RennSport is Audi’s way of designating high-performance models. The RS lineup kicks off with the A3-based RS 3, which levels up on the four-cylinder S3 with a five-cylinder engine that packs 401 horsepower and 369 pound-foot (500 Nm) from a displacement of 2.5 liters. The European version is good for 400 metric ponies and the same amount of torque.
Designed specifically for driving enjoyment, Audi’s entry-level RennSport model has taken the dreaded moose test with somewhat disappointing results. Spanish motoring publication km77.com couldn’t give it more than 75 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour) without hitting a cone, which is pretty meh considering that a plug-in crossover did it at 79 kph (49 mph).
Pictured on 265/30 R19 and 245/35 R19 sticky rubber from Pirelli, the green-painted hatchback in the clip below gave the test driver “a good feeling. One can see how nimble the car is when changing directions, how fast it responds to inputs, how little the body rolls, and how well controlled the understeer is.” RS 3 enthusiasts will be happy to hear that their compact of choice fared much better in the slalom test, almost topping the leaderboard.
Despite a playful rear end, the five-cylinder hatchback finished the course in 23.1 seconds compared to 22.8 clicks for the all-electric Polestar 2. The aforementioned plug-in hybrid, namely the MINI Cooper SE Countryman, needed 23.3 seconds. Alas, it’s obvious that Audi could have done better.
Tipping the scales at 1,645 kilograms (3,627 pounds), the Euro-spec RS 3 Sportback needs 3.8 seconds to reach 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour). Over in the United States, the sedan-bodied RS 3 needs 3.6 seconds.
Although it sounds pretty darn good, the party piece of the RS 3 comes in the guise of a torque splitter that replaces the rear axle differential and previous multi-disc clutch package on the rear axle. An electronically controlled multi-disc clutch is used on each of the rear drive shafts, which makes a huge difference in the corners. This clever setup also makes drifting easier by channeling up to 1,750 Nm (1,291 pound-foot) to the outer rear wheel.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News