ABT builds custom Audi A1 with 294kW

The Audi A1 clubsport quattro concept of 2011 was one of the great missed opportunities, a 370kW TT RS engine squeezed into the nose of the then-new first-gen A1 promised exciting things that never quite materialised.

While there is no such fanciful concept to tease audiences with for the second-gen iteration, Formula E racing driver, Daniel Abt has taken up the challenge of seeing how wild the A1 can get - and the result speaks for itself.

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The ABT Audi A1 1of1 packs 294kW on tap, courtesy of a 2-litre inline-4 turbo engine lifted from a TT Cup race car and tweaked to produce an additional 40kW. On top of that, Abt didn’t bother with taming its heart, opting instead to use a stainless steel straight pipe, keeping its vocal range as unhinged as the racing car from which it came from.

Complementing the power bump, the A1 1of1 handling is tweaked with a whole revamped suspension system with lowered H&R springs, bigger brakes, and 265-width Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. It also seems the A1 is still front-driven, as no mention is given to a swap to AWD. Underbody shots in the video also show no sign of a conversion.

As for appearances, the A1 1of1’s widebody kit itself was an in-house custom job, with its geometric pattern and dual-tone colour palette the work of Erik Aleksanjan, the same designer who was responsible for dressing up Jon Olsson’s Audi RS6.

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Round the back, the A1 1of1’s giant rear carbon-fibre wing gives it a rallycross look, whereas its 19-inch ABT ER-F wheels features internally mounted golden aero-rings that is reminiscent of classic racing aero wheels and pays homage to Formula E race cars, Daniel Abt’s current motorsports chariot.

As its name implies the A1 1of1 will be a one-off and remain just as unobtainable as the 2011 clubsport quattro concept.

That being said, Abt Sportline, the team and aftermarket company Daniel Abt races for, has performance mods available for the range-topping A1 40TFSI that will bump power up from 147kW to 176kW.