Audi RS3 gone?

[MrTickle]

Hi all,

Has the Audi RS3 already been discontinued? It has disappeared from the Audi website and my local dealer seems to have got a job lot of delivery mileage cars in - suggesting they got a deal on clearing stock?

It's only been out a year - anything wrong with them?

[Terminator X]

Stopped taking new orders although still making them so there are still cars "in production". A3 has just been facelifted so the rumour is that a facelift RS3 will appear at some point (soon?) although Audi have absolutely nothing to say on the subject. Imho it may appear in 2017.

TX.

Edit - nowt wrong with them indeed the one I own is fantastic despite the PH naysayers views.

[MrTickle]

Ahh... OK makes sense. Thanks, I am in no rush, so hanging on for a bit seems wise.

[Noyjatat]

I imagine with the RS3 saloon looming and the engine upgrade found in the new TTRS, it's likely that engine will transition into the RS3's and they are just trying to sell all those with the old performance/engine figures before the newer more powerful one goes in as standard.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Noyjatat said:

I imagine with the RS3 saloon looming and the engine upgrade found in the new TTRS, it's likely that engine will transition into the RS3's and they are just trying to sell all those with the old performance/engine figures before the newer more powerful one goes in as standard.

my money is on this

[Adz The Rat]

Factory have stopped building them as they have filled the years quota, and yes they will facelift it.

We have just been told we are getting 5 coming through in next few weeks so we expect demand to be high for them.

[MrTickle]

Don't think I could bring myself to fork out £45K on a car that is already, in effect, superseded.

I am not in a mad rush, so will hang on to see if the 400PS version will be announced soon, or look at the facelift S3 / TTRS instead.

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

[Terminator X]

Adz The Rat said:

Factory have stopped building them as they have filled the years quota, and yes they will facelift it.

We have just been told we are getting 5 coming through in next few weeks so we expect demand to be high for them.

When?

TX.

[Adz The Rat]

Terminator X said:

When?

TX.

Not sure, they aren't very forthcoming with dates. We will know same time as the press do.

[kryten22uk]

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

[MrTickle]

kryten22uk said:

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

I agree with you on a general level regarding virtual cockpits - but what I saw in the TT I think was a game changing step forward over other virtual cockpits I have seen. I think the technology behind and integrated with it was fantastic.

400PS RS3 with that tech and hopefully some improvement tweaks as well - if it is still at a similar price point - will be a winner for me

[annodomini2]

kryten22uk said:

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

It's a cost saving measure, they can build the same dash and use it in multiple vehicles, just changing the behaviour in SW.

[Dave Hedgehog]

annodomini2 said:

kryten22uk said:

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

It's a cost saving measure, they can build the same dash and use it in multiple vehicles, just changing the behaviour in SW.

since replacement HD laptop screens cost £30-40 its probably cheaper to build as well than lots of physical dials, and they get to charge a premium for it

[annodomini2]

Dave Hedgehog said:

annodomini2 said:

kryten22uk said:

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

It's a cost saving measure, they can build the same dash and use it in multiple vehicles, just changing the behaviour in SW.

since replacement HD laptop screens cost £30-40 its probably cheaper to build as well than lots of physical dials, and they get to charge a premium for it

Exactly

[MrTickle]

annodomini2 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

annodomini2 said:

kryten22uk said:

MrTickle said:

I like the idea of the virtual dash - is seems a big tech step forward.

I used to like the "idea" of the virtual cockpit, but now I have a car with a virtual dash I'm not so sure. Visually, the physical dash on the RS3 is way superior. The virtual dash's are just tacky. There's no doubt that having the satnav screen in the dash can be useful, I havent yet felt a benefit of the rest of the screen being virtual.

It's a cost saving measure, they can build the same dash and use it in multiple vehicles, just changing the behaviour in SW.

since replacement HD laptop screens cost £30-40 its probably cheaper to build as well than lots of physical dials, and they get to charge a premium for it

Exactly

Not sure what the problem is with that - you say it as if it is a negative? LCD TVs are much cheaper to make than the old CRT screens - but would you go back to a Sony 29" Trinitron?

Technology makes improvements and cost savings across the board.

[Dave Hedgehog]

MrTickle said:

Not sure what the problem is with that - you say it as if it is a negative? LCD TVs are much cheaper to make than the old CRT screens - but would you go back to a Sony 29" Trinitron?

Technology makes improvements and cost savings across the board.

modern displays improve greatly the picture quality over CRTs but that's not the point here, how many people wear digital watches now? very few and even fewer when you go into the mid price point or premium brand sectors

a synthetic digital dash diminishes the "pistonheadiness" of car for me in the same way fake engine noise does.

[Dave Hedgehog]

Releasing the car early next year will not give you a long time to order one before they are hit with the extra 2k in tax and £300 a year extra road fund

[MrTickle]

Yes, I can see the point regarding the 'pistonheadness' of a car with analogue dials.

If I was buying something exotic I would want a nice sculpted dials etc.

I guess I am thinking, Audi - lean more to the practicality and tech benefits for day to day use. Like keeping your Rolex for the weekend and wearing a quartz for accuracy mid week.

With regard to the tax hike - good point.... I was sort of hoping 2017 model year would be released Sept/Oct 2016.

[LeoSayer]

annodomini2 said:

It's a cost saving measure, they can build the same dash and use it in multiple vehicles, just changing the behaviour in SW.

Eventually, yes but for the moment virtual cockpit is a cost option.

[anonymous-user]

Don't they only build one model of RS at a time? so for instance they may have ceased RS3's to move onto whatever RS is next in line?