From a family business founded in 1896 to DTM titles, Audi factory status and Formula E entries under Audi and Cupra.
Abt Sportsline is a German tuning and racing company based in Kempten. Founded as Abt Sportsline GmbH in 1991 from a family firm dating to 1896, it tunes Volkswagen Group cars, won DTM titles and ran Audi and Cupra Formula E teams.
Abt Sportsline combines road-car tuning with motorsport. The Kempten firm modifies Volkswagen Group cars, has won titles in DTM and the ADAC GT Masters, and ran a Formula E team for more than a decade. Its story starts with a family business that was founded in 1896.
Where did Abt Sportsline begin?
The family trade was horseshoeing and blacksmithing, and the first Abt company was founded in 1896 by Johann Abt's father. Johann Abt raced motorcycles and hillclimbs for the Abarth factory team until 1970, then ran his own car team. Abt Sportsline GmbH was founded in 1991, following the Auto-Abt business.
Johann Abt was born in 1935 and died in 2003. He later raced cars with his own team, which won the Trophee de l'Avenir and several other series.
A family workshop from 1896 that grew into an Audi factory partner, a Formula E team and a road-car tuner.
Who runs Abt Sportsline today?
Hans-Jurgen Abt, born in 1962, has been managing director since 2011, and his brother Christian Abt drove in the ADAC GT Masters for the team. About 170 employees work at the Kempten headquarters, and products are sold in more than 50 countries. Daniel Abt runs Abt Lifestyle GmbH, which has organised events since 2011.
What touring car titles did Abt win?
Abt won the Super Touring Car Cup in 1999 and DTM titles in 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2009. The ADAC GT Masters went to the team in 2009 and 2010. The most successful year was 2009, when the company took honours in three German series at once.
In 2009 the DTM programme was led by Timo Scheider, Christian Abt contested the ADAC GT Masters and Daniel Abt raced in the ADAC Formel Masters, with the team holding honours in all three series that season.
How did Abt become an Audi factory team?
Abt has been one of Audi's official factory teams since 2004, racing as Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline. That partnership carried the team into the Formula E championship under the Audi Sport banner. The Audi tie has shaped the company since then, linking road tuning with racing.
How did Abt perform in Formula E?
From 2014 to 2021 Abt ran a team under the Audi Sport banner in Formula E. Its drivers included Lucas di Grassi and Daniel Abt. At the 2014 Beijing ePrix, di Grassi became the first to win an open-wheel race in an all-electric car.
Daniel Abt had raced in the GP2 Series in 2013 before joining di Grassi as the second driver from September 2014. Rene Rast also drove for the team. The team finished third in the first teams' championship.
Why did Abt leave and return to electric racing?
Abt left Formula E after the 2020-21 season. In May 2022 the company announced a return for 2022-23 as Abt Cupra Formula E Team, using Mahindra Racing powertrains. A later report said the deal would end and Lola-Yamaha units would be used from 2024-25.
The entry was reported as Lola Yamaha Abt Formula E Team, and Lola took over Abt's Formula E entrant licence. Abt still ran the team operationally until the 2025-26 season.
Did Abt race in Extreme E?
Yes. Abt partnered with Cupra to enter the electric off-road series Extreme E in 2021 as Abt Cupra XE. The team left the sport at the end of 2023. It said it was open to entering Extreme H, a new hydrogen-based off-road series, in 2025.
Which Abt models were built?
Abt's road cars are mostly tuned versions of Volkswagen Group models, and Audi is the main focus. Notable specials include the AS4-R, the TT-R, the planned R8-R and the R8 GT R. The table below lists the published output figures for selected models.
| Model | Base car | Output |
|---|---|---|
| AS4-R | Audi A4 Avant (B7) | 480 hp (358 kW) at 6800 rpm from a bi-turbo V6 |
| TT-R | Audi TT (second generation) | Supercharged V6; output not given |
| R8-R | Audi R8 with 4.2-litre V8 | Planned 530 hp (395 kW; 537 PS); not yet released |
| R8 GT R | Audi R8 V10 (5.2-litre) | 620 hp (462 kW; 629 PS), up from 525 hp (391 kW; 532 PS) |
| Passat 2.0 TDI | Volkswagen Passat | 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp), up 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) |
What makes the AS4-R and R8 GT R stand out?
The AS4-R is a modified B7 A4 Avant. Its bi-turbo V6 produces 480 hp (358 kW) at 6800 rpm, with 417 lb-ft (565 N-m) of torque available from 3300 rpm. The R8 GT R tuned the 5.2-litre V10 from 525 hp to 620 hp and cut 220 lb (100 kg) from the car with carbon parts.
The TT-R was a supercharged second generation V6 Audi TT. The R8-R was planned with a supercharger on Audi's 4.2-litre V8 for a total of 530 hp (395 kW; 537 PS), and it had not yet been released.
How has Abt tuned Volkswagen Group cars?
Abt applies its racing knowledge to the street and tunes the full Volkswagen Group range, including Volkswagen, Skoda and SEAT. In 2015 it prepared a Passat programme for the Geneva Motor Show. The kit added a front lip, side skirts, a tailgate spoiler and 20- or 21-inch alloy wheels.
Beyond the looks, the tuned 2.0-litre TDI four-cylinder Passat was rated at 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp), which was 40 PS (29 kW; 39 hp) more than the previous model. Sport springs and a sports exhaust completed the package.
What were Abt's early cars?
Abt's early cars were mostly Volkswagen and Audi models. The list begins with a Golf GTi from 1976 to 1978, followed by a Scirocco from 1977 to 1981 and a Golf GTi 1800 from 1982 to 1983. A 1985 80 Quattro and a B300 from 1987 to 1991 came next.
The list also includes a 200 Quattro from 1988 to 1991, an S2-C4 from 1992, a VS4 from 1998 to 2003 and a TT-R DTM prototype in 1999. Road and race cars appear side by side in the same list.
Which later special models did Abt build?
Later specials included a Q7 V12 TDI in 2009, an X-Bow from 2009, an R8 GTR from 2010 to 2012 and an R8 GTR Polizei concept shown in 2011 under the Tune it! Safe! banner. The R8 Spyder and the RS Q3 also appear in the range.
Abt's range also includes a Golf R in 2010, a Touareg from 2010 to 2014 and an Amarok from 2010 to 2016. That spread shows how far the tuning work reached beyond Audi.
What is Abt's legacy?
Abt's legacy rests on championship-winning touring car teams, a long relationship with Audi, and a road-tuning business that sells across more than 50 countries. Its range runs from a 1976 Golf GTi to the Schaeffler FE01 of 2015-2016. That span shows how far the name has travelled through the Volkswagen Group.
