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ABT SQ5: A Wolf Among Sheep
ABT SQ5
A WOLF AMONG SHEEP
Words by Alessandro Marrone
Photos by Giorgia Rossi
If before the SQ5 was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, now it is a werewolf thrown in the middle of a flock.
Whoever said that entertainment is just for a few? And above all, who states that you can’t combine practicality and performance? Certainly not Audi bosses, which as you know were among the first to fit what was anything that a boring engine in a seemingly quiet family car, all thanks to a valuable collaboration with Porsche thus giving birth to the legendary RS2 Avant. But we have already talked about this on our February article dedicated to the furious four rings station wagon, while about its ultimate heir, the ABT RS4-R, you find a pretty interesting review on September’s Auto Class. This time we enter into very contemporary territories such as those of the SQ5 performance SUV, the sports incarnation of the best selling medium size Audi has to offer, designed to tackle any kind of road without however carrying weight and size in excess. But if the traditional SQ5 hides an exceptional versatility behind a sober look, once passed under the claws of ABT the music takes a completely different tone, to the benefit of driving involvement and purest entertainment. At this point the question is – “Will they have managed to keep intact the ability to represent a complete car, or the spirit of adventure have taken over, leading to some logical renouncement in terms of usability?”
To be honest, when you are dealing with a car out of the ordinary, the last of your thoughts goes to the typical home-work route, but since ABT is not a simple tuner, but the most authoritative personalization signature for the VW-Audi group, ticking out all the items at the bottom of our personal assessment table will be important to ensure the success of this SQ5 on steroids. And if you gave a sneak peek even on a single photo you understand that there is a massive use of steroids here, since an SUV that before leaving Kempten would have passed completely unnoticed in traffic, now does nothing but attract the glances of passersby and other drivers, not caring about the useless low-profile attempts by the beautiful Nardo Gray, one of the simplest but most distinctive colors you can find in the Audi catalogue. If before the SQ5 was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, now it is a werewolf thrown in the middle of a flock.
For the record, your editor has just left the wheel of the crazy RS4-R, one of the most vivid driving experiences I’ve had the good fortune to live in recent times and I find myself having to reset my thoughts before going to the following one. Although the type of car is not so different – we go from a wagon to a medium-sized SUV – the two cars emphasize the distance between the two original models (RS4 and SQ5), where the first one turns itself into a race car lent to the road and the second instead manages to maintain all-round qualities on every day roads, thanks to the advantage of a slightly better ground clearance. Of course, ABT put all of its usual and meticulous attention to detail, immediately putting body and soul to make the look of the SQ5 much more aggressive than before. To give vent to this desire for greater characterization we have a wide body kit including a new front bumper, more generous wheel arches, side skirts and a new rear bumper that incorporates the sports exhaust system with two couples of terminals finished in carbon fiber and sunk in the middle of a showy diffuser. Options include the use of dedicated 20 or 21-inch wheels, or the mammoth 22 mounted on the unit of our test and which fit equally generous 265/35/R22 tires.
Needless to say, at first glance it seems to be in front of a completely different car from the original one, every corner has been strengthened and the myriad of ABT badges spread all over also continues in the cabin, where I am welcomed by an environment more faithful to the original but still able to earn that bit of sportiness thanks to the beautiful rhomboidal pattern embroidered on comfortable leather seats. But how is this SQ5 drive? Yes, the main question that we asked ourselves at the beginning seems to have gone into the background and all that interests me is to start the 3 liter V6 and give free rein to the performance package that pours petrol on the fire. The TFSI was brought from 354-hp to 425-hp with a consequent 10% increase of the maximum torque that goes from 500Nm to 550Nm. It is a considerable result, especially taking into account that we have to move a mass that does not exceed 2 tons and plays with adjustable suspension that can vary from 35mm to 60mm less than before. All this means that when you select the “Dynamic” mode and move the big gearbox knob into sequential mode, it will seem to be back on a pure sports car. The height from the ground reduced to the bone is just one of the key points of the driving experience and the power and readiness of the V6 do the rest of the job.
I throw myself in the curves and in my eyes there is only space for the next one. The SQ5, which previously knew how to behave admirably, has turned into something illogical and damn fun. The exhaust releases the fury of the 425hp and every shifting is accompanied by an addictive explosion and a steady progression towards some of the most isolated roads south of Kempten. We were also lucky enough to find an area closed to traffic, where I could push even more on the throttle and touch with my hands how it is not necessary to sit a couple of centimeters from the ground to feel adrenaline flow through your veins. The 8-speeds dual clutch gearbox is the best ally and supports the ideal exploitation of an engine that finds its red line at around 6,500 rpm, traction is virtually endless and combined with the enormous grip exerted by the fat tires makes you enter and exit corners at speeds you would never think possible in a car that is classified as “one of the quickest ways to bring your children to school”. In this case, after the ABT treatment, you can afford to have breakfast five minutes before the bell rings, regardless of the kilometers that separate your house from the school, provided that no one suffers the unleashed pace that this SQ5 is able to offer.
In an ideal world, each of us would have the possibility to print cash in the cellar, but unfortunately – so far – it does not seem to be the case, and so it is good and right to tackle the costs argument. After all, we are still talking about an SUV and not a traditional sports car which would better represent a big toy useful to get a smile on your face every time you get on board. On the other hand there is the polyvalence of its 5 seats, the large trunk and all the comforts derived from a latest generation multimedia system, virtual cockpit and logically the QUATTRO four-wheel drive system always ready to face the winter or some slippery roads. Taking into account the 69 thousand Euros needed for a standard SQ5, the ABT price list imposes 3,117.65 € for the performance upgrade and 5.747,90 € for the aesthetic kit (including assembly, excluding VAT). The immense 22 wheels, which are demanding during parking maneuvers, add an extra value to the car’s macho look costing € 3,899.16, which added to the rest of the package available on the model of this review bring the conversion kit at around 17,000 € (VAT not included). At this point it depends only on you and what you look for in a car, regardless of how you use it, but we know very well that the fun factor is deadly important in life and despite not being a small amount of money, the extra Euro you have to put here radically transform a good car in a more than excellent car ready to dispense fun at the wheel, maybe on a daily basis.
ABT SQ5 3.0 TFSI
Layout – front-engined, all-wheel-drive
Engine – V6 cylinder 2.995cc – turbocharged
Transmission – 8-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 425 hp / 550Nm
Weight – 1.900 kg ca.
Acceleration – 5,2 sec.
Top Speed – 250 kph
Price – from € 86.800 ca. (kit ABT as tested, from € 16.998 VAT incl.)
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