The new Audi RS 3 Sportback is a powerful compact car

We may be having the Audi A3 here in India but globally Audi presents the new RS 3 Sportback, the most powerful compact car in the premium segment. It’s got a powerful five-cylinder, turbocharged engine which ensures that the five-door model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and its top speed can be increased to 280 km/h upon request.

The multiple award-winning 2.5 TFSI produces 367 hp and 465 Nm of torque in the new RS 3 Sportback.

The engine is mated to a seven-speed S tronic, which shifts even faster than in the previous model, directs the power of the 2.5 TFSI to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The quattro system features torque vectoring based on intelligent software and is designed through-and-through for maximum driving enjoyment. The new Audi RS 3 Sportback steers directly into corners. On low-friction road surfaces, drivers can even perform controlled drifts, if desired.

Two flaps in the exhaust pipes downstream of the muffler control the exhaust flow to provide for an even more intensive sound experience that varies with engine load and speed. The driver can control these flaps via the Audi drive select system. The RS exhaust system is designed for high flow. For the first time in this segment, Audi offers a sport exhaust system as an option.

The driver of the new Audi RS 3 Sportback can choose between two automatic modes for the seven-speed S tronic or shift manually using the shift paddles on the steering wheel or the selector lever. The launch control system provides for optimal traction and minimal tyre slip when sprinting from a standing start. The lower gears are sportily short; seventh gear is tall to reduce fuel consumption. A plug-connected angle drive connects the ultra-compact gearbox with the prop shaft – a design that displays intelligent lightweight construction down to the last detail.

The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system transfers the power of the 2.5 TFSI to the road with supreme ease. Its central component is the electronically controlled, hydraulically activated multi-plate clutch.

Control of the multi-plate clutch is integrated into the Audi drive select system. With its very sport configuration, it uses all handling-relevant information, such as the steering angle. In dynamic mode and when the ESC Electronic Stabilization Control system is set to sport mode, power is transferred sooner and in greater amounts to the rear axle for even better handling, giving the new Audi RS 3 Sportback very agile and direct turn-in. This enables the driver to even perform controlled drifts on low-friction road surfaces. The front axle pulls the car back onto a straight line when exiting a bend.

Torque vectoring makes the handling of the Audi RS 3 Sportback even more perfect. During fast cornering, it slightly brakes the interior wheels, which are under a reduced load. This enables both wheels on the axle to transfer more power to the road. Thanks to the difference in propulsive forces, the car turns slightly into the corner and supports the driver’s sporty driving style.

The internally ventilated brake discs measure 370 millimeters in diameter at the front and 310 millimeters at the rear.

The interior of the new Audi RS 3 Sportback is in sporty black and accentuated with RS badges. The sport seats are covered in Fine Nappa leather with contrasting stitching in rock gray. Wrapped in leather and Alcantara, the RS multifunction sport steering wheel is flattened at the bottom, and the selector lever also features a particularly sporty design. The driver information system includes a boost pressure indicator, an oil temperature gauge and a lap timer.