A3/S3/RS3 [Official] 2015 Audi RS3 Sportback
- Thread starter JHF
- Start date
The Audi A3 is a small family car (C-segment) manufactured and marketed by Audi AG since September 1996. The first two generations of the Audi A3 were based on the Volkswagen Group A platform, while the third and fourth generations use the Volkswagen Group MQB platform.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-first-drive-review
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi-rs3-review-first-drive-2015-01-22
First drives are positive so far and waiting for the road reviews
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi-rs3-review-first-drive-2015-01-22
First drives are positive so far and waiting for the road reviews
JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
2015 Audi RS3 Sportback
King of the red-hot compacts.
A few years ago, Audi crowned its A3 lineup with a top model by its Quattro GmbH performance division, dubbed the RS3 Sportback. At the time of the RS3’s launch in the spring of 2011, the second-gen A3 was already well into the autumn of its life cycle; the RS model had not been part of the initial product plan, and it never made it to the U.S. Nevertheless, the 5300 units sold elsewhere far exceeded Audi's expectations. It exceeded ours, too, when we drove it.
With the latest version—which was planned from the get-go—Quattro GmbH has turned out an even better car. A new chassis helps; like the current A3, the RS3 Sportback is based on Audi's MQB architecture, which is significantly lighter than the previous platform, cutting curb weight by a claimed 121 pounds.
The trimmer underpinnings make life easier for the upgraded engine. The RS3 is equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-five that’s force-fed by a single turbo. The classic five-hole layout of the engine harks back to Audi’s rally cars of the 1980s, and thanks to its 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, it sounds like them, too, with a sonorous bass quality that’s enhanced by throttle-blipped downshifts in the transmission's Sport mode. It's a unique soundtrack, deeper and fuller than that of theMercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG's four-banger and naughtier than the BMW M235i's silky straight-six.
The RS3’s five produces 367 horsepower—27 more than last time—from 5500 to 6800 rpm, as well as 343 lb-ft of torque from 1625 to 5550 rpm. The output curves translate to seamless thrust at virtually any speed. Despite its lone turbo, this five-cylinder reacts very quickly to throttle inputs.
The only transmission available is the Volkswagen Group's seven-speed “wet” dual-clutch automatic. Sadly, no manual is offered, and conversations with Quattro GmbH's technical director, Stephan Reil, don’t give us much hope for one. Performance, however, is impeccable: According to Audi, zero to 62 mph takes a mere 4.3 seconds, and top speed is governed at 155 mph or 174 mph, the latter dependent on an option package.
The superior straight-line performance of the RS3 corresponds with significantly improved cornering abilities. Turn-in is precise, and the electric power steering is nicely weighted. In its standard configuration, the car comes with 235/35-19 rubber front and rear. However, there’s the unusual option of 255/30-19 tires for the front only, which allow the RS3 to tackle corners with even greater eagerness. Thankfully, the aesthetics don’t suffer—only those who have been told that the front tires are wider will even be able to tell.
The RS3 doesn't just turn in quickly—it likes to rotate. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system shuttles around output a lot quicker than before, and it can send up to 100 percent of the available torque to the rear axle. If the stability-control system is in Sport mode, this hatch can be rather easily coerced into oversteer—and if the system is off, the driver can use the throttle to keep the rear hanging out, too.
The standard high-performance braking system is good, but the optional, segment-first, carbon-ceramic brakes are better. Yet even with its prodigious sportiness, the RS3 is a supple long-distance cruiser, especially when fitted with the optional electronically controlled dampers.
Styling changes from the A3 include a body lowered by a full inch and large lower air intakes connected by a winglike element. The front fenders are wider, and the rear end is graced by a dual-outlet exhaust system.
There is no confirmation yet, but we suspect—and hope—that the RS3 will come to the U.S., probably as a notchback sedan, in the vein of the wicked Clubsport concept, perhaps in late 2016. Of course, that provocation won't sit well with Mercedes-AMG, and we fully expect a power upgrade for the already steroidal CLA45 AMG within the next two years. Moreover, there is a 395-hp version of the VW Golf R on the horizon. For now, however, the RS3 Sportback is the king of the red-hot compacts
SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE (GERMANY, MINUS VAT): 43,000 euros
COMPARABLES (GERMANY, MINUS VAT): BMW M235i automatic, 39,000 euros; Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG, 48,000 euros
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 151 cu in, 2480 cc
Power: 367 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 343 lb-ft @ 1625 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 103.6 in
Length: 171.0 in
Width: 70.9 in Height: 55.6 in
Cargo volume: 9.9 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3350 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.4 sec
Top speed: 155 or 174 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway: 21/29 mpg
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-first-drive-review
King of the red-hot compacts.
