After seeing plenty of spy shots of the next-gen Audi RS3, there are some fresh rumors about the upcoming hot hatch. It debuts in September 2021, according to new info from Auto Express.
I think [the RS3] is one of the most emotional Audi Sport cars and is a major part of the brand’s DNA, even going back to the original Quattro. You can be sure that for every future RS model we will always take forward the good aspects and characteristics,” Audi Sport Sales and Marketing Chief Frank Michl told Auto Express.
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The RS3 will continue to use Audi’s 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine. It now allegedly makes 415 horsepower (310 kilowatts) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque. The power would run through a dual-clutch gearbox, and there’s no sign of a manual being available. Naturally, there would be the latest version of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system with features like torque vectoring to make the hot hatch’s handling as sharp as possible.
Spy shots tell us that Audi takes a restrained approach for the new RS3’s styling. There’s a more aggressive front fascia, somewhat broader fenders, and a rear diffsuer. None of these parts are so comically oversized that a layperson would look at the car and realize the vehicle’s performance potential.
There’s also a rumor of Audi creating an RS3 Performance model that could make upwards of 450 hp (336 kW). This would give the Four Rings bragging rights over the Mercedes-AMG A45 S with 416 hp (310 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm).
The RS3 debuting in September is the European-focused Sportback hatchback variant. There’s still a mystery about when the sedan version that would come to North America might arrive. Since the four-door S3 doesn’t come to the US until late 2021, we wouldn’t expect to see the range-topping variant until 2022.
