Abt Sportsline is one of a few German tuners that likes to mess around with VW Group products, so a new Golf GTI was always going to get it excited. Well, some might say it got a little too excited when it set about tarting up the latest hot Golf - there's lots of, erm, accenting, isn't there?

We think it mostly looks the business though and we especially like the stacked quad tailpipes, surely designed in homage to the Lexus IS F. We're not so sure about the crimson detailing in the interior, but the outside is pure hatch-otica. Check out that rear diffuser, the spoiler, red-rimmed alloys and LED treatment for the lights.

And if power's your thing, look no further. Abt offers two kits: one boosts the output to 256bhp and another that takes it to 296bhp. The latter will drop 0-62mph to 'around six seconds' - a number that actually seems conservative to us, but that's what Abt claims. The 256bhp upgrade comes via a remapped ECU and the exhaust system, though the 296bhp upgrade is achieved via a new turbocharger. Get in touch with Abt if you fancy one, available now.

Mark Nichol - 15 Jul 2009