A few years ago, Audi crowned its A3 lineup with a top model by its Quattro GmbH performance division, dubbed the RS3 Sportback. At the time of the RS3’s launch in the spring of 2011, the second-gen A3 was already well into the autumn of its life cycle; the RS model had not been part of the initial product plan, and it never made it to the U.S. Nevertheless, the 5300 units sold elsewhere far exceeded Audi's expectations. It exceeded ours, too, when we drove it.
With the latest version—which was planned from the get-go—Quattro GmbH has turned out an even better car. A new chassis helps; like the current A3, the RS3 Sportback is based on Audi's MQB architecture, which is significantly lighter than the previous platform, cutting curb weight by a claimed 121 pounds.
The trimmer underpinnings make life easier for the upgraded engine. The RS3 is equipped with a 2.5-liter inline-five that’s force-fed by a single turbo. The classic five-hole layout of the engine harks back to Audi’s rally cars of the 1980s, and thanks to its 1-2-4-5-3 firing order, it sounds like them, too, with a sonorous bass quality that’s enhanced by throttle-blipped downshifts in the transmission's Sport mode. It's a unique soundtrack, deeper and fuller than that of theMercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG's four-banger and naughtier than the BMW M235i's silky straight-six.
The RS3’s five produces 367 horsepower—27 more than last time—from 5500 to 6800 rpm, as well as 343 lb-ft of torque from 1625 to 5550 rpm. The output curves translate to seamless thrust at virtually any speed. Despite its lone turbo, this five-cylinder reacts very quickly to throttle inputs.
The only transmission available is the Volkswagen Group's seven-speed “wet” dual-clutch automatic. Sadly, no manual is offered, and conversations with Quattro GmbH's technical director, Stephan Reil, don’t give us much hope for one. Performance, however, is impeccable: According to Audi, zero to 62 mph takes a mere 4.3 seconds, and top speed is governed at 155 mph or 174 mph, the latter dependent on an option package.
The superior straight-line performance of the RS3 corresponds with significantly improved cornering abilities. Turn-in is precise, and the electric power steering is nicely weighted. In its standard configuration, the car comes with 235/35-19 rubber front and rear. However, there’s the unusual option of 255/30-19 tires for the front only, which allow the RS3 to tackle corners with even greater eagerness. Thankfully, the aesthetics don’t suffer—only those who have been told that the front tires are wider will even be able to tell.
The RS3 doesn't just turn in quickly—it likes to rotate. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system shuttles around output a lot quicker than before, and it can send up to 100 percent of the available torque to the rear axle. If the stability-control system is in Sport mode, this hatch can be rather easily coerced into oversteer—and if the system is off, the driver can use the throttle to keep the rear hanging out, too.
The standard high-performance braking system is good, but the optional, segment-first, carbon-ceramic brakes are better. Yet even with its prodigious sportiness, the RS3 is a supple long-distance cruiser, especially when fitted with the optional electronically controlled dampers.
Styling changes from the A3 include a body lowered by a full inch and large lower air intakes connected by a winglike element. The front fenders are wider, and the rear end is graced by a dual-outlet exhaust system.
There is no confirmation yet, but we suspect—and hope—that the RS3 will come to the U.S., probably as a notchback sedan, in the vein of the wicked Clubsport concept, perhaps in late 2016. Of course, that provocation won't sit well with Mercedes-AMG, and we fully expect a power upgrade for the already steroidal CLA45 AMG within the next two years. Moreover, there is a 395-hp version of the VW Golf R on the horizon. For now, however, the RS3 Sportback is the king of the red-hot compacts
SPECIFICATIONS
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
ESTIMATED BASE PRICE (GERMANY, MINUS VAT): 43,000 euros
COMPARABLES (GERMANY, MINUS VAT): BMW M235i automatic, 39,000 euros; Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG, 48,000 euros
ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 151 cu in, 2480 cc
Power: 367 hp @ 6800 rpm
Torque: 343 lb-ft @ 1625 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with manual shifting mode
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 103.6 in
Length: 171.0 in
Width: 70.9 in Height: 55.6 in
Cargo volume: 9.9 cu ft
Curb weight (C/D est): 3350 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 3.9 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 9.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 12.4 sec
Top speed: 155 or 174 mph
FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway: 21/29 mpg
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-first-drive-review
JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
2015 Audi RS3 Sportback review
Finnish ice-drive reveals real promise, if not the full extent, of new RS3's capabilities
What is it?:
There weren’t many bonafide fans of the previous RS3 in the Autocar office, and you’d struggle to find anyone who thought the car justified its prodigious price tag. Audi sold them nevertheless, and the early word on the new model - delivered by a passenger-seated Matt Prior - is that quattro GmbH hasn’t proven entirely deaf to the initial criticisms.
