This sports car in its “tailor-made suit” is so much fun to drive because it has undergone a real ABT Sportsline treatment. The car is always assertive and second to none: ABT POWER turns the 3.0l diesel engine from its original 245 hp (180 kW) to a torquey 300 hp (221 kW). For the 2.0 TFSI, it is a dynamic 270 hp or 199 kW (original version: 211 hp/155 kW). Other engine variants are being developed and will be presented at a later stage.

To be sure, this additional ABT POWER also has to be put on the road. So a lowered suspension has been geared to the AS5, which make for a very effective lowering of the car’s centre of gravity – in visual terms, too. This is part of the overall design concept. Front spoiler, side skirts, fender inserts, rear skirt insert, rear spoiler and the typical four-pipe exhaust system make the chic ABT appear unobtrusively assertive from wherever you look at it. As an ideal complementary feature, ABT recommends the CR Silverlight or DR alloy wheels. Depending upon your taste, they will underscore either the new ABT AS5’s sportiness or its elegance. And in visual terms they are fully in line with the sport braking system, which is available with discs of 345 or 380mm in diameter.

The new ABT AS5 has been developed by the globally largest tuner of cars produced by the Volkswagen Group, with its designers and engineers making no compromises. After all, what driver of this unique coupe would want to make compromises? “They want a maximum of automotive sophistication, dynamism, roadworthiness, design and assertiveness”, Hans-Jürgen Abt says. So the new AS5 is a benchmark five times over!

Since the dawn of time, man has craved the thrill of the adrenaline rush that rapid acceleration can trigger. This is true of all drivers, to a greater or lesser degree, regardless of age or gender - there are traces of Schumacher in all of us!

This desire for excitement is very real. It goes beyond the psychological. It is hormonal.

The adrenaline rush

When we feel nervous or excited, adrenaline is secreted by the adrenal glands and enters the blood stream. As we wait for the traffic lights to change, tension builds. Our air passages dilate, our heart rate increases and we breathe more heavily, pumping more blood into our muscles. This increases sensitivity throughout the entire body and creates a feeling of heightened awareness. The pupils dilate and our vision becomes clearer. If the pressure is really on, we may even break out into a sweat. The digestive system stops functioning altogether, but the liver increases its metabolic rate giving us an immediate energy boost. We suddenly feel able to respond quickly and efficiently to any challenge. In extreme cases, we really do develop super-human strength. It is as though the body has shifted into a higher gear as the brain finally releases endorphins, giving us that exhilarating thrill as the car pulls quickly away when the lights eventually turn green. Driving at its very best.

It seems that man’s desire to achieve 0-60 in record time is more than just aggression, vanity or a mid-life crisis. It is driven by a physical need for excitement. A need to feel alive. Society owes everything to those seeking the most extreme, nerve-tingling experiences. The geographical explorers of yesteryear, are the ones pushing the boundaries of technology today. Remember that, the next time you feel guilty about the pleasure derived from pulling away quickly from the traffic lights.

TTS PERFORMANCE, SILVERSTONE
Richard Albans, CEO of TTS Performance Parts Ltd in Silverstone, understands the “traffic light syndrome” better than most. Starting out in 1982, the company quickly built an international reputation for building and tuning race engines. Richard himself holds a number of impressive land speed records and still participates regularly in car and bike drag racing. Today the company is focused on supercharger conversions both for motorcycles and road cars, working closely with the high end supercharger manufacturer, Rotrex, of Denmark.

“Superchargers have been around for some time”, explains Albans. “The first one was produced by Scottish engineer, Sir Dugald Clerk back as early as 1878!” Gottlieb Daimler and Louis Renault in turn patented later versions and Mercedes went on to launch the first series production cars with superchargers at the Berlin Automobile Exhibition in September 1921, the 2.6 litre 10/40 and the 1.6 litre 6/25 models known as Kompressors. The rest, as they say, is history.

SUPERCHARGER TECHNOLOGY
Today there are two fundamentally different types of superchargers being produced. They differ in the method used to compress the air flowing through them. The Mercedes “roots” type of supercharger uses a system known as “positive displacement” whereby the volume of air displaced is fixed for each revolution of the engine. The “centrifugal” type favoured by TTS is more dynamic in that the air pressure increases with speed and is therefore more efficient at high boost levels.

