RE: 2021 Audi RS3 officially unveiled

RE: 2021 Audi RS3 officially unveiled

Monday 19th July 2021

2021 Audi RS3 officially unveiled

400hp saloon and hatch ditch the disguise ahead of sales kick-off next month



Last month's partial reveal confirmed a lot of the new Audi RS3's vital statistics. Some of them were expected - the five-cylinder engine, stiffer suspension etc - others less so, with a Drift Mode on the menu alongside subtler tweaks like bespoke subframes and increased negative camber that hinted at a substantially more rewarding RS3 than the manufacturer has ever attempted before.

With some disguise still on, however, we were denied a full look at it, and that aspect is crucially important in a fast Audi. We're not being facetious or unoriginal (much) - how many great Audis have been badly styled? From RS2 to RS6 and Quattro to R8, a perfectly pitched aesthetic has become a core part of the package.

So here are the RS3 saloon and Sportback in all their glory, the "expressive and unmistakeable" flagships of the A3 range. Certainly those fond of the subtler Audi RS won't love what they see; even ignoring Kyalami Green, the RS3's big bumpered look - alongside the blacked-out grille and gaping intakes - ensures it's never going to just blend in like previous iterations might have. Wider tracks (33mm up front for both, 10mm at the rear for hatch only) feature alongside 19-inch wheels, an RS3-specific diffuser (with some weird additional mesh above) and the trademark pair of oval exhaust pipes complete the look. Plus bonus RS nerd points if you've noticed the new air outlet behind the front wheels.



The RS3's interior is just as bold, and made to look more so with red and green launch cars lit up like traffic lights. Notable changes include shift lights, an RS Monitor (Renault Sport presumably can't call dibs on that anymore), a head-up display, carbon fibre as far as the eye can see and RS sports seats. An RS Mode button on the steering wheel will be useful for when the RS Torque Rear mood takes you - though the driver must provide their own "watch this!"

The RS3 isn't, of course, the first premium hot hatch with a drift mode; its main rival, the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, also has a torque vectoring rear axle. Interestingly given their similarities, the Audi will significanty undercut the AMG when the RS3 goes on sale next month - the Sportback costs from £50,900, the saloon from £51,900. Although an array of trim levels - Carbon, Launch Edition, Vorsprung - and options - ceramic brakes, Matrix LED lights, Nappa leather, speed limit raise - will ensure no RS3 leaves the dealer at those RRPs, they do represent a useful saving over the '45 adversaries. The 421hp A45 S hatch starts from £56,595, though bizarrely the CLA is cheaper - at £52,495 it's actually perfectly pitched against the RS3 saloon.

The inevitable twin tests aren't far away, either. Orders open from August, deliveries of the new RS3 are due before 2021 is out. Or just in time for perfect Quattro weather. Expect more details on exact UK specs soon - Kyalami Green isn't obligatory...














 







Author
Discussion

Ray_Aber

Original Poster:

546 posts

282 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Compared to the elegant and stylish model that preceded this (especially in saloon form), I find this rather vulgar and overstyled. The front, in particular, really is a bit of a mess.

Each to their own, though.

David87

6,771 posts

218 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
One must be prepared to dominate the stairs with one of these on the drive, I feel.

fantheman80

1,614 posts

55 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
been looking forward to this reveal.

Seeing the cooking and S3 on the roads, I thoght its a good base for the Rs3, but from these pics little underwhelmed. Maybe a little underwheeled, and are they flared arches at the front to cover wider track or just a vent in the lower wing to give that impression with different offset wheels

Stil more appealing to me than the AMG so I will take mine in predictable nardo grey, red callipers and the sports exhaust please...once configurator is up, I will see if i have any money left for 'leccy or food after adding 20" OZs

ajap1979

8,014 posts

193 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
180mph in a hot hatch is just crazy.

Holgate86

465 posts

46 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Looks a bit Honda Civic Type R from the front….Audi trying too hard.

TheOctaneAddict

847 posts

53 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Actually looks quite good!

J4CKO

42,732 posts

206 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Holgate86 said:
Looks a bit Honda Civic Type R from the front….Audi trying too hard.
My first thought as well, but overall, quite like it.

arcticnick

198 posts

191 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Might just be the red, but strong FK8 Civic Type-R vibes here!

wab172uk

2,005 posts

233 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Might look better in the flesh, and in better colours. But on first impressions, I'm not keen.

Like all A3's, the interior is awful.

Such a shame Audi's styling has gone down this route. More so the interiors.

Think I'd rather pay a bit more, buy an A45 S without the styling pack.


Dale487

1,381 posts

129 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
What's the opposite of a Grower?

On first glance, I thought; that's got some understated purpose to it. But as I look more and more, it looks like a Jelly mould because it gets wider at the lowest point of the body. Plus its not understated at all, its over styled.

UmpaLoompa

1,789 posts

167 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
I personally think it looks great!

MDMA .

9,187 posts

107 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
I'd have the green saloon but without the machined bits on the wheels.

Mike1990

1,022 posts

137 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
I’am liking that!


Dale487

1,381 posts

129 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
MDMA . said:
I'd have the green saloon but without the machined bits on the wheels.
The wheels look "pre-kerbed".

Edited by Dale487 on Monday 19th July 09:24

flukey5

405 posts

66 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Hoped they'd work on a more rear-bias quattro 4WD system, hell they added 'drift mode' to the bloody golf R.

But no. Enjoy your mostly FWD hot hatch

fantheman80

1,614 posts

55 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
flukey5 said:
Hoped they'd work on a more rear-bias quattro 4WD system, hell they added 'drift mode' to the bloody golf R.

But no. Enjoy your mostly FWD hot hatch
This has drift mode, and the chassis tweaks to be more dynamic, but this was covered more in the first press release

rwindmill

439 posts

164 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
By shear coincidence, the article for the new RS3 was right above an article for the Hyundai i30 with new DCT gearbox.

The two cars look virtually identical to one another. If they were painted the same colours, you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart.

What has happened to individuality in car design???


Numeric

1,452 posts

157 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
I used to be highly critical of all the air vents and huge grilles on the front of cars but someone on the forum pointed out that the heat generated by these modern engines is huge and the vents needed.

Once I took that on board it really changed the way I view the styling - so if all these vents are needed to make the car work all over the world, then I think they have done a reasonable job.

And yes the performance is incredible - we finally get these amazing more more importantly relatively affordable machines just as the opportunity to exploit them will quickly diminish, with limiters and seemingly ever lower speed limits. C'est la vie.

flukey5

405 posts

66 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
fantheman80 said:
flukey5 said:
Hoped they'd work on a more rear-bias quattro 4WD system, hell they added 'drift mode' to the bloody golf R.

But no. Enjoy your mostly FWD hot hatch
This has drift mode, and the chassis tweaks to be more dynamic, but this was covered more in the first press release
Thanks for the correction - must've missed that first press release. At least they're trying to make these a bit more dynamic!

Maccmike8

1,142 posts

60 months

Monday 19th July 2021
quotequote all
Looks absolutely fantastic.