Subsequently, as we approach the car’s official launch date, that ride-along has morphed into an early Finland-based squirt around Audi’s winter proving ground. The bullet points remain the same: this is a modestly lighter, cleverer and faster brand of RS3, albeit still exclusively (for now) in the Sportback mould.
Responsibility for each of these things lies, respectively, in the MQB platform (a 55kg saving), new RS-applied software that enables 100 per cent of available torque to be dispatched to the reaer wheels, and an overhauled turbocharger and intercooler on the in line five-cylinder petrol engine, the latter permitting a dialing up of the boost pressure.
As a result, total output is now up to 362bhp, and there’s 343lb ft from 1625rpm. Slightly less heady, although no less pertinent, is the news that, thanks to a number of detail changes, the motor is now Euro 6 compliant and might just potentially be good for 34.8mpg. That figure was impossible to verify in Finland, of course, along with all manner of other things.
What's it like?:
Being given a winter tyre-shod car to test on snow is rather like being asked to trial a new biro by writing exclusively on banana skin. The surface, in other words, has a habit of making everything seem unreal and richly dramatic. But the reasoning for Audi is perfectly obvious: there is nowhere better, perhaps on earth, to show that your car has improved rear-end bias than a 20-metre-wide circle of ice.
The RS3, happily, rises to the challenge in fine style. Held in third gear, and heavily prodded with the traction switched out, it canters into broad, catchable, rooster-tail slides, the back axle evidently keen to accept - and retain - much more of the torque split than it might have done previously.
Eventually, inevitably, the asymmetric four-wheel drive system will seek to conclude your fun by imposing its will back on the front axle - making indulgent, 360deg drifts improbable even on snow - but simultaneously reducing the potential for an inelegant spin, too.
With nothing to hit on a very slippery surface, it’s hard not to admire this reactive and forgiving set-up very much indeed. Put things in your way though - on a more sensibly proportioned handling stage, in this case - and there are reminders enough that you are not, in fact, Ari Vatanen, and the RS3 is not a WRC car.
The darty steering, switched into Comfort mode even by Audi’s underlings, is still unlikely to be a feature keen drivers will value much, and it isn’t as though understeer - its predecessor’s default response - has been abolished from proceedings either. There were also times we would have appreciated the manual handbrake fitted to quattro’s modified passenger ride car.
Nevertheless, the good omens outweigh the bad. Even away from the full-throttle, lock-stop heroism of the skid pan, the RS3 still shows a penchant for having its mid-bend line adjusted with the accelerator pedal. And if that attitude makes it onto the asphalt as a newly biddable, neutral-steer finesse, the model will have taken a giant step forwards in likeability. Especially as the engine, although only massaged here like a snowmobile motor, retains all its angry, bit-chomping charm, while the car itself, both inside and out, is studiously handsome.
Should I buy one?:
Clearly that isn’t sufficient for us to suggest you put your money where only our mouths have been just yet, but we look forward to the forthcoming launch with considerably more enthusiasm now. Especially as it’s only taken two hours inside the Arctic Circle for the latest model to register at least one cautious new admirer at Autocar HQ.
Audi RS3
Price £40,000 (est); Engine 5 cyls, 2480cc, turbocharged, petrol;Power 362bhp at 5550-6800rpm; Torque 343lb ft at 1625-5500rpm;Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic; Kerb weight 1520kg; Top speed 155mph; 0-62mph 4.3sec; Economy 34.8mpg; CO2 189g/km
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
Finnish ice-drive reveals real promise, if not the full extent, of new RS3's capabilities
What is it?:
There weren’t many bonafide fans of the previous RS3 in the Autocar office, and you’d struggle to find anyone who thought the car justified its prodigious price tag. Audi sold them nevertheless, and the early word on the new model - delivered by a passenger-seated Matt Prior - is that quattro GmbH hasn’t proven entirely deaf to the initial criticisms.
Subsequently, as we approach the car’s official launch date, that ride-along has morphed into an early Finland-based squirt around Audi’s winter proving ground. The bullet points remain the same: this is a modestly lighter, cleverer and faster brand of RS3, albeit still exclusively (for now) in the Sportback mould.
Responsibility for each of these things lies, respectively, in the MQB platform (a 55kg saving), new RS-applied software that enables 100 per cent of available torque to be dispatched to the reaer wheels, and an overhauled turbocharger and intercooler on the in line five-cylinder petrol engine, the latter permitting a dialing up of the boost pressure.
As a result, total output is now up to 362bhp, and there’s 343lb ft from 1625rpm. Slightly less heady, although no less pertinent, is the news that, thanks to a number of detail changes, the motor is now Euro 6 compliant and might just potentially be good for 34.8mpg. That figure was impossible to verify in Finland, of course, along with all manner of other things.
