Audi RS Q3 Becomes the Victim of Its Own Success, Leaves the UK Due to High Demand

Discovered by Autocar, who got in touch with a spokesperson who confirmed the demise of the two sporty crossovers, the move is confirmed by the fact that they have been removed from the brand's local website.

The outlet reports that 95 copies of the RS Q3 and 191 of the RS Q3 Sportback found new homes in the UK in the first nine months of the year. What's rather strange is that Audi hasn't revealed whether the models will return. Nonetheless, the four-ring brand is currently readying the next-gen Q3, which is expected to arrive in 2025. Thus, if they go back on sale, it will probably be for a short period of time sometime next year.

As everyone knows, Audi Sport’s RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback feature the 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine. It produces 400 ps (394 hp/294 kW) and 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque, using a seven-speed S tronic transmission to deploy everything to the all-wheel drive system. The 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) sprint takes only 4.5 seconds, an impressive achievement for a premium subcompact crossover, and the top speed is 250 kph (155 mph) or 280 kph (174 mph) as an option.

Following the withdrawal of the RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback from the UK, the punchiest versions on sale pack an electrified powertrain with 245 ps (242 hp/180 kW) combined and have the ability to hit 100 kph (62 mph) in 7.3 seconds. Pricing for the Q3 TFSI e starts at £44,410 (equal to $56,395), and the Sportback variant comes from £45,560 ($57,855). That's roughly £12,000 ($15,240) less than the full-blown RS models.

Subsequent to their demise, the only vehicles to pack the same engines are the RS 3 Sportback and RS 3 Sedan. They're available from £54,195 ($68,820) and £55,195 ($70,090), respectively, and due to the lighter construction, the sprint time is dealt with in 3.8 seconds.

Boasting a bit more oomph at 401 hp (407 ps/299 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque and taking 3.6 seconds to reach 60 mph (97 kph) from naught, the RS 3 Sedan is in the 2024 model year in the United States. It gets a 7sp DCT and AWD, sports suspension, and upgraded brakes over the normal four-door A3, enhanced looks inside and out, and returns 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km) combined. Pricing starts at $61,700, $14,700 more than the 306 hp (310 ps/228 kW) S3, whereas the base A3 has an MSRP of $35,400.