A well designed and professionally fitted supercharger should be capable of meeting the individual driver’s requirements for engine performance, driveability and reliability. Fitting a supercharger is one of the most effective ways of improving the performance of an internal combustion engine without having to modify the engine itself. In a centrifugal system, the supercharger powers an impeller at high speed, drawing air into the centre at low pressure. The impeller vanes slow down the air flow, increasing the pressure. By compressing the air before it enters the cylinders, more air and fuel can be burned at the combustion stage, increasing torque by around 70% and horsepower by as much as 100%.

ROTREX SUPERCHARGERS
Because Rotrex superchargers are powered mechanically by means of a belt driven directly by the crankshaft, there is no delay in throttle response time from the pedal as there is with a turbocharger. The patented traction drive technology, transmitting power through the friction forces between the rotating parts, is key to the Rotrex compact design, high efficiency, low noise and outstanding reliability. This friction is optimised by the specially developed traction fluid which has increasing viscosity as the surface pressure increases, enhancing drive performance whilst cooling and protecting the system.

Rotrex centrifugal systems can usually be bolted to the top or side of an engine, making them easy to install and cheap to maintain. Richard Albans selected Rotrex as the supplier of his superchargers believing that they have a competitive edge over any other forced induction system. “Simple in their design and built to last from high quality, non-exotic materials, Rotrex superchargers are more readily customised and integrated with our customers’ engines to produce the best possible performance at minimal cost. The results at the traffic lights speak for themselves!”

TTS has recently introduced a conversion of the Rotrex supercharger for the Audi B8 S5 and B7 RS4 4.2 FSI V8 engine’s. Designed and manufactured at the TTS development centre in Silverstone, the new conversion uses the latest Rotrex C38-91 centrifugal supercharger that spins at 90,000 rpm and is capable of flowing 0.7 kg of air per second (over 1200 cfm). Although the system flows a large volume of air, it does so very efficiently, keeping the compressed charge temperature below 45ºC, even when accelerating hard. The plenum chamber and charge cooler housing are CNC machined from aircraft grade aluminium, combining maximum strength with minimum weight.

This Audi supercharger conversion has the largest possible charge cooler for the space available, ensuring that the air is cool, the charge is dense and the power is great. In addition to the cooling system and the 180 litres/minute OEM quality Bosch water pump, the system uses 6mm Phonetic gaskets to reduce any heat transfer from the engine to the plenum chamber. The result: maximum power for the longest period of time.

Audi felt that a 5 rib belt would be capable of driving the alternator and TTS realised that running a supercharger with the same size of belt would lead to problems. The company has therefore designed a supercharger drive train using an 8 rib heavy duty belt to give the maximum wrap around the supercharger and crank pulleys and provide greater resistance to slip. This design, together with the high quality SKF silicon grease bearings in all the additional pulleys and the Zylan coated finish, gives the system good corrosion resistance and durability. Confident that the conversion is robust, TTS provides 2 years warranty with the Audi supercharger.

The superior boost performance at low engine speeds makes this the ideal supercharger for drivers of road cars looking for more bottom end torque. The silent traction drive maintains an OEM feel to everyday motoring. What’s more, the Audi supercharger ensures full power in the all-important traffic lights test.

Albans believes that the combination of Rotrex technology with the experience and understanding of his team in Silverstone is a winning one. “As one of life’s true adrenaline junkies, I know exactly what my customers are looking for when waiting for the lights to turn green. There is nothing more satisfying than feeling that the car beneath you is fully synchronised with you and your aspirations for that brief but intense thrill of rapid acceleration.” Happy to learn that his quest for speed qualifies him as a pioneer in the modern world rather than simply a would-be boy racer, he is looking forward to enabling Audi drivers in the UK and beyond to get the most from their engines and leave every set of traffic lights fully charged with endorphins – with just a cursory glance at the surprised driver of the brand new R8 alongside as you leave him standing.

For more information visit: www.rotrexsuperchargers.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

For better driving performance JMS recommend a H&R lowering spring kit which lowers the car 40mm on both axels. The wheel and tire set are the Varianza TS1 wheels 9,5x20 & 10x20 with 255/30-20 tires front and rear. More information on www.jms-fahrzeugteile.de

In this year’s SEMA Show, lots of cars showed up with Rotiform wheels, but one of them caught our attention. It was displayed in the Falken Tire booth, showing Falken’s brand new Azenis PT722 A/S, first ultra-high performance, all-season tire with a deep tread depth for stability in wet-road conditions from Falken.

