Tuesday 1st March 2016

Audi RS Q3 performance announced

Another day, another refreshed fast Audi! [updated pics]

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The specification of this RS Q3 performance will be a surprise to precisely nobody. It does very much what it says on the tin, in the same way as the recent RS6 performance. Take one obscenely fast Audi and make it even faster. Then watch the customers flock in.

Mmm, check out that quilting

The turbocharged five-cylinder 2.5 TFSI remains from the original RS Q3, however the performance sees power boosted up to 367hp and 343lb ft of torque. These are gains of 27hp and 11lb ft over the standard car. Paired up with a seven-speed S Tronic gearbox that Audi claims "has also been rigorously tuned for sportiness", 62mph arrives in a blistering 4.4 seconds and the top speed is a limited 167mph.

Elsewhere the performance is similar to the regular RS Q3. It sits 20mm lower than a regular Q3, with 'RS sport suspension plus' including damper control available as an option. The performance can be identified though by a 'matt titanium-look finish' for a few add on parts including the intakes, mirrors and roof rails. Ascari Blue paint is a new addition to the extras list as well. And it wouldn't be a fast Audi without plenty of RS logos; see the wheels, the grille, the brake calipers, the boot...

The RS Q3 performance will make its public debut at Geneva, although orders are now being taken in Germany with prices starting at 61,000 euros (£46,525). Expect UK prices to follow soon. For reference a standard RS Q3 is £45,810 and the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 - its nearest rival - is £44,855. When's the X1 M coming then? BMW isn't usually one to let Mercedes and Audi have a segment to themselves...

(Ryan Hirons)

 

[sasha320]

Still has a single pipe out the back. No matter how ridiculous mentioning this is, and no matter how many quad pipes out there are actually pointless fakes, I maintain the single pipe is 'mickey bing bong'.

[micksims]

Yep its the only RS with a single pipe and looks ste!!!

[patch5674]

I know this is the case with a lot of performance versions of boggo models, but it is particularly pronounced in this instance and that is, the interior. This car costs 46K before options, and it has the interior from an A1, its not even been updated to match the new A3, which would be bad enough.

They surely can't actually sell any of these.

[AH33]

Urgh!

[anonymous-user]

Urghhhhh indeed. Yet another pointless watering down of the once great RS brand. Feel genuinely sorry for the folks who'd buy one of these and actually think it's anything but a pimped up footballers wives vanity chariot. For 1/3rd of the price of this kn*b carriage you could get a mint used B5/B7 RS4 Avant, gain a lot of respect and self worth, and pocket the difference enabling you to do something useful with your life.

[Escort Si-130]

Badge snob and imbecile is what screams out to me of the description of yourself. I would rather a Civic Type R or a real normal RS3 base on the A3 than this stbox of a chav mummy school run wagon.

Sleeper??? what drugs are you on. The bloody thing looks hardly like a sleeper. With its brassish chavvy looks anyone would tell its NOT a sleeper.

CerberusRogue said:

I agree with the single tailpipe comment. Although, curiously, when you look closer it's actually a twin tailpipe hidden inside!

I've was told by a dealer that, although it's had a recent facelift, it's still based on the previous A3 hence the interior. The new Q3 out next year (I think) is based on the MQB platform.

Anyways, I bought the RS Q3 a 5 months ago. I love it, it's an excellent daily driver, does everything I can throw at it on the school run/shopping run/trips to the local dump/long motorway drives, and is bonkers quick when you put your foot down.

One of the things I really like is the sleeper element it has, which is aided by the single tailpipe and the minimal badging. It doesn't scream chav like the new Civic type R and didn't bother with the stupid 4 tailpipes like the Golf R.

I love it. Wouldn't pay the extra for the additional 27bhp offered by the Performance version though!

[kambites]

I like the single tailpipe. It's about the only thing I like, but at least it's something.

Having said that, I've nothing particular against it either; it's just not my sort of car.

[Carl_Manchester]

On the street, this is without a doubt the best looking SUV's I have seen.

It is questionable that they should use the RS brand on an SUV but I can't question the way it looks or the way it goes. For those reasons it gets the thumbs up from me.

