The Audi S1 is a spunky little sports hatchback->ke304, isn't it? I like to think so, especially after Audi->ke14 spent a great deal of time and resources promoting the model to anyone willing to listen. Well, I listened pretty intently and yes, the S1 is all sorts of awesome. But there are some folks, like German aftermarket company ABT Sportsline->ke1753, that think being merely awesome isn't good enough. So it did what any self-respecting tuning firm would do when presented with a car like the S1: it built a tuning kit for it.

ABT Sportsline's work on the S1 follows a long list of impressive programs the tuner has created for Audi. Sure, it doesn't have the same amount of unconscionable power as the R8 or the supreme luxury of the A7->ke4070, but the S1 does brim with the kind of confidence that attracts customers from all over the world to it. For its part, ABT sought to make the S1 more confident in its own skin. That's why the German tuner prepared a comprehensive tuning kit for the sports hatch that includes new aerodynamic components, improved suspension capabilities, and an engine upgrade that increased the car's output by an impressive 34 percent.

This is the kind of upgrade that ABT Sportsline has made a living developing. It's got the perfect balance of style and substance that can bring out the untapped potential of a hot hatch like the S1. As if it needed it to be any hotter, this ABT-tuned S1 now has the makings of a scorcher on the road, just the way ABT intended it to be.

Click past the jump to read more about the Audi S1 by ABT Sportsline.

2014 Audi S1 By ABT Sportsline

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Audi S1 By ABT Sportsline
  • Horsepower: 310
  • Torque: 324
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Audi S1 by ABT Sportsline in detail

The aerodynamic improvements aren't that comprehensive -- it's limited to just new ABT fender inserts -- but that doesn't mean it's not effective. ABT Sportsline also added its sport springs to lower the S1's center of gravity by 1.18 inches. It's an incremental drop in the big picture, but it's still enough to improve the S1's road handling.

ABT Sportsline's program for the Audi S1 also comes with new wheel options, allowing customers to choose between a new set of 18-inch DR Gun-Metal-Look wheels or 18-inch, one-piece cast, titanium-matte Z5 wheels. Either option looks great on the S1, making it a difficult choice among owners of the Audi sports hatch.

The highlight of every ABT Sportsline program is the engine upgrade the tuner provides. In the case of the S1, the aftermarket company used its ABT POWER New Generation system, bringing the output of the S1's 2.0-liter inline-four TFSI engine from 231 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque all the way up to 310 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. Like we said, that's an impressive 34-percent improvement from the standard output of the S1. That should also be good for improved performance numbers with a possible 0 to 60 mph sprint time of about 5.3 seconds (0.6 seconds faster than the standard S1) with a top speed that likely remains at 155 mph.

Audi S1