RE: Facelifted Audi RS3 Sportback revealed

RE: Facelifted Audi RS3 Sportback revealed

Sunday 12th February 2017

Facelifted Audi RS3 Sportback revealed

RS3 gets the 400hp TT RS upgrade to go pestering 911s



Audi fans rejoice - the RS3 Sportback now has 400hp! This will allow it to claim back the 'most powerful hot hatch' prestige from the 381hp Mercedes-AMG A45. The rear-wheel drive BMW M140i is lacking slightly in the power and driven wheels department but expect that to be rectified imminently, either at Geneva or soon after.

The Sportback now gets the same engine as the Saloon and TT RS that was first shown in Paris last year. It is the most powerful production five-cylinder engine, 33hp up on its predecessor and 26kg lighter. With torque up to 354lb ft as well, 0-62mph is now 4.1 seconds and top speed a limited 155mph. That limiter can be optionally raised to 174mph and an RS screen inside will offer torque, g-force and tyre pressure readings alongside the centrally positioned rev counter in Audi's virtual cockpit.


Visually, the RS3 Sportback is 25mm lower and 20mm wider than a standard A3; if desired, customers can tick the box for carbon ceramic brakes up front. The front-end offers an updated and slightly more angular honeycomb grille, redesigned blades in the front bumper and matrix LED headlights are on offer as an optional extra.

"The Audi RS3 Sportback offers our customers an attractive introduction to the RS world and with the new five-cylinder engine, the Audi RS3 Sportback is at the head of its class and continuing that strong track record" said Stephan Winkelmann, CEO of Audi Sport.

Orders start in April and it will be launched in August, with the Sportback costing 54,600 euros in Germany. Expect UK prices soon.




Author
Discussion

GTEYE

Original Poster:

2,092 posts

209 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Great on paper, but only Audi could make a 400hp look so dull.

daveco

4,122 posts

206 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
The M140 is priced at about £32k isnt' it?

I doubt Audi would be charging so little for this beast. It looks fantastic imo.

Itsallicanafford

2,759 posts

158 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
i must dig out the forum post i made a few years back with a prediction for the first mainstream 500Bhp hatch, i think i said about 2020...

Triumph Man

8,670 posts

167 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Are they going to do a saloon?

moffat

1,020 posts

224 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Saloon arrives late this year according to Audi's website.

400bhp seems nice and all, but the new M2 CS is going to wipe the floor with this thing, but I do concede the Audi will be a much nicer car to be in the the rather naff M2 interior.

Midgster

568 posts

233 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Triumph Man said:
Are they going to do a saloon?
From the article
The Sportback now gets the same engine as the Saloon

RS3 Saloon


daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
daveco said:
The M140 is priced at about £32k isnt' it?

I doubt Audi would be charging so little for this beast. It looks fantastic imo.
The last RS3 was touching £40K before options. I'd say this facelifted one will be slightly north of that.

Also the RS3 is a full RS car, in the same way as the A45 is a full AMG car.

The M140i isnt. The full M car rival would be the M2.

Toonshorty

111 posts

103 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
daveco said:
The M140 is priced at about £32k isnt' it?

I doubt Audi would be charging so little for this beast. It looks fantastic imo.
Yep, BMW also do hefty contributions on them as well so you can pick one up brand new for around £26K. Considering the RS3 is probably going to start at £40k, they aren't really in the same market.

I actually quite like the RWD setup of the M135/140. I'm a bit worried BMW are going to ditch their USP and make the next version a 4-pot AWD hatch, which would ruin it's charm I think.

daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Toonshorty said:
daveco said:
The M140 is priced at about £32k isnt' it?

I doubt Audi would be charging so little for this beast. It looks fantastic imo.
Yep, BMW also do hefty contributions on them as well so you can pick one up brand new for around £26K. Considering the RS3 is probably going to start at £40k, they aren't really in the same market.
No, they're really not. RS3 / A45 / M2 are the headliners.

Vocht

1,630 posts

163 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Very nice indeed but I'd be more interested to hear the dynamic changes between this facelifted model and the current car* as at the moment it appears Audi have just found themselves a Revo remap.

C7 JFW

1,205 posts

218 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
It'll do 174mph with a tweak. Dear me. And ceramics available as an option.

daemon

35,724 posts

196 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Vocht said:
Very nice indeed but I'd be more interested to hear the dynamic changes between this facelifted current car as at the moment it appears Audi have just found themselves a Revo remap.
hehe

aspirated

2,539 posts

145 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Definitely an itch I'll have to scratch someday, one of my favourite mainstream engines along with the MB M156

Nors

1,291 posts

154 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
GTEYE said:
Great on paper, but only Audi could make a 400hp look so dull.
I don't think anything Audi produce in the RS range could ever be classed as shouty. Always look more discreet.

Nors

1,291 posts

154 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Vocht said:
Very nice indeed but I'd be more interested to hear the dynamic changes between this facelifted model and the current car* as at the moment it appears Audi have just found themselves a Revo remap.
The Engine is lighter, so more than a remap.

aspirated

2,539 posts

145 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Vocht said:
Very nice indeed but I'd be more interested to hear the dynamic changes between this facelifted model and the current car* as at the moment it appears Audi have just found themselves a Revo remap.
"Billed as the world’s most powerful series production five-cylinder engine, the transversely-mounted 2.5-litre unit adopts a series of new developments, including a lighter but stiffer aluminium crankcase in place of its predecessor’s steel crankcase. It also receives a new dual injection process, Audi’s patented valve lift system and a new freer flowing exhaust among other changes."


http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/updated...

leghorn

48 posts

167 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Still no manual??

jimmybell

583 posts

116 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
The likely release of this put me off the current model ~6-9 months ago, looks like i was right to expect it. Question is - what are the actual differences beyond engine power (suspension/handling/standard spec)?


rich12

3,461 posts

153 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
jimmybell said:
The likely release of this put me off the current model ~6-9 months ago, looks like i was right to expect it. Question is - what are the actual differences beyond engine power (suspension/handling/standard spec)?
Different front end.

Darsettian

74 posts

114 months

Friday 10th February 2017
quotequote all
Ho hum.