After thousands of rumors, Audi has finally made official something we had been waiting for a long time: nothing less than its most radical version of the venerable Audi A3, namely the Audi RS3 Sportback, or simply the most powerful Audi A3 of all time.

As for the styling proposed by Audi, the truth is that on this model it has been somewhat restrained, since apart from a certain resemblance to the rest of the RS models in the bumpers and wheels, we don’t find huge spoilers or excessively low bumpers by any means.

The alloy wheels follow a five-spoke design, practically the same one you could already see on the Audi RS5, although on this occasion they are 19-inch with a grey tint. The tyres chosen, as could not be otherwise, are 235/35 on the front axle and 225/35 on the rear.

Now, perhaps the most noticeable differences are at the front, where Audi has incorporated LED daytime running lights as well as a grey spoiler that serves to emphasise the enormous cooling intakes installed to channel air to the engine. Looking at the rear, perhaps the most notable features are the simple diffuser and the two elliptical exhaust pipes located on the left side of the vehicle.

Cabin and comfort

Continuing our tour around the Audi RS3, it is essential to take a look at the interior, where you will surely like the sports seats upholstered in Nappa leather, the bucket-type seats are optional with several RS3 logos spread throughout the cabin, or simply equipment that can take the breath away from even the most demanding enthusiast.

At this point you will surely have noticed the new on-board computer which, in addition to the usual parameters for this class of vehicle, now includes new information such as oil temperature, turbo boost pressure and even a stopwatch to set lap times once you enter the circuit with it.

As for equipment, as you can imagine, a car of these characteristics comes fitted with all kinds of upgrades, such as dual-zone climate control, parking sensors, LED daytime running lights, xenon headlights… a whole compendium of improvements that will surely make your life easier.

Engine and performance

As we well knew, this model stands out for certain peculiarities, such as fitting the same engine as the Audi TT RS but with a little more power, namely a 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder turbo capable of producing 340 hp and a maximum torque of 450 Nm, paired with the famous seven-speed S-Tronic automatic gearbox and Quattro all-wheel drive to bring a bit of sanity to the matter.

With such equipment, it is no surprise to read in the press release that this model can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds or reach an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h, although given other Audi models, it would not be surprising if the model could be ordered with an increased top speed of up to 280 km/h.

According to the press release, this is where I imagine Audi is “swinging” a little: this model averages 9.1 l/100 km, a very frugal consumption considering the potential of the vehicle, so in real-world conditions we estimate its consumption will be around 10-11 litres.

As not everything can be power, Audi has fitted a new, much sportier McPherson suspension, which has reduced the height of the vehicle by 2.5 cm, along with a much more powerful braking system thanks to perforated discs of 37 and 31 cm for the front and rear axles, gripped by four-piston calipers.

Finally, you are surely curious: how much does this beast cost? Well, no less than around 54,000 euros in our country. Would you be willing to get one at such a price?

Source: audi