What's it like?:
Being given a winter tyre-shod car to test on snow is rather like being asked to trial a new biro by writing exclusively on banana skin. The surface, in other words, has a habit of making everything seem unreal and richly dramatic. But the reasoning for Audi is perfectly obvious: there is nowhere better, perhaps on earth, to show that your car has improved rear-end bias than a 20-metre-wide circle of ice.
The RS3, happily, rises to the challenge in fine style. Held in third gear, and heavily prodded with the traction switched out, it canters into broad, catchable, rooster-tail slides, the back axle evidently keen to accept - and retain - much more of the torque split than it might have done previously.
Eventually, inevitably, the asymmetric four-wheel drive system will seek to conclude your fun by imposing its will back on the front axle - making indulgent, 360deg drifts improbable even on snow - but simultaneously reducing the potential for an inelegant spin, too.
With nothing to hit on a very slippery surface, it’s hard not to admire this reactive and forgiving set-up very much indeed. Put things in your way though - on a more sensibly proportioned handling stage, in this case - and there are reminders enough that you are not, in fact, Ari Vatanen, and the RS3 is not a WRC car.
The darty steering, switched into Comfort mode even by Audi’s underlings, is still unlikely to be a feature keen drivers will value much, and it isn’t as though understeer - its predecessor’s default response - has been abolished from proceedings either. There were also times we would have appreciated the manual handbrake fitted to quattro’s modified passenger ride car.
Nevertheless, the good omens outweigh the bad. Even away from the full-throttle, lock-stop heroism of the skid pan, the RS3 still shows a penchant for having its mid-bend line adjusted with the accelerator pedal. And if that attitude makes it onto the asphalt as a newly biddable, neutral-steer finesse, the model will have taken a giant step forwards in likeability. Especially as the engine, although only massaged here like a snowmobile motor, retains all its angry, bit-chomping charm, while the car itself, both inside and out, is studiously handsome.
Should I buy one?:
Clearly that isn’t sufficient for us to suggest you put your money where only our mouths have been just yet, but we look forward to the forthcoming launch with considerably more enthusiasm now. Especially as it’s only taken two hours inside the Arctic Circle for the latest model to register at least one cautious new admirer at Autocar HQ.
Audi RS3
Price £40,000 (est); Engine 5 cyls, 2480cc, turbocharged, petrol;Power 362bhp at 5550-6800rpm; Torque 343lb ft at 1625-5500rpm;Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic; Kerb weight 1520kg; Top speed 155mph; 0-62mph 4.3sec; Economy 34.8mpg; CO2 189g/km
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
First drive: 2015 Audi RS3 Sportback
Can Audi's 362bhp 4WD hot hatch stick it to the Merc A45? Sam Philip heads to the Arctic Circle to find out
What's this, then?
On paper, probably the hottest production hot hatch on the planet. The Audi RS3 Sportback's four fat tyres are fed by no fewer than 362 turbocharged horsepowers: 27bhp more than its predecessor, well north of the 297bhp VW Golf R. Oh, and an entirely coincidental seven horsepowers ahead of its sworn arch-enemy, the similarly 4WD, similarly turbocharged, similarly five-door Mercedes A45 AMG.
You'll recognise the hardware. Audi’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder makes more power than in any previous application, courtesy of a revised turbocharger and intercooling. All that go reaches the road through a permanent four-wheel-drive system fed by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
That hardware, says Audi, is good for a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds, but don't forget Ingolstadt is notoriously conservative with its timing kit. We'd guess a sub-four sprint is realistic. Top speed, delimited, stands at 174mph. That's not hot hatch pace, that's supercar pace.
Based on the MQB underpinnings of the current A3, the RS3 sits an inch lower to the road on wider tracks front and rear. It's only available in Sportback - Audi-speak for 'five-door hatch' - guise for now, but the RS guys admit they're investigating other body styles.
Enough preamble. How does it drive?
Sidewaysly.
Is that a word? And also, really?
Yes and yes. Really quite sidewaysly. Apparently a touch riled by accusations that its previous RS models – and the old RS3 in particular – have always been too nose-led, too understeery to satisfy The Dedicated Helmsmith, Audi has set its boffins to giving the quattro set-up more of a push-me than pull-you attitude, proudly boasting that the RS3’s rear-mounted, hydraulically actuated mulit-plate clutch can apportion 100 per cent of the available torque to the rear axle if necessary. The promotional spiel even makes heady mention of 'performing controlled drifts'. This is not a phrase you will often read in official Audi material.
And can you perform controlled drifts?
You actually can. ESC switched off, initiate flailing Scandinavian flick, and the RS3 will indulge you with great long steady-state drifts, holding near-impossible angles while the five-cylinder pings itself into the limiter. It is, all told, rather damn magical.
