New Abt Audi SQ5 ups power, attitude
Latest SQ5 is fairly subtle by Audi flagship standards; Abt can see to that
There have been some memorable SUVs in the annals of fast Audi history: think V12 TDI Q7, the titchy RS Q3 with the 2.5-litre turbo in it, and even the current RS Q8, still the quickest 4x4 around the Nordschleife in history. The current SQ5, nice though it is, won’t ever reach those heights of notoriety; probably it was never intended to. But underpinned by the same Premium Platform Combustion and 3.0-litre mild hybrid V6 as the S5 and A6, with all the hoo-hah going on around those models, the SQ5 has probably fallen by the wayside more than it should have.
Happily, Abt is around to help out, reminding the world that the 367hp Q5 flagship very much still exists - and that it can make the Audi SUV even faster still. As well as being way more dramatic to look at, the SQ5 package drops the car by 45mm onto Abt Evo 22-inch wheels. It says a lot about the sheer size (and ride height) of a standard car that the SQ5 isn’t totally transformed by quite drastic mods. Handily, there’s the bodykit to ramp up the visual muscle, with new spoilers and rear diffuser ‘that clearly distinguish the Abt SQ5 from the standard model.’ Not much arguing with that. Though the claim that this overhaul ‘highlights its motorsport heritage’ feels a tad more contentious…
The SQ5 is plenty fast enough, at least, with 440hp now claimed from the 3.0-litre TFSI thanks to Abt software. That’s a useful 73hp bump from standard, hopefully suggesting that the days of big aftermarket power from Audi turbos isn’t done just yet. Torque climbs from 406lb ft to 443lb ft, which again feels like a meaningful boost; expect a couple of tenths to fall from the 4.5-second 0-62mph time, if that matters. With any luck, the quad 102mm exhaust pipes now fitted sound as purposeful as they look.
“The SQ5 is already an outstanding vehicle as standard, as demonstrated by the great popularity of its predecessor and the current model. With our package, we aim to emphasise its sporty character and offer our customers enhanced driving dynamics and individuality,” said Hans-Jürgen Abt. Certainly, there’s got to be a bit of extra pep to the drive with so much more power (and so much less ride height), but then Abt’s expertise doesn’t come cheap: to get an SQ5 like this requires €20,000, or £17,500. And the latest car is already the priciest Q5 ever. That being said, there’s already £10,000 off lightly used Edition 1s; there’s more than half of the Abt-ification paid for already…
Last car I had with similar style lower grille a suicidal peahen when through head first buried beak deep in the intercooler.
You'd get a house brick through that upper grille.
te.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff