ABT Sportsline->ke1753 is 120 years old. It’s a little hard to comprehend given how old the auto industry is as a whole, but it’s all true. The German tuning firm traces its roots all the way back to 1896 when it was founded as Auto-Abt. The firm has evolved over the years with the current iteration – Abt Sportsline GmBH – only forming in 1991. Despite the rather jagged history, ABT Sportsline still harkens back to 1896 as the year it officially came to existence, hence the celebration of its 120th anniversary.

To commemorate this incredible occasion, ABT Sporstline is presenting three special edition programs for three of Audi’->ke14s most popular vehicles: the TT-S, Q3,->ke2666 and the T6 van. This space is dedicated to the TT-S, the sportiest and without question the most performance-oriented of the three models. Following its usual blueprint, ABT Sportsline gave the TT-S->ke3007 a comprehensive kit that underscores the car’s sporting characteristics. The kit has an aerodynamic kit made mostly of carbon fiber. It also a comprehensive engine upgrade that includes three different stages, each with varying levels of power increases. Oh, and it also has those aftermarket floor mats that are staples in any ABT tuning kit.

The only downside to this tuning kit is its limited number. The tuner says that only 40 units of the TT-S 120th Anniversary Edition will be built. Pricing numbers have yet to be announced, but given the limited and unique nature of these TT-S models, expect each of the 40 units to sell for a premium relative to the price of the standard model.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

Exterior

Befitting its status as a special edition anniversary model, the Audi TTS was the recipient of an extensive exterior upgrade from ABT Sportsline. From a cosmetic standpoint, the German tuner dressed up the sports car with a special Daytona grey paint finish. Silver wraps and red trims were also added to give the TTS a more extravagant look. The sports car also benefitted from a a body kit that includes front skirt add ons, mirror caps, a rear wing, and a rear skirt set. To complete the dynamic look of the TTS, ABT Sportsline added specially designed “120 years” badge and a new set of black and red 20-inch alloy CR wheels were included, further emphasizing the exclusive characteristic of the special anniversary edition.

Interior

ABT Sportsline made no mention of any interior upgrades in its press release, but the glam shots of the car suggest otherwise. Based on photos of the cabin, the German tuner’s work was largely limited to a few red splashes and the use of what appears to be Alcantara on the front seats. The same 120 years logo can be found at the base of the sports steering wheel and finally, it wouldn’t be an ABT program if it didn’t include new floor mats. True to form, the custom floor mats are included in the kit, predictably bearing ABT Sportsline’s anniversary logo.

Drivetrain

ABT Sportsline didn’t spend too much going into the specifics of the engine upgrade on the TTS, but knowing the tuner’s history with performance upgrades, I’m confident that a specially developed engine module is a big part of the program. ABT did say that it was able to increase output from the sports car’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to an impressive 370 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque. That represents a steady bump from the standard output of 310 horses and 280 pound-feet of torque. The German tuner didn’t say how the power improvements affect the TTS’s ability to sprint from 0 to 60 mph, but it did say that top speed has increased to 165 mph, 10 mph faster than the production model.

Pricing

Since this doesn’t fall in the category of a traditional tuning kit, or at least those that ABT Sportsline offers, production will only be limited to just 40 units. The company made no mention of it in its press release, so if there are owners of the Audi TTS out there that are interested in the 120th Anniversary Edition model, it might be best to contact ABT Sportsline directly to inquire about the availability of the program.

Competition

BMW M2 by Alpha-N Performance

Back in October 2015, fellow German tuner Alpha-N Performance presented its own tuning kit for the BMW M2, considered as one of the TT’s noteworthy rivals. Though there is a notable size difference between the two, the larger M2 still received a similar program from Alpha-N that the TTS just got from ABT Sportsline. In the case of the former, that equates to a new aero kit made up of items like a front spoiler with an adjustable air splitter, a four-position adjustable carbon fiber rear wing, a carbon fiber roof panel, and a new set of 19-inch OZ Superforgiata lightweight alloy wheels. Sounds familiar, right?

The M2’s 3.0-liter inline-six engine also received a nice upheaval, all thanks to the installation of an EVOX Multi-channel, Chip-tuning Box and a water-injection kit. With these modifications in place, Alpha-N was able to improve the sports car’s output from 370 horsepower to 480 horsepower and from 343 pound-feet of torque to somewhere in the vicinity of 420 pound-feet of torque. Performance numbers were also not revealed, but seeing the power upgrades should establish a 0-to-60-mph sprint time of about four seconds to go with a top speed around 175 mph.

Read our full review here.

Porsche Cayman SP81 CR by SpeedArt

I know this kit was released two years ago, but I can’t do an Audi TT-S review without mentioning the Porsche Cayman, considered as one of the Audi’s biggest rivals in the “affordable” sports car segment. Back when it was launched, this SpeedArt kit came with the usual helpings of carbon fiber, particularly the use of it on the aero kit. It had a new carbon fiber hood, front spoiler, rear bumper, rear diffuser, and fixed rear wing. Even the interior was given its own leather and Alcantara elements.

The engine modifications on the Cayman’s 3.4-liter flat-six-cylinder engine came in stages with SpeedArt offering three unique engine upgrades, beginning with a kit that boosted the Cayman’s output to 345 horsepower, up from the standard 325-horsepower output. A more powerful kit helped squeeze out 360 horsepower while the biggest of these programs was able to bring the Cayman’s power number to an even 400 horsepower.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

This is a little bittersweet, because on one hand, the Audi TT-S 120th Anniversary Edition looks absolutely stunning. It’s the kind of kit that has made ABT Sportsline a household name. Everything about speaks to the top-quality work that the German tuner has been doing for more than a century. On the other hand, I don’t know if ABT Sportsline has any plans to offer this kit to customers. The tuner has given no indication of those plans yet, and while it’s still a little early to make assumptions, I wouldn’t be surprised if this particular TT-S turns out to be nothing but a showpiece creation.