I sense a 'but' hoving into view...
OK, there is one tiny, tiny 'but'. As you may have spotted from the photos, we were only permitted to test the RS3 on ice, on a great frozen bowl way up in the Finnish Arctic circle with a grip coefficient considerably lower than even the most elusive bar of prison-shower soap. If a car can't get sideways out here, it won't get sideways anywhere.
Therefore we can, sadly, tell you nothing of how the RS3 might cope with Britain’s uniquely pitted tarmac – and, let’s be honest, fast Audis haven’t to date been renowned for their cossetting ride quality – nor whether it’ll retain that more rear-biased feel on, say, a sticky track rather than low-mu surface.
Audi reckons the improved rigidity of the MQB-based A3 has allowed it to employ a slightly more forgiving default damping set-up than some of its previous efforts. True, the RS3 felt very smooth on very smooth ice, but then again that's hardly surprising.
Anything else you can't tell us?
Oh yes. We can't tell you whether the variable-ratio electric steering will afford any idea of what the front wheels are up to, though judging by Audi's past form and what little we could ascertain from the ice pan, you're unlikely to be talking Lotus Elise levels of feedback here.
So what can you tell us?
We can tell you the turbo five sounds as juicy as ever, throbbing and yowling its familiar, retro burble. Audi wanted to keep the RS3’s soundtrack natural, eschewing the current trend for piping Happy Noises through the car’s speaker system. In fact, the only aural enhancements are the butterfly valves in the exhaust. Your ears require these to be open at all times.
And we can tell you that throttle response feels fabulously sharp. With maximum torque – 343lb ft, no less – available from just 1625rpm, the RS3 serves up a proper gut-punch of power from any revs.
Any more?
We can tell you, too, that the double-clutch box (no manual option is available) seems much crisper and less hesitant than the frequently laggy transmission in the A45 AMG. The RS3's four-wheel-drive system, too, appears more fluent at juggling power than that of the AWD Merc, which often seems determined to remain front-wheel drive until it becomes utterly necessary to send power to the rear axle. The RS3 gives you more options at the back.
Of course, the Audi isn't so prone to wanton oversteer as, say, the rear-drive BMW M135i. This is, after all, a four-wheel-drive hot hatch dedicated to finding grip at all costs. If you're doing nothing but spinning the rears, the Quattro system will push power to the front axle in a bid for purchase, and requires a bit of man-handling to provoke into a slide. And that's with traction control off: engage the electronic safety net and the RS3 will nudge you back to the straight-ahead far earlier. However, all this is probably a trifle arbitrary.
How so?
Because grip. Our test RS3 wore standard winter tyres rather than any daft studded rubber (never should those two words appear next to each other in a sentence fit for a family website), but found impressive purchase on everything but sheet ice. Grip levels on even the slipperiest of tarmac should be mighty.
Out in the real world, discovering significant understeer or oversteer in the RS3 will likely be prefixed with the popping of several brave pills, and likely be suffixed with a significant repair bill.
How much does it cost?
UK prices are yet to be finalised ,but Audi says the RS3 will clock in around £40,000, a hefty chunk above the £30k Golf R (our hot hatch of 2014, of course). And that's before you start plumbing in stuff like the optional carbon ceramic brakes and adaptive damping.
Yes, with that extra power we'd expect the RS3 to do the Golf in a straight line, but it'll have to go some to match the all-round, all-road abilities of the sublime VW, particularly on broken British lanes. We've sampled enough of the RS3 to suggest it's got the hardware for the B-road fight, but does it have the polish? We'll have to wait for the thaw to be sure...
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi-rs3-review-first-drive-2015-01-22
Can Audi's 362bhp 4WD hot hatch stick it to the Merc A45? Sam Philip heads to the Arctic Circle to find out
What's this, then?
On paper, probably the hottest production hot hatch on the planet. The Audi RS3 Sportback's four fat tyres are fed by no fewer than 362 turbocharged horsepowers: 27bhp more than its predecessor, well north of the 297bhp VW Golf R. Oh, and an entirely coincidental seven horsepowers ahead of its sworn arch-enemy, the similarly 4WD, similarly turbocharged, similarly five-door Mercedes A45 AMG.
You'll recognise the hardware. Audi’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder makes more power than in any previous application, courtesy of a revised turbocharger and intercooling. All that go reaches the road through a permanent four-wheel-drive system fed by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
That hardware, says Audi, is good for a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds, but don't forget Ingolstadt is notoriously conservative with its timing kit. We'd guess a sub-four sprint is realistic. Top speed, delimited, stands at 174mph. That's not hot hatch pace, that's supercar pace.
Based on the MQB underpinnings of the current A3, the RS3 sits an inch lower to the road on wider tracks front and rear. It's only available in Sportback - Audi-speak for 'five-door hatch' - guise for now, but the RS guys admit they're investigating other body styles.