The car has a set of incredible candy red Rotiform NUE concave wheels. The S5 also has a matte white vinyl from Meguiar’sWraptivo, Airlift Universal suspension, Alcon big brake kit, and Stasis Engineering cat-back exhaust. You can find more information and pictures here: Stance|works

The engine received a software optimization and a high-flow sports air filter. The total output of the S5 increased from the original 333 to 445hp, the torque increased from 440 to 530Nm. The tuner has also fitted a stainless steel exhaust system, that features sport catalytic converters and a four pipe muffler.

The interior can be finished with carbon fiber. The whole package for the S5 is available for € 15,000. For more information, please contact Senner Tuning.

Whilst retaining much of the sleekness of the A5, this extraordinary styling package consists of front and rear vented bumpers with an R8 look, featuring mesh inserts, a rear spoiler and a stainless steel sports quad exhaust system – ensuring an intense and active driving experience.

In addition, the lowered sports suspension, Billet Steel detailing (including the door mirrors, front bumper lip and rear bumper diffuser surround), Kahn-branded Aluminum Pedals, Kahn Coloured Speed and Rev Counter dials, Kahn Tinted Privacy Glass, heated electric front seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror, red calipers, cruise control and Audi parking system all manifest in an improved look - combining mechanical perfection and exterior beauty, with every external modification serving to coax greater performance from the car.

Inside will be the expected bespoke touch. We provide our customers with the opportunity to express one’s individuality. And they can have whatever they want. We could, for example, design for you a vehicle with an exterior the colour of your shirt and an interior the same shade of your living room. The choice is yours.

Evolved through skilled artistic and engineering innovation and using state-of-the-art manufacturing and materials technology, our 21-inch RSX matt black lightweight wheels exemplify what A. Kahn Design is all about: creating something that is both unique but refined enough to both complement and enhance each and every vehicle.

Project Kahn vehicles are for the individual who will not submit to a life of uniformity and who will only accept perfection. Dedicated to the creation of luxury bespoke vehicles, we redesign the ordered monotony of mass produced vehicles and rebuild them into individually tailored creations.

Applying forced induction to a normally aspirated production engine is no simple task and APR’s Engineering Teams understand that new innovations, processes and components must be incorporated into the design to insure OEM reliability and drivability while producing incredible performance results. Within APR’s Stage III, you will find more components and higher quality parts at every comparison than with any of the competing products currently available.

The goal of APR’s design was not merely fitment and operation but consideration of the long term effects of such a dramatic power increase and the overall reliability of the vehicle. Extra steps must be taken to insure Performance Without Compromise.

Not only will S5’s equipped with APR’s Stage III produce blistering increases in wide open throttle acceleration, daily driving is greatly improved with increased torque and horsepower available in even the lowest rpm’s of the power band. Less downshifting for passing and greater rates of acceleration at all points result in a driving characteristic of pure enjoyment in all situations. Both Drag Racing and Road Racing demands are taken into consideration during the design and calibration process in order to provide a well rounded solution for all enthusiasts.

The plates are equipped with the new GRS+ (Guided Roller System). It offers an adjustment possibility with the roller guidance of the roller bearing integrated in the hinges and additional stability through a catch which that locks in fully-opened condition. This results in more safety and more precise opening and closing of the door.
LSD plates are delivered with a part certificate by the German Technical Control Board which ensures that the LSD gull-wing doors fulfil all security standards.

Compared to other retrofit-sets for gull-wing doors, the LSD plates “made in Germany“ impress with a fully developed technology and the highest-possible quality standard. Moreover, a test laboratory accredited by the Federal German Transport Authority confirmed in a side crash-test that the LSD-solution which is patented in Germany is as safe as any serially fitted door. That means that passenger safety in a side crash is guaranteed according to guideline 96/27/EG by the LSD hinge system. LSD enables an easy and quick assembly without welding or painting works and impresses by its perfect fitting accuracy due to its three-dimensional adjustment.

The LSD plates are fitted to the original door attachment points of the dismantled original plates. After the assembly, the otherwise unchanged original door first opens outwards and then securely guided and damped upwards. Adjustable plates stop doors from opening too far or from falling inwards or downwards when opened. And also, it only takes one grip to close the doors. The LSD gull-wing doors render a sensational look to any car and are the ideal solution of fans of extraordinary tuning- and show cars. The LSD door plates can be obtained directly from LSD or from a specialist dealer.