From 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, up to 290 km/h top speed, RS Torque Splitter, semi slicks, and specific RS driving modes – the new Audi RS 3 offers driving dynamics of the highest caliber and the best numbers in its segment. Equipped with a 294 kW (400 PS) five-cylinder, the high-performance engine delivers rapid acceleration with a highly intoxicating sound. The power unit now delivers 500 Nm of torque and responds even faster. Visually, the RS 3 demonstrates its sporty DNA with a widened body, RS sports exhaust system, and cockpit displays like those found in race cars.
Audi RS 3 Sportback and RS 3 Sedan
The RS 3 already comes standard-equipped with a number of driver assistance systems that maximum safety and enhance driving comfort.
With its five-cylinder, high-performance engine, the Audi RS 3 is one-of-a-kind in the segment. The 2.5 TFSI has won the “International Engine of the Year” award nine times in a row. In the latest generation of the compact sports car, the engine is now more powerful than ever before.
The new RS 3 models sprint from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds. Their top speed is limited to 250 km/h, but 280 km/h is also available as an optional upgrade. With the RS Dynamic package and ceramic brakes, they can even reach a top speed of 290 km/h. This makes the Audi RS 3 the best in its class in terms of acceleration and top speed. This is primarily due to the 500 Nm increase in torque, which is available between 2,250 and 5,600 rpm. That is equal to 20 Nm more than its predecessor. As a result, the Audi RS 3 accelerates even faster from low rev ranges.
The engine’s maximum power of 294 kW (400 PS) is available earlier than before at 5,600 rpm and extends over a broad plateau to 7,000 rpm. A new engine control unit also increases the speed at which all of the drive components communicate with each other.
A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is what puts the power of the five-cylinder engine to the pavement – with short shifting times and a sportier gear ratio spread. The engine’s unique 1‑2‑4‑5-3 ignition sequence and the incomparable sound that comes with it make the driving experience that much more exhilarating. For the first time, the exhaust system features a fully variable flap control system that supports intermediate positions, thus broadening the sound characteristics even further.
It can be adjusted via the driving dynamics system Audi drive select. In the Dynamic and RS Performance modes, for example, the flaps open much earlier – the emotional elements of the sound are even more pronounced. In addition, the unmistakable sound of the five-cylinder engine is further enhanced by the optional RS sports exhaust system.
In the interior, too, many elements specific to the RS accentuate its sportiness. The displays appear in the 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus, which comes standard. It displays the rpms in the form of a bar graph and shows power and torque as percentages. The rpm display in the “RS Runway” design is new. Here, the values are displayed in the opposite direction in a manner that visually resembles an airplane runway – the highest speed in the foreground and the lowest speed in the background. In addition, the Audi virtual cockpit plus includes displays for g‑forces, lap times and acceleration from 0‑100 km/h, 0-200 km/h, quarter mile, and eighth of a mile.
The RS-specific blinking shift indicator in manual transmission mode changes the rpm display from green to yellow to red, blinking in a manner identical to that used in motorsports, to indicate the ideal time to change gears. The 10.1-inch touch display includes what is referred to as the “RS Monitor,” which displays the coolant, engine, and transmission oil temperatures as well as tire pressures. Also available for the first time for the Audi RS 3 is a head-up display that projects relevant information onto the windshield in the driver’s direct line of sight in addition to the shift light indicator.
The genuine racing feeling is further enhanced by the carbon inlay in the instrument panel and RS sport seats with RS embossing and anthracite contrast stitching. The seat upholstery is optionally available in fine Nappa leather with RS honeycomb stitching and glossy black, red, or, for the first time, green contrast stitching. RS Design packages in red and green are available to match. They include special floor mats with contrast stitching and RS embroidery, as well as seatbelts with colored edges. The Design package plus includes seat corners in red or green and a colored accents on the air vents.