Enough preamble. How does it drive?
Sidewaysly.
Is that a word? And also, really?
Yes and yes. Really quite sidewaysly. Apparently a touch riled by accusations that its previous RS models – and the old RS3 in particular – have always been too nose-led, too understeery to satisfy The Dedicated Helmsmith, Audi has set its boffins to giving the quattro set-up more of a push-me than pull-you attitude, proudly boasting that the RS3’s rear-mounted, hydraulically actuated mulit-plate clutch can apportion 100 per cent of the available torque to the rear axle if necessary. The promotional spiel even makes heady mention of 'performing controlled drifts'. This is not a phrase you will often read in official Audi material.
And can you perform controlled drifts?
You actually can. ESC switched off, initiate flailing Scandinavian flick, and the RS3 will indulge you with great long steady-state drifts, holding near-impossible angles while the five-cylinder pings itself into the limiter. It is, all told, rather damn magical.
I sense a 'but' hoving into view...
OK, there is one tiny, tiny 'but'. As you may have spotted from the photos, we were only permitted to test the RS3 on ice, on a great frozen bowl way up in the Finnish Arctic circle with a grip coefficient considerably lower than even the most elusive bar of prison-shower soap. If a car can't get sideways out here, it won't get sideways anywhere.
Therefore we can, sadly, tell you nothing of how the RS3 might cope with Britain’s uniquely pitted tarmac – and, let’s be honest, fast Audis haven’t to date been renowned for their cossetting ride quality – nor whether it’ll retain that more rear-biased feel on, say, a sticky track rather than low-mu surface.
Audi reckons the improved rigidity of the MQB-based A3 has allowed it to employ a slightly more forgiving default damping set-up than some of its previous efforts. True, the RS3 felt very smooth on very smooth ice, but then again that's hardly surprising.
Anything else you can't tell us?
Oh yes. We can't tell you whether the variable-ratio electric steering will afford any idea of what the front wheels are up to, though judging by Audi's past form and what little we could ascertain from the ice pan, you're unlikely to be talking Lotus Elise levels of feedback here.
So what can you tell us?
We can tell you the turbo five sounds as juicy as ever, throbbing and yowling its familiar, retro burble. Audi wanted to keep the RS3’s soundtrack natural, eschewing the current trend for piping Happy Noises through the car’s speaker system. In fact, the only aural enhancements are the butterfly valves in the exhaust. Your ears require these to be open at all times.
And we can tell you that throttle response feels fabulously sharp. With maximum torque – 343lb ft, no less – available from just 1625rpm, the RS3 serves up a proper gut-punch of power from any revs.
Any more?
We can tell you, too, that the double-clutch box (no manual option is available) seems much crisper and less hesitant than the frequently laggy transmission in the A45 AMG. The RS3's four-wheel-drive system, too, appears more fluent at juggling power than that of the AWD Merc, which often seems determined to remain front-wheel drive until it becomes utterly necessary to send power to the rear axle. The RS3 gives you more options at the back.
Of course, the Audi isn't so prone to wanton oversteer as, say, the rear-drive BMW M135i. This is, after all, a four-wheel-drive hot hatch dedicated to finding grip at all costs. If you're doing nothing but spinning the rears, the Quattro system will push power to the front axle in a bid for purchase, and requires a bit of man-handling to provoke into a slide. And that's with traction control off: engage the electronic safety net and the RS3 will nudge you back to the straight-ahead far earlier. However, all this is probably a trifle arbitrary.
How so?
Because grip. Our test RS3 wore standard winter tyres rather than any daft studded rubber (never should those two words appear next to each other in a sentence fit for a family website), but found impressive purchase on everything but sheet ice. Grip levels on even the slipperiest of tarmac should be mighty.
Out in the real world, discovering significant understeer or oversteer in the RS3 will likely be prefixed with the popping of several brave pills, and likely be suffixed with a significant repair bill.
How much does it cost?
UK prices are yet to be finalised ,but Audi says the RS3 will clock in around £40,000, a hefty chunk above the £30k Golf R (our hot hatch of 2014, of course). And that's before you start plumbing in stuff like the optional carbon ceramic brakes and adaptive damping.
Yes, with that extra power we'd expect the RS3 to do the Golf in a straight line, but it'll have to go some to match the all-round, all-road abilities of the sublime VW, particularly on broken British lanes. We've sampled enough of the RS3 to suggest it's got the hardware for the B-road fight, but does it have the polish? We'll have to wait for the thaw to be sure...
http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi-rs3-review-first-drive-2015-01-22
JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
New Audi RS3 2015 review
First test of 362bhp Audi RS3 Sportback mega-hatch in freezing conditions
Verdict
4
Cars that offer bags of performance and an abundance of practicality are few and far between. but the new Audi RS3 Sportback is certainly one of them. It’s lighter, faster and shaper to drive than before and it comes wrapped in a sharply-styled and easy to live with package. The true test remains when we get it on UK roads, but already it’s clear Audi has injected not just more power, but some real excitement into the new RS3.
