Photo: Instagram | Manhart
There is a fine line between the Audi RS Q3 and its low-slung brethren, namely the RS 3 Sportback and the RS 3 Sedan, and this sporty crossover has just crossed it.
Mind you, we’ve seen much better pics of the Audi RS Q3, especially a tuned one. Manhart, which is the tuner behind this one, as depicted by the big decal on the front windscreen, says that it came from their Polish arm and that it underwent some serious modifications. Don’t confuse serious with extreme, because it’s by no means a Bugatti Chiron in disguise, but it is a bit feistier.
In the power department, Manhart mentions their MHtronik module, which pretty much tells the engine to pump out more oomph. This, in combination with the new exhaust system said to improve the soundtrack produced by the sporty crossover, translates to 460 horsepower that is likely metric. That means 454 bhp or 405 kilowatts, and 650 Newton meters of torque, or 479 pound-feet, according to the tuner.
Can’t remember how much the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine puts out without any outside intervention? That would be 400 ps (349 hp/294 kW). The torque is rated at 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) by the four-ring brand’s Sport division, which claims that an unmolested copy of the RS Q3 will do the 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in just 4.5 seconds. Mind you, that is impressive for what is still a crossover. The top speed stands at 280 kph (174 mph) as long as you tick the V-max limiter removal on the options list or 250 kph (155 mph) as standard.
So, let’s see what else they did to it besides massaging the famous five-pot, without forgetting that this is Manhart, and they’re not really known for wacky body kits. Thus, the front and rear bumpers carry over from the factory, but the multi-fin diffuser out back seems new, and so do the side skirt add-ons. The oval exhaust tips have a slightly bigger diameter than the stock ones, and the wheels, decorated by the automaker’s center caps, don’t seem to have come from the aftermarket world.
The corporate emblems at both ends have been blacked out, and the entire crossover sports a black look. But that’s not all, because there are a few gold accents decorating various parts of the exterior, from the hood, roof, tailgate, and doors, to the grille, side vents, mirror caps, and diffuser. Manhart’s name can be seen on the front windscreen, tailgate, and lower parts of the front doors. Elsewhere, what you see is what you get, namely the same exciting premium subcompact sporty crossover that almost everyone knows, which is also available in the RS Q3 Sportback guise.
In the power department, Manhart mentions their MHtronik module, which pretty much tells the engine to pump out more oomph. This, in combination with the new exhaust system said to improve the soundtrack produced by the sporty crossover, translates to 460 horsepower that is likely metric. That means 454 bhp or 405 kilowatts, and 650 Newton meters of torque, or 479 pound-feet, according to the tuner.
Can’t remember how much the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine puts out without any outside intervention? That would be 400 ps (349 hp/294 kW). The torque is rated at 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) by the four-ring brand’s Sport division, which claims that an unmolested copy of the RS Q3 will do the 0 to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in just 4.5 seconds. Mind you, that is impressive for what is still a crossover. The top speed stands at 280 kph (174 mph) as long as you tick the V-max limiter removal on the options list or 250 kph (155 mph) as standard.
So, let’s see what else they did to it besides massaging the famous five-pot, without forgetting that this is Manhart, and they’re not really known for wacky body kits. Thus, the front and rear bumpers carry over from the factory, but the multi-fin diffuser out back seems new, and so do the side skirt add-ons. The oval exhaust tips have a slightly bigger diameter than the stock ones, and the wheels, decorated by the automaker’s center caps, don’t seem to have come from the aftermarket world.
The corporate emblems at both ends have been blacked out, and the entire crossover sports a black look. But that’s not all, because there are a few gold accents decorating various parts of the exterior, from the hood, roof, tailgate, and doors, to the grille, side vents, mirror caps, and diffuser. Manhart’s name can be seen on the front windscreen, tailgate, and lower parts of the front doors. Elsewhere, what you see is what you get, namely the same exciting premium subcompact sporty crossover that almost everyone knows, which is also available in the RS Q3 Sportback guise.
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