ABT Sportsline has revealed its take on the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, handing the front-driven hot hatch 250 kW and a slightly higher top speed than standard.

The GTI TCR that VW revealed back in January 2019 employs the Wolfsburg-based brand’s familiar turbocharged 2,0-litre four-cylinder, delivering 213 kW and 370 N.m (up on the standard GTI’s 169 kW and 350 N.m). But the folks over at ABT reckoned it could do with yet more poke…

Indeed, by fitting the ABT engine control unit, peak outputs have been raised to 250 kW and 430 N.m, which is enough to cut the claimed 0-100 km/h time from 5,6 to 5,4 seconds. Top speed, meanwhile, now comes in at 265 km/h (the standard model tops out at 250 km/h … or 260 km/h with the right box ticked).

Furthermore, ABT says it has improved the GTI TCR’s road-holding by fitting new springs and a coil-over suspension arrangement (dropping the ride height, too). An ABT anti-roll bar is also part of the package.

In addition, the tuner says it offers a “wide range” of alloy wheel designs, including the pictured 20-inch ABT GR items, complete with a gloss-black finish and diamond-machined rims.

You’re no doubt wondering whether the standard Golf GTI TCR is coming to South Africa. Well, in August 2018, Volkswagen SA told us that it had “no plans as yet” to bring in what Wolfsburg describes as its fastest Golf GTI ever. And, last we heard, nothing’s changed...

Original article from Car