Audi’s RS division has long been a byword for supercar performance allied with everyday usability. The second-generation Audi RS3 Sportback doesn’t stray from those tracks, harvesting the most powerful five-cylinder engine in RS production history alongside a big boot and space for five adults.
The headline improvements are reduced weight, more power and a lot more drama than before. All three of those advancements are a result of an uprated version of the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine as well as new MQB underpinnings. A total of 55kg of weight has been shed and 27bhp gained, boosting total power to 362bhp. That’s 7bhp more than you’ll find in the Audi’s closest rival; theMercedes A45 AMG.
But the developments don’t stop there. The new platform has also allowed Audi to fit re-engineered springs and dampers as well as stiffer struts to the RS3, which make the car’s feverish appetite for speed easier to contain.
So, what does this all mean for performance? Well, 0-62mph takes 4.3 seconds – three tenths quicker than before – and it gets a top speed of 174mph. That makes the RS3 just as quick from a standing start as the old Lamborghini Gallardo, but with half the number of cylinders, twice as many doors and a big boot.
We drove the car in Ivalo, northern Finland with temperatures as low as -27 degrees celsius, and we’re the first to admit this is far from a real-world test. But, if the mega-hatch can manage these hostile conditions a rainy UK B-road should be dispatched with minimal effort.
Pressing the starter button brings the 2.5-litre five-cylinder barking into life, and a new active exhaust – fitted as standard – emphasizes the unmistakable offbeat warble. Given the conditions, winter tyres were fitted to our test car, but even so we scrabble away from a standstill sending up huge rooster tails of snow behind us. Power delivery remains explosive with all 465Nm of torque available from as little as 1,650rpm.
A tight and twisty handling circuit highlighted the far more playful character of the second-gen RS3 over the previous model. Its predecessor was often criticized for being rather inert with a tendency to understeer prematurely. Given the low-grip conditions it’s impossible to say whether understeer has been eradicated completely, but there’s definitely a new level of interactivity that was sorely missed from its predecessor.
It’s testament to the wonders of the MQB platform, something that has also recently transformed the Audi TT into a proper driver’s car. Hints of that enhanced agility can be felt in the RS3 too, especially when you toggle through the various driving modes – auto, comfort and dynamic – which loosen the reins on the traction control and allow great freedom.
A more responsive quattro all-wheel drive system and new Haldex 5 clutch also transfers power to the wheels faster than before, with between 50 and 100 per cent of the car’s power able to be transmitted to the front or rear wheels depending on which axle demands the most traction. It allows you to turn in more precisely and hold the car in what seem to be never-ending four-wheel drifts.
Visually, a gloss-black honeycomb grille, gaping air intakes with an F1-style front blade as well as beefed up exhaust pipes and arches give the attitude the RS badge warrants. But despite the aggressive exterior, beneath the surface this mega hatch is still a practical and spacious A3 at heart, with a 340-litre boot.
Carbon-ceramic front brakes have been made an option for the first time, with a louder sports exhaust and RS bucket seats also on the options list. Official pricing has yet to be announced, but a sub-£40,000 price tag is expected and you’ll struggle to find this much performance, practicality and excitement for less.
Key specs
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/rs3/90149/new-audi-rs3-2015-review
First test of 362bhp Audi RS3 Sportback mega-hatch in freezing conditions
Verdict
4
Cars that offer bags of performance and an abundance of practicality are few and far between. but the new Audi RS3 Sportback is certainly one of them. It’s lighter, faster and shaper to drive than before and it comes wrapped in a sharply-styled and easy to live with package. The true test remains when we get it on UK roads, but already it’s clear Audi has injected not just more power, but some real excitement into the new RS3.
Audi’s RS division has long been a byword for supercar performance allied with everyday usability. The second-generation Audi RS3 Sportback doesn’t stray from those tracks, harvesting the most powerful five-cylinder engine in RS production history alongside a big boot and space for five adults.
The headline improvements are reduced weight, more power and a lot more drama than before. All three of those advancements are a result of an uprated version of the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine as well as new MQB underpinnings. A total of 55kg of weight has been shed and 27bhp gained, boosting total power to 362bhp. That’s 7bhp more than you’ll find in the Audi’s closest rival; theMercedes A45 AMG.
But the developments don’t stop there. The new platform has also allowed Audi to fit re-engineered springs and dampers as well as stiffer struts to the RS3, which make the car’s feverish appetite for speed easier to contain.