For what its worth I agree with Cerberus regarding the Golf R quad tail-pipes (it would not put me off owning one though) and yes, I also admit would sooner have this Audi SUV over a Type R (but i am neither a Golf R or a Type R hater).

Edited by Carl_Manchester on Friday 5th February 14:04

[Wills2]

CerberusRogue said:

I agree with the single tailpipe comment. Although, curiously, when you look closer it's actually a twin tailpipe hidden inside!

I've was told by a dealer that, although it's had a recent facelift, it's still based on the previous A3 hence the interior. The new Q3 out next year (I think) is based on the MQB platform.

Anyways, I bought the RS Q3 a 5 months ago. I love it, it's an excellent daily driver, does everything I can throw at it on the school run/shopping run/trips to the local dump/long motorway drives, and is bonkers quick when you put your foot down.

One of the things I really like is the sleeper element it has, which is aided by the single tailpipe and the minimal badging. It doesn't scream chav like the new Civic type R and didn't bother with the stupid 4 tailpipes like the Golf R.

I love it. Wouldn't pay the extra for the additional 27bhp offered by the Performance version though!

Nice one I have a soft spot for these, but the old style interior puts me off, I like the thought of a bonkers mini SUV though.

Enjoy.

[Wills2]

Escort Si-130 said:

Badge snob and imbecile is what screams out to me of the description of yourself.

Silly billy, grow up.

[leglessAlex]

While I don't like the look, apparently these really are a nice car to drive fast, particularly on bumpy roads. When EVO had one to test apparently they were really surprised at how good it was.

[maxxy5]

These cars just look wrong, they look out of proportion, it's too obvious that they've just stuck a 'lifestyle' crossover lump on too small a platform. The sq5 (or whatever it's called) is far better looking.

[rallycross]

maxxy5 said:

These cars just look wrong, they look out of proportion, it's too obvious that they've just stuck a 'lifestyle' crossover lump on too small a platform. The sq5 (or whatever it's called) is far better looking.

These things look horrendous, it's yet another model that just didn't need to be made (BMW, Audi, Mercedes model race to tick every single model segment possible has produced some very ugly cars).

[GroundEffect]

This is an SUV that'll do 0-60mph in under 4.5 seconds.

The car industry has gone mad!

[gizlaroc]

Escort Si-130 said:

Badge snob and imbecile is what screams out to me of the description of yourself. I would rather a Civic Type R or a real normal RS3 base on the A3 than this stbox of a chav mummy school run wagon.

Sleeper??? what drugs are you on. The bloody thing looks hardly like a sleeper. With its brassish chavvy looks anyone would tell its NOT a sleeper.

Another day another tt on PH!


Seriously, grow the fk up.

[mnx42]

I dont like the look of that at all.. but then its not my cup of tea. Colour looks horrid on it too imo.

[dollyboy]

micksims said:

Yep its the only RS with a single pipe and looks ste!!!

Each to their own, it looks functional to me, admittedly it's not very bling which is unusual for modern audi styling.

[Leins]

mnx42 said:

I dont like the look of that at all.. but then its not my cup of tea. Colour looks horrid on it too imo.

Actually, the colour and exhaust are about the only things I do like about it

Quattro GmbH has moved a long way from its "one-model at a time" roots

[rtz62]

Beings the socially awkward, real ale-swilling hermit that I am, I had a play on the Audi configurator.
An RS Q3 can be had in Pearl-effect Daytona Grey, with Matt titanium finish Rotor alloys and a couple of extras for £50,980.
Now, according to their page, this was the 'Performance' model, although I can't confirm this.
The point I'm making is that it's possible to configure your new Wag-mobile in a less shouty colour and without 'drug dealer bling' alloys, and to be honest, in that configuration the tailpipe actually suits it.
But as frippery goes, it's like a rat with a gold tooth.
Sorry Audi, I lost interest after the original RS4 (B5 2.7).....

[seefarr]

GroundEffect said:

This is an SUV that'll do 0-60mph in under 4.5 seconds.

The car industry has gone mad!

It's an SUV that can't go off road because of it's blingy 20 inch wheels.

The car industry has gone mental because people have gone mental!