So, yeah, Audi is launching an über A3 in the form of the new RS3 Sportback. Powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder engine, it pays respect to Audi’s proud history of five-cylinder Quattro rally cars.
We loved the previous-generation RS3 hatch, and this one promises to be even better. Power rises from 340 to 367 horsepower, and maximum torque is rated at 343 lb-ft and available from 1625 to 5550 rpm.
The power is channeled to all four wheels through a seven-speed “wet” dual-clutch automatic; a manual transmission, disappointingly, is not available. Zero to 62 mph is said to take 4.3 seconds, and top speed is governed at either 155 mph or—if you pay for it—174 mph. That latter figure is higher than in the compact Mercedes-Benz CLA45and GLA45 AMG models.
The engine will exhale through an active exhaust that can open post-muffler flaps for a fuller sound depending on load and engine speed. The five-pot utilizes an iron block, is hand-assembled by a team in Györ, Hungary, and has max boost pressure of 18.9 psi. The compression ratio stands at 10.0:1. In a segment first, Audi will offer carbon-ceramic brakes up front, where they’ll be pinched by eight-piston calipers, and Audi has calibrated the Quattro all-wheel drive system for more tail-happy dynamics. As the previous car was a bit difficult to rotate midcorner, this is a welcome shift. A brake-based torque-vectoring system is present and can act on either the front or the rear axle, while the suspension has been beefed up and has its own aluminum steering knuckles.
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