So, what does this all mean for performance? Well, 0-62mph takes 4.3 seconds – three tenths quicker than before – and it gets a top speed of 174mph. That makes the RS3 just as quick from a standing start as the old Lamborghini Gallardo, but with half the number of cylinders, twice as many doors and a big boot.
We drove the car in Ivalo, northern Finland with temperatures as low as -27 degrees celsius, and we’re the first to admit this is far from a real-world test. But, if the mega-hatch can manage these hostile conditions a rainy UK B-road should be dispatched with minimal effort.
Pressing the starter button brings the 2.5-litre five-cylinder barking into life, and a new active exhaust – fitted as standard – emphasizes the unmistakable offbeat warble. Given the conditions, winter tyres were fitted to our test car, but even so we scrabble away from a standstill sending up huge rooster tails of snow behind us. Power delivery remains explosive with all 465Nm of torque available from as little as 1,650rpm.
A tight and twisty handling circuit highlighted the far more playful character of the second-gen RS3 over the previous model. Its predecessor was often criticized for being rather inert with a tendency to understeer prematurely. Given the low-grip conditions it’s impossible to say whether understeer has been eradicated completely, but there’s definitely a new level of interactivity that was sorely missed from its predecessor.
It’s testament to the wonders of the MQB platform, something that has also recently transformed the Audi TT into a proper driver’s car. Hints of that enhanced agility can be felt in the RS3 too, especially when you toggle through the various driving modes – auto, comfort and dynamic – which loosen the reins on the traction control and allow great freedom.
A more responsive quattro all-wheel drive system and new Haldex 5 clutch also transfers power to the wheels faster than before, with between 50 and 100 per cent of the car’s power able to be transmitted to the front or rear wheels depending on which axle demands the most traction. It allows you to turn in more precisely and hold the car in what seem to be never-ending four-wheel drifts.
Visually, a gloss-black honeycomb grille, gaping air intakes with an F1-style front blade as well as beefed up exhaust pipes and arches give the attitude the RS badge warrants. But despite the aggressive exterior, beneath the surface this mega hatch is still a practical and spacious A3 at heart, with a 340-litre boot.
Carbon-ceramic front brakes have been made an option for the first time, with a louder sports exhaust and RS bucket seats also on the options list. Official pricing has yet to be announced, but a sub-£40,000 price tag is expected and you’ll struggle to find this much performance, practicality and excitement for less.
Key specs
- Price: £40,000 (est)
- Engine: 2.5-litre 5cyl turbo
- Power: 362bhp
- Transmission: Seven-speed S Tronic, all-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 4.3 seconds
- Top speed: 174mph
- Economy/CO2: 34.8mpg/189g/km
- On sale: March 2015
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/rs3/90149/new-audi-rs3-2015-review
Zafiro
Supreme Roadmaster
Another snowing review...boring!
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/audi/rs3-2011-2012/first-drives/2015-audi-rs3-sportback-review
JHF
Driving Dynamics Pro
That sound!
And video by AMuS.
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...ewalzer-im-5-zylinder-turbo-takt-9164182.html
And video by AMuS.
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/...ewalzer-im-5-zylinder-turbo-takt-9164182.html
Zafiro
Supreme Roadmaster
Another winner? previous RS3 wasn't exactly accused of being a great sportscar.
klier
Premium
And this here won't be either. Unless you live on the South Pole, like all these reviews so far suggest. I don't think I have seen the car on tarmac yet.
tristatez28lt1
Tire Trailblazer
Autobild drove it on Tarmac (while it was still fully camouflaged) and they had good things to say about it. Much sportier and almost over steering handling characteristics. I believe this car to be the best small hot hatch at the moment.
KiwiRob
Autotechnik Ace
That's becasue it wasn't a sportscar it's a hot hatch. Plenty of testers preferred the RS3 to the M135.
KiwiRob
Autotechnik Ace
Because it's not a sportscar it's a hot hatch, just like the A45 AMG isn't a sportscar.
Maybe we should start calling these hyperhatches.
Let's hope this car is better to drive, but I think it will have its work cut out by the excellent driving BMW M235i
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Audi
Audi AG is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles
headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. A subsidiary of the
Volkswagen Group, the company’s origins date back to the early 20th
century and the initial enterprises (Horch and the Audiwerke) founded
by engineer August Horch (1868–1951). Two other manufacturers (DKW
and Wanderer) also contributed to the foundation of Auto Union in 1932.
The modern Audi era began in the 1960s, when Volkswagen acquired Auto
Union from Daimler-Benz, and merged it with NSU Motorenwerke in 1969.
Official website: Audi (Global), Audi (USA)
Official website: Audi (Global), Audi (USA)
