After setting a lap record for the fastest compact car around the Nürburgring, the new Audi RS3 is ready for primetime. “New” might be a bit of a stretch, since this is only a mid-cycle facelift for the five-cylinder pocket rocket. It gets a redesigned grille flanked by smarter-looking matrix LED headlights featuring selectable daytime running light patterns.
The diamond pattern you see on the single-frame grille is repeated on the updated air intakes, which have vertical black blades. For a more aggressive stance, there are now three openings above the front splitter, giving the illusion of a wider car. Audi claims the new look is reminiscent of the 1987 Quattro S1 Pikes Peak. We’re finding it hard to spot the similarities.
At the rear, the taillights have new graphics while the bumper now hosts two side vertical reflectors, plus a third reflector bisecting the diffuser. Elsewhere, the familiar Kyalami Green and Kemora Grey body colors are joined by the metallic Ascari Blue and Progressive Red. For the first time, Audi offers the RS3 in Daytona Gray with a matte finish. The grille and diffuser mentioned earlier always come in black, be it high-gloss or a more subdued matte look.
Those 19-inch standard wheels also have a matte black finish, and can be replaced with optional alloys taken from Europe’s RS3 Performance Edition. The fancier wheels can be had in matte dark gray or in glossy black metallic with a two-tone design, if you’re feeling adventurous.
More obvious changes have occurred inside where the RS3 receives optional carbon bucket front seats à la BMW M2. These combine Nappa leather for the side bolsters with microfiber for the centers and a matte carbon rear. The regular sports seats wrapped in Nappa leather are still available for those who won’t be taking the RS3 to the track often.
Another notable change is is found on the steering wheel, now with flat top and bottom sections. It gets a red 12 o’clock mark and quick-select buttons for some of the driving modes you’ll likely be using the most. Audi has also given the shifter a flatter design along with some questionable red accents for the air vents we’d frankly do without.
And yes, the RS3 Sportback keeps the five-door hot hatch formula alive in Europe, whereas Americans are once again stuck with the four-door sedan. Europeans are spoiled for choice when it comes to compact performance cars from the Volkswagen Group, considering there’s also a Golf R wagon you can’t buy stateside. Never mind the spicy Cupra models and the more sensible Skoda Octavia RS.
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The new-ish RS3 retains all five cylinders but without any extra oomph. The glorious 2.5 TFSI continues to produce 395 horsepower in European specification. The Performance Edition offered in the pre-facelift days matched the 401-hp muscle of the RS3 that Audi sells in the US. Audi Sport boss Sebastian Grams has hinted at more power coming before the end of this generation, which will mark the end of the inline-five engine.
Although there isn’t more power for now, Audi has made some tweaks underneath the skin. The adaptive dampers react even better thanks to a new algorithm. In addition, the engineers from Ingolstadt have also further improved brake torque vectoring to enable higher cornering speeds. This also pays dividends when you want to perform a drift, as the RS3 now has a more tail-happy nature. New bespoke standard tires and optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks are available.
At home in Germany where the order books open at the end of August, the RS3 Sportback costs from €66,000 ($72,800 at current exchange rates). That makes it a little over €12,000 ($13,200) more expensive than a base Golf R. If you want the RS3 Sedan, Audi charges €68,000 ($75,000). The outgoing sedan-only RS3 sold in the US retails for $63,395 after including the destination charges.
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