Fans of Audi’s five-cylinder engines will want to turn their gaze towards the automaker’s new RS 3 Competition Limited. The name comes from the fact that there won’t be a full production run. Instead, just 750 will hit roads around the world. Those roads will be very aware that Audi’s Sport Quattro successor is roaming around on top of them.
The visuals Audi has revealed so far show a typically sporty frame. Angular and aggressive, the special edition RS 3 looks like it goes as fast as it actually does. Whether it’ll justify more than R2 million at the dealership will probably depend on you. Okay, and the engine specs. Just a little.
RS 3 Competition winner
The Audi RS 3 Competition Limited will arrive in sportback or sedan configurations, with both featuring the same five-cylinder 2.5 TFSI engine. Audi points out the engine’s firing pattern (1-2-4-5-3) in at least one way that isn’t… well, the engine. The car’s LED headlights will fire in the same pattern when the RS 3 is locked or unlocked.
But that’s just a little easter egg. The 294kW five-cylinder will, Audi says, produce 500Nm of torque. That helps it attain its 0 to 100km/h speed in 3.8 seconds. The 290km/h top speed isn’t too shabby either. The car’s turbo and sports exhaust should make it especially throaty. That’s excellent for drivers at midday, less fun if it’s zipping up and down your street at 2 AM.
The Competition Limited rides on top of 19in spoked Neodymium gold matte rims covering Audi’s ceramic braking system. A new coilover suspension for the RS 3 range appears here, fitted with an also-new rear stabiliser. Audi spends five lengthy paragraphs explaining adjustment options, spring rates, and other features. They’re worth reading if you’re about more than just ‘car go fast, hur, hur’.
Fast on the inside
The car’s interior (and exterior) is also drenched in ‘special edition’ notes and accents, but we’re most concerned with the tech. A 10.1in touch display will show… everything this Audi RS 3 is doing. This includes “temperature ranges of the coolant, torque splitter, brakes, as well as engine and transmission oil are illustrated in color; tire pressure and temperature are also shown.”
There’s not much info on infotainment. That’s probably because you’re supposed to drive this thing, not check your emails in the parking lot. But doing so will cost you, assuming you can nab one of the 750 made. The Sportback version launches at R2,05 million (€108,365) for the base model. The sedan begins at R2,085 million (€110,005), with European deliveries starting later this year. Local release and pricing aren’t known.
