The mighty 400bhp Audi RS3 now packs a tremendous punch and is ready to annihilate its competitors.
The new Audi RS3 is the only dinosaur among VW’s latest entourage of electric motoring solutions showcased at the Paris Motor Show, but that didn’t stop it from showing off its voluptuous proportions. What makes it really special is the fact it’s been designed to focus on the Asian and American markets. With a neat set of new tricks under its sleeve, the ballistic new Audi RS3 is ready to take on the world.
Sitting in bright Metallic Blue, the RS3 looks petite and purposeful. The tall and wide wheel arches accommodate large 19-inch wheels that sit on a wider track to accommodate the extra rubber. The wider track also means wider hips, flared arches and a more muscular body. Make no mistake, the RS3 looks scintillatingly race ready.
White accents garnish the front bumper and inlet vents. The single frame radiator grille is also accented with white in the RS tradition. The LED tail lamps and massive exhausts add to the RS3 racing charm. A Quattro badge adds a bit of zest to the front end to complete the RS3’s aggressive track-ready look.
Powering this road racer saloon is an exciting 2.5-litre turbocharged straight-five motor that churns out a catastrophic 395 HP and 480 Nm of torque making it the most powerful five-cylinder engine on the market. The motor is a lighter and higher tuned version of the straight-five that powers the new Audi TT.
Mated to a seven-speed dual clutch box, the RS3 deploys Audi’s Quattro all-wheel drive to take maximum advantage of all that power. Audi claims a 0-100kph sprint time of 4.1 seconds and an unrestricted top speed of 280kph. Staggering figures for a small four-door saloon.
To control this monumental tower of power, the RS3 makes use of massive 370mm discs at the front and 310mm at the back. Handling has been updated too compared to the standard A3, for obvious reasons. Updated suspension settings and stiffer chassis setup along with a host of electronics should ensure this new Audi can be tamed well on the track too.
Interiors is a classic RS affair with the gorgeous digital tachometer, circular air vents accented in red and the rise-up display. The flat-bottomed steering wheel and the chunky gear knob add to the sporting charm. The racing leather seats also feature RS badging. Quattro badges garnish subtle areas to remind you’ve got all-wheel drive backing you up.
The new RS3 is a fabulous little race bred car. Audi says it was born on the race track but designed for the road, and we could’t agree more. It definitely ticks all the boxes for a small sports saloon and probably adds a few boxes itself. So if you want to race your RS3 at the neighbouring track after dropping your kids at school in the morning, don’t worry – Audi has you covered! How it will stack up against the BMW M2 and the Mercedes CLA 45 AMG is something only time will tell us. The Audi RS3 starts on the front foot though with the highest power figure. What do you think about it?
Image Credits: Autoblog
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