At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Audi pulled the covers off a very interesting performance variant called the RS 3. Despite being merely an updated version, it’s still a unicorn in a few ways, but like before, it features the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine.
This time, it’s the updated lightweight mill from the new TT RS, which means power is pegged at 294kW and 480Nm, an increase of 24kW and 15Nm over the previous RS 3 (hatch) along with that magnificent soundtrack traces the mind back to 1980s Group B rally.
Speaking of which, the new RS 3 is the first car to emerge from Audi Performance, the recently renamed unit previous known as Audi Quattro GmbH. They’ve got a packed schedule ahead of them, with the next year and a half expected to be focused on rolling out 8 more performance variants.
The RS 3 gains a fairly standard exterior treatment to emphasise its ability to offer supercar-like exhilaration. A lowered stance by 25mm, a wider front and rear track (20mm, 14mm), a larger front grille with the requisite ‘quattro’ branding just above the front lip, larger intakes, 19-inch polished alloys that hide uprated 370mm front brake discs with a pair of front ceramic stoppers as an option, rear diffuser with large-diameter twin exhausts - it’s all there.
The extra performance over its predecessor means the new RS 3, with its quick-shifting twin-clutch S tronic transmission and all-wheel drive system, needs just 4.1 seconds to catch 100km/h from rest and will no doubt keep on going just as furiously. However, Audi has built a software wall to limit its speed to a maximum of 250km/h. De-limited, it should be capable of a substantially higher velocity. And with relative ease.
Inside, the RS 3’s dark toned interior is festooned with Nappa leather and RS logos so that there’s no mistaking the it for any ordinary A3, particularly with the quilted seats and red accents throughout. Otherwise, though, this isn’t far removed from the standard A3 or the older RS 3 hatch, for that matter.
Audi’s Virtual Cockpit is an optional feature, but one we feel is well worth the extra cash. With it selected, the usual analogue instrument cluster is replaced with a high-resolution 12.3-inch display that can dynamically display the typical speed and tachometer, but also feeds for satellite navigation, media playback, and other vehicle parameters.
Of course, the standard MMI central touchscreen infotainment panel is still present either way along with the 705-Watt 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system.
The RS 3 saloon retains the basic dynamic ingredients that Audi had previously used on the RS 3 hatch. And while that lead to a grippy point-to-point backroad barnstormer, the setup came under criticism for its lack of precision and propensity to understeer when pushed hard.
Hopefully the Ingolstadt automaker would have made the necessary tweaks to improve its everyday agility and front-end bite.
The new Audi RS 3 saloon is planned to hit local showrooms in mid 2017, with region-specific specification and pricing to be announced closer to launch.
For more on Audi vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
