First Audi ABT RS7-R in North America

Jason R. Sakurai
by Jason R. Sakurai

The first new ABT RS7-R Limited Edition version of the 2021 Audi RS 7 has been completed by GMP Performance in Mooresville, North Carolina, at their facility in Lake Norman.

This performance Sportback joins an exclusive club of just 125 units worldwide from ABT. The RS7-R has an abundance of carbon fiber body parts to enhance the already expressive Sportback design. The ABT front lip with side blades, front lip extension with red RS7-R logo, and an ABT grille create a striking appearance. Fender inserts with a carbon fiber fin, 1 of 125 ABT logo badges, and rocker panel additions blend in with the car’s sleek lines.

Carbon-fiber parts on the rear of the car include a trunk spoiler, diffuser, and glossy black rear bumper inserts with a carbon-fiber fin. Part of the kit is a resounding ABT muffler system consisting of a middle muffler replacement pipe, and a rear muffler with double carbon fiber exhaust bezels.

The limited quantity of the RS7-R is noted throughout the car, with several badges and logos in the interior, such as door sills that mention this is 1 of 125 units, a badge on the dashboard, and a carbon-fiber shift knob cover. The very first ABT RS7-R in North America takes on the road with ABT GR 22-inch wheels in glossy black.

The RS 7’s engine is a turbocharged 32-valve DOHC 4.0-liter V8 that produces 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. An eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission connects the Quattro rear differential through Quattro all-wheel drive. A stock RS 7 can go from 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, and its top speed is 174 MPH, or an unrestricted 190 MPH when equipped with ceramic brakes.

ABT is a leading tuner of Audis and VWs. Since 1986, the company has competed in the German Touring Car Masters and other series, while providing European quality aftermarket products for street cars. Sold in more than 50 countries, in North America ABT is based in Miami, Florida, to cater to the needs of car enthusiasts in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

With the base price of the RS 7 starting at $114,000, ABT also offers their optional Power Upgrade for the RS 7, which boosts the performance to 690 HP and 649 lb-ft. Who else wants one?

[Images: GMP Performance, ABT North America]

Jason R. Sakurai
Jason R. Sakurai

With a father who owned a dealership, I literally grew up in the business. After college, I worked for GM, Nissan and Mazda, writing articles for automotive enthusiast magazines as a side gig. I discovered you could make a living selling ad space at Four Wheeler magazine, before I moved on to selling TV for the National Hot Rod Association. After that, I started Roadhouse, a marketing, advertising and PR firm dedicated to the automotive, outdoor/apparel, and entertainment industries. Through the years, I continued writing, shooting, and editing. It keep things interesting.

More by Jason R. Sakurai

Comments
Join the conversation
3 of 6 comments
  • Zerofoo Henrik Fisker is a very talented designer - the Fisker Karma is still one of the best looking cars ever made (in my opinion).Maybe car designers should stick to designing cars and not running car companies.
  • TheMrFreeze Techron actually works...I've personally seen Techron solve a fuel-related issue in one of my vehicles and have been using it for the last 20 years as a result. Add a bottle to the tank every time I do an oil change, have never had fuel delivery issues since.
  • Redapple2 Let me think here. Big 3 sell 10,000,000 cars in the US in the last x years. Volvo, Toyota, Honda, MB sell 1.000.000. Big 3 have ZERO cars on the hi mile list.Hum: What does that mean? I know what it means.
  • THX1136 That's so cool. This one is close to what I had accumulated with the 84 Shelby Charger I owned. Since it only had a 5 digit odo no one would know it had over 406k. I kept track of everyplace it turned over with only 2 still lodged in my 71 yo brain. If I had taken care of it cosmetically as well as I did mechanically I still think I could have gotten to 500k which was a goal I set for myself. The Toyota mentioned is quite impressive at over 900k. Thanks for the write up, Murilee!
  • Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Nice to see. I like the Top 10 list and seeing "80s Mercedes" within.
Next