Monday 22nd September 2014

Audi RS3 to debut at LA?

Five-door A3 seen warbling its way round the Nordschleife; watch out M135i?

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Typically when a test mule is seen hacking round the Nurburgring there's a great deal of conjecture about what it might be. Is it testing that engine? Does it have this gearbox? What on earth even is it?

Charismatic yes, but a little inert

But there's less difficulty in deducing what this Audi is. It's an A3 Sportback very clearly powered by a five-cylinder engine with a DSG gearbox also plain to hear. This is the Audi RS3 replacement. Furthermore, given the LA show organisers have confirmed three global Audi debuts in November, we might not be far away from seeing the finished car.

The previous RS3 always struggled for being based on a such an old design. Dan enjoyed it during a slushy winter, Harris was less keen in a comparison against that BMW. The drivetrain was praised universally though, despite the effect its location had on the handling balance.

From this video it sounds like the five cylinder turbo/DSG combo will continue. But now with a new platform and the S3 having impressed recently, there could well be a dynamically adept Audi super hatch on the way. With the S3 having jumped from 265 to 300hp in this generation, is it reasonable to expect a similar gain for the RS? The last car made 340hp so over 350 seems likely.

The LA debut isn't confirmed yet so we may have to wait until 2015 to see the RS3. But, dare we say it, there's potentially quite a lot to be excited about with a fast Audi.

See the video here.

 

[Source: autoevolution]

 

[X5TUU]

The Mrs will be happy if this is being released soon as she has been looking at the S1 but would prefer a proper hot 3 ... my bank balance my not be so happy though haha

[Jflowers123]

You could always...steal one....depends on how much she means to you

[timothymcn]

Looks to be about the size of a B5 RS4 Avant. Which makes it all the more desirable in my mind.

[thespannerman]

Last version was just too 'chavvy' for me, would much prefer 'that BMW'... Much as we can cross our fingers we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one. Spoils a nice car for me really!

But at least with the reduced weight this one might handle *slightly* better!

[panholio]

These hot hatch comparison made by journos always confuse me. Is this really a competitor for the M135i?

Surely there are two tiers of German hot hatches:

M135i vs S3 vs A250

M1? vs RS3 vs A45

[G0ldfysh]

Why is to covered in optical camouflage?

It is going to look the same as the last one, isn't it? Is an Audi after all new headlights and slightly smoother lines and tada; new model.

[andrewparker]

panholio said:

These hot hatch comparison made by journos always confuse me. Is this really a competitor for the M135i?

Quite simply, no.

[dukebox9reg]

thespannerman said:

Last version was just too 'chavvy' for me, would much prefer 'that BMW'... Much as we can cross our fingers we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one. Spoils a nice car for me really!

But at least with the reduced weight this one might handle *slightly* better!

Prince Harry has one the chav.

[scherzkeks]

panholio said:

These hot hatch comparison made by journos always confuse me. Is this really a competitor for the M135i?

Surely there are two tiers of German hot hatches:

M135i vs S3 vs A250

M1? vs RS3 vs A45

Yes, except that the M1 competes with the TTRS, as both are coupés and in the same weight category.

[Tarico]

So next year we'll have an RS3 and an M2 to go toe-to-toe with the A45. Colour me excited!

Now, if only BMW we come clean about a 4/5-door based on the M2 drivetrain...

[Nors]

thespannerman said:

we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one.

Jeez, I'm in the wrong business!!!! A young lad in his 'trakkies' can afford a £40k+ superhatch!!

[sleep envy]

It's HOW much?

[EricE]

panholio said:

These hot hatch comparison made by journos always confuse me. Is this really a competitor for the M135i?

Surely there are two tiers of German hot hatches:

M135i vs S3 vs A45 vs Golf R (~300 hp)

M2 vs RS3 vs A45 Black Series (~400 hp)

That’s how I would put it. Rumours of a Golf R400 may or may not turn out to be true.

[X5TUU]

thespannerman said:

Last version was just too 'chavvy' for me, would much prefer 'that BMW'... Much as we can cross our fingers we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one. Spoils a nice car for me really!

But at least with the reduced weight this one might handle *slightly* better!

by all means colour me wrong, but this sounds just ever such a little bit jealous to me ...

I wouldn't dream of taking the massively over-hyped 135i (and mainly due to rarity of the limited edition M1 IMHO) over this anyday ... all the ones I see are driven by 40something 'coffee bean'ers who seem to think they have road superiority in their uberbland box (that personally looks damned awful) looking down on others and getting a might annoyed when they get overtaken, quite sad really actually

[TomEP]

On to my local dealer now to see if can get holding deposit sorted on one, sounds fantastic. The old one wasn't that great and still held its value incredibly well.

[TomEP]

thespannerman said:

Last version was just too 'chavvy' for me, would much prefer 'that BMW'... Much as we can cross our fingers we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one. Spoils a nice car for me really!

!

I think the m135 looks a lot more chavvy than any fast audi I've seen for a few years....and more easily confused with a 116d m sport driven by some trakkie wearing youth...

[J4CKO]

looks and sounds great but not sure I could ever spend 40 odd grand on a hatchback of any description.

[andrewparker]

Nors said:

thespannerman said:

we all know some tasteless young lad in his trakkies will be driving one.

Jeez, I'm in the wrong business!!!! A young lad in his 'trakkies' can afford a £40k+ superhatch!!

You've obviously never had the pleasure of a visit to Bradford.

[EricE]

It looks like a mini-RS4 in the pictures. If they can actually produce this car with the handling characteristics of the Golf R and a 400-420 hp 5-cylinder then it’ll be a serious bit of kit for everyday driving. Maybe not the most beautiful, maybe not the quickest, maybe not the most engaging but a very compelling combination of those attributes and very practical too.

The Quattro gmbh boss already hinted at 400hp+ more than once and if Mercedes and VW can get that out of a 2.0l 4-cylinder then I would hope that Audi can get it out of a 2.5l 5-cylinder.

[...Mole...]

Got my eye on one of these, I have the Current S3 and whilst it's a good car it feels like it could do with a little extra something to make it feel a bit more special, Will be interesting to see if the new RS3 provides that or I have to look elsewhere.