Traditionally, race vehicles and commuter cars have stood at two opposite ends of the spectrum, with the former being completely devoid of creature comforts in an effort to minimize weight and maximize performance. Recognizing a gap in the market, German tuning outfit ABT Sportsline is now looking to merge these two vastly different genres of vehicle into a single daily driver that affords the practicality of a commuter and the performance prowess of a race-bred track-only model — a formula that’s ultimately given way to ABT’s all-new Audi RSQ8 Signature Edition.
Developed by race car drivers specifically for use on public roads, the RSQ8 Signature Edition — which ABT touts as the world’s first “Racing Utility Vehicle” — features a slew of upgrades that take Audi’s already high-performance flagship SUV to new heights. Now armed with an additional 200hp and 150ft-lbs of torque over the standard RSQ8, the Signature Edition’s 4.0-liter V8 engine now produces 800hp and 737.6ft-lbs — allowing for a top speed of just over 195mph and an even quicker 0-60mph times of just 3.2 seconds — making it one of the fastest SUVs ever.
In addition to wearing bespoke Signature Edition badging, the Audi’s striking bodywork has also been complemented via a carbon fiber aero kit with side skirts that feed into pronounced wheel arches, carbon fiber exhaust surrounds, a carbon rear diffuser, a carbon spoiler, a carbon front splitter with enlarged air intake grilles, and carbon grille surrounds. Additional performance upgrades come in the form of three-stage ABT Level Control and special thin-spoke black forged wheels with self-leveling hub covers that were designed specifically for ABT’s Signature series models.
Restricted to only 96 units globally, the 2023 ABT Sportsline Audi RSQ8 Signature Edition has been priced at €129,900 (~ $136,575) — plus the cost of the $113,995 donor vehicle, bringing the total to $250,570. Despite having just been released, all 96 examples are reportedly already spoken for, too.
