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The ABT Golf R Is The Golf R400 Volkswagen Won’t Make

When it comes to European tuning, the Volkswagen Golf is the unquestionable sweetheart of the compact segment. Inspired by the Golf R400 Concept presented in Beijing three years ago, Kempten im Allgau-based ABT Sportsline took a Golf R and pumped it up with plenty of ponies.
400 HP ABT Golf R 7 photos
Photo: ABT Sportsline
400 HP ABT Golf R400 HP ABT Golf R400 HP ABT Golf R400 HP ABT Golf R400 HP ABT Golf R400 HP ABT Golf R
400 metric ponies, to be more precise, translating to 395 horsepower (294 kW). Torque is also up by a huge margin: from 400 to 500 Nm (295 to 369 pound-feet). That’s an unbelievable gain from the factory-spec EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged I4, but ABT Sportsline didn’t do too much to achieve it.

The ABT Engine Control (AEC) upgrade is the party piece that made it all possible. And as managing director Hans-Jurgen Abt points out, “even the special model Golf R360S, which was briefly offered ex-works in Switzerland, is left behind.” Managing the added twist is a standard 4Motion system, which ABT claims it’s capable enough of handling the additional torque.

Golf R owners who aren’t pleased by power alone can go all out by opting for the available suspension upgrade. It includes anti-roll bars and springs that drop the ride height by 20 millimeters up front and 25 millimeters at the rear. An alternative comes in the form of height-adjustable suspension, which lowers the car by 40/45 millimeters. And that might be too low for the sort of drivers who venture on potholed roads, as well as steeper driveways.

With great power also comes great responsibility, which is why the German tuner also offers an upgraded braking system with 6-piston fixed calipers. Customers who want to hear the 2.0-liter mill work its magic are provided with ABT rear mufflers that sport 102-mm outlets, finished with black chrome tailpipes. As for the finishing touches, the tuner will gladly round off the Golf R with more aggressive side skirts, a tailgate add-on, and black wheels.

If, however, 400 horsepower isn't enough to float your boat, Mercedes-AMG's all-new A45 with 400-plus ponies might be the AWD hot hatch for you.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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