ABT Creates 1,018 PS Hybrid Monster
German firm ABT Sportsline breaks new tuning ground, giving this Audi RS6 an electric boost over the 1,000 horsepower barrier.
The Shape of Things to Come
Oh 2010, you were such an innocent time. One thousand horsepower belonged to Bugatti and drag racers, and electric motors were Prius territory. But 2010 was a long time ago. Not only are all the top hypercar players topping themselves regularly with the help of electrical assist, but major manufacturers are getting in on the game with electric boost trickling down into their more mainstream offerings. Car companies can do as they wish, but if the aftermarket isn't embracing a technology, that technology lacks the vote of confidence that signals longevity.
Score one for hybrid tuning. German motorsport and tuning firm ABT Sportsline has unleashed an Audi wagon/estate they refer to as the RS6-E Hybrid Concept. That this car produces 1,004 hp (1,018 PS) isn't that amazing by 2018 standards, it's how it does it that's special. ABT takes an already potent 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, squeezes over 100 extra hp out of it, then straps on an electric motor god for another 288 hp!
Warp Drive
By adding the electric motor, which connects to the RS6-E via the car's cardan shaft, ABT has joined the small number of tuners using electric boost as a power-adding technique. ABT asks, "Will we still be able to refer to car enthusiasts as petrolheads in the future? Or will they be seduced by the whisper-quiet punch of electric drives?" The tuning company, which calls itself "the worldwide largest tuner for Audi and Volkswagen vehicles" is putting its money on the latter, and we have to think you'd be wise not to bet against them.
>>Join the conversation about the ABT Sportsline RS6-E Hybrid Concept right here in Audiworld.
Battery Required
Juice for the RS6-E's electric motor comes from a 13.6kWh battery mounted beneath the floor of the rear cargo space. ABT says the battery, which is comparatively small to what is encountered in true hybrid vehicles, is "sufficient" due to the fact that "the enormous additional power is only activated when needed." In something akin to nitrous oxide systems, electric boost is brought into effect by pushing a green button on the vehicle's steering wheel. Power at your fingertips, literally.
>>Join the conversation about the ABT Sportsline RS6-E Hybrid Concept right here in Audiworld.
Speed Limited
Before you order up your own magic green button, you should know that ABT has put measures into effect to keep you from skating directly off the road—smashed cars and hospitalized clients are bad for business. The electric motor can only be engaged at speeds over 62 mph (100 km/h). Not only does this keep you out of the weeds, it keeps the RS6's driveline parts—transmission, differential, halfshafts, etc—from snapping like Alpine branches.
>>Join the conversation about the ABT Sportsline RS6-E Hybrid Concept right here in Audiworld.
Performance
Given the fact that it's doing it electric-motorlessly, the RS6-E's 0-62 mph time of 3.3 seconds is remarkable, besting the 596 bhp 'standard' RS6's mark of 3.7 seconds. In addition to the 1,004 hp delivered by the gasoline-electric combo, ABT's Audi also delivers an impressive 943 pound-feet (1.291 Nm) of torque and has an advertised top speed of 199 mph (320km/h).
>>Join the conversation about the ABT Sportsline RS6-E Hybrid Concept right here in Audiworld.
Availability
As if turning up the heat on the twin-turbo V8 and pumping up the power with electricity, ABT tweaked the car's cosmetics as well. Aside from the very German Touring Car-type paint scheme/wrap, other enhancements include a new rear spoiler, and flat-sided aero wheels reminiscent of BBS's brake fan racing wheels. Currently, the RS6-E Hybrid Concept is a one-off, though we have to think that money, as always, talks when it comes to production plans. As it stands, the car provides fuel for the kindling of a new phase of automotive high-performance tuning. If you want to learn more about the RS6-E and practice your German language listening skills, check out ABT's video-with-English-subtitles here.
>>Join the conversation about the ABT Sportsline RS6-E Hybrid Concept right here in Audiworld.