have been considerably more restrained. This attitude is reflected in the fact that only the exterior wheels have been modified: they are now 21-inch, feature a specific design and are lighter. Nevertheless, it is expected that the tuner will soon present an aerodynamic kit, as happened with the Audi SQ7.

But, as is customary, the high point of any ABT preparation lies in the mechanical section. Let us recall that the Audi RS Q3 comes as standard with an exuberant 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder capable of delivering a staggering 400 CV and 480 Nm of torque, figures that allow it to cover 0 to 100 in 4.5 seconds.

Nevertheless, we know that ABT likes to squeeze every last drop of sportiness out of the vehicles that pass through its operating theatre, and the RS Q3 was not going to be an exception. Thanks to various modifications to the ECU, the Teutonic tuner has managed to extract from the five-cylinder a total of 440 CV and 550 Nm of torque, performance that means the sprint to 100 km/h takes place in 4.3 seconds and that the top speed is 285 km/h.

Without a doubt, the Audi RS Q3 already presents itself as a promising vehicle capable of offering a glimpse of the future new RS3, the model with which it will share its mechanical layout. With this premise, we must also be prepared for the corresponding ABT preparation, which will not be long in coming for the compact with the four rings.