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The new third generation RS3 has arrived in Ireland, and the good news is that it has the same 2.5-litre turbocharged five cylinder engine as before, churning out 400 horsepower through Audi’s legendary Quattro drive. With a starting price tag of around €90,000, it goes up against cars like the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and Volkswagen Golf R among others, but is it the most exciting to drive?
Styling:
As ever, the RS3 is available as a hatchback or for an additional €3,000, you can get this saloon version. This particular car is specced out with over €12,000 of optional extras including five spoke 19-inch alloy wheels, a black styling package with a stealthy front grille and Audi badges and even an upgraded RS sports exhaust system. Other details include LED lights which form a chequered flag effect, and overall the Audi RS3 looks better than ever from the outside and it draws lots of interest out on the road as a result.
Inside:
Stepping into the RS3 saloon, you instantly feel at home with body-hugging RS sports seats and a flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in suede-style material and the twelve o clock mark for track driving. The beauty of the RS3 is that it will serve just as well for daily driving with all of the comforts you might expect in a regular Audi A3, including Audi's virtual cockpit display behind the steering wheel, MMI infotainment system and an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system. Elsewhere there are buttons for selecting different driving modes, RS3 badges and red stitching and detailing on the air vents throughout the cabin. As the new RS3 has a torque splitter fitted to the rear axle, there is less boot space than before and it is 50-litres smaller than the old model, which means practicality isn’t its strong point. .
Driving:
What is the RS3 like to drive? In a nutshell, it is phenomenal. You may be surprised to find out that the new RS3 doesn’t have any more power than its predecessor, and that’s because it has the same 2.5-litre turbocharged five cylinder engine as before. There are a few small differences however, as this power is spread across a wider rev range and it also has more torque which results in better performance out on the road. With 400 horsepower going to all four wheels through a seven speed dual clutch automatic gearbox, the RS3 gets away from a standstill faster than many supercars, dispatching 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds.
With new brakes that cool better than before, it has better stopping power too, and there’s even the option to upgrade to full carbon ceramic breaks. The new torque splitter technology means there are now two clutches at the rear which send power separately to each of the rear wheels, which sends more power to the outside wheel when you are cornering hard for better agililty. The RS3 is the type of car that makes you take the long way home any time you go for a drive, take a quick drive to the shops and more often than not you’ll end up on the scenic route . As an everday car, it is comfortable too, the suspension although performance focused is forgiving on bumpy roads.
Models:
As you would expect, the RS3 demands a premium pricetag with prices starting from around €90,000 for the entry sportback model and almost €94,000 for the saloon, by comparison the Volkswagen Golf R starts at €72,000. The one we are driving here is fitted with a ton of extras including the RS sports exhaust system, an RS styling package, Digital Matrix headlights and nappa leather and it is closer to €108,000 as a result!
Outro:
So should you buy the new Audi RS3? Well it is undoubtedly the best RS3 to date and a big improvement on its predeccesor, as it faster and more engaging to drive with that fantastic five cylinder engine. The RS3 is confidence-inspiring to drive, well balanced on the road and well-suited to everyday driving on Irish roads. That said it demands a hefty pricetag (this one coming in at over six figures with all of the options ticked), while there are a lot of different settings and drive modes to get your head around initially.