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How Cool Is This 2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback in Merlin Purple?

If you live by the mantra 'go hard or go home,' diving back into the past for some rocket bunny action in the form of a 2018 Audi RS3 shouldn't be frowned upon. Gas prices are ever soaring, and fast ICEs are becoming extinct, but that doesn't mean you should drive a boring car. If you are looking for a reason to get back into your bad-boy pants and chase more sunrises and sunsets behind the wheel of a powerhouse hatchback – today's featured car could be the wrong choice you've been waiting to make.
2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback 14 photos
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Auditography
2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback
Auditography makes it hard to hate Audis. On their latest upload on YouTube, they featured arguably the best 2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback we've seen so far. Forget the scenic locations, dramatic soundtrack, and oscillating camera angles – this beauty will sweep you off your feet sitting in a mud bath.

Forgive me for taking your mind on a roller-coaster ride. They don't make powerhouse hatchbacks like these anymore – they never will! And if, by chance, you get the opportunity to pick up one of these babies in a crispy spec, such as the one featured in the video below – I'd advise you to take it and drive. Drive away, and never look back!

Here's why.

The 2018 RS3 Sportback 8V comes with a unique set of artillery. It runs on an award-winning powertrain. Under the hood is a turbocharged 2.5-liter 5-cylinder TFSI engine good for 394 hp (400 ps) and 354 lb-ft (480 Nm) of torque.

2018 Audi RS3 has impressive power-to-weight ratio

2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Auditography
But power without drivability is like showing up to soccer practice in a scuba suit– it's just not practical. Therefore, the 2018 model underwent a couple of improvements to make up for all that power. It's lighter than the previous version, thanks to the increased use of aluminum.

This model also offers a tremendous power-to-weight ratio (the best in its segment, according to Audi) with a significant bump in horsepower from 364 hp (367 ps) to 394 hp (400 ps). All that gusty power is sent to all four wheels thanks to a quick-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and an award-winning Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Auditography's feature unit weighs 3,437 lbs (1,559 kgs).

Unique Merlin Purple exterior on this unit pops

2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Auditography
The Audi-inclined YouTube channel has showcased a couple of RS3 hatchbacks through the years, but what makes this version exceedingly pretty is its Merlin Purple shade.

Here's the thing. Red and blue are the most popular colors for performance cars, especially if you want to stand out in a crown. Purple might not be a favorite color choice for a car, but it'll look fantastic in the right hue. Exhibit A: this 2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback in Merlin Purple.

The 2018 RS3 received an updated facia, a more prominent grille, 3D taillights, and a fresh set of headlights. That combo added to the color code, with a fresh set of 19-inch RS3 Rotor wheels, makes this unit such a looker parked side by side with newer variants.

The RS3 wouldn't look much parked next to a Ford Raptor R. However, the interior, exterior, aerodynamic aids, and exhaust sound on this unit give it the bad-boy demeanor it so desperately deserves.

Aggressive ready-to-roll interior layout

2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback
Photo: YouTube Screenshot/Auditography
The RS3 is based on the A3; as you'd expect, they are identical on the interior. However, the RS3 features more aggressive seats, a wishy-washy dashboard common to Audi, paddle shifters, and 'RS' badging just so everything is clear before you turn on the ignition.

As pictured in the video, the RS3 has a head-up display, high-mounted air vents, and good ol' physical buttons for climate control right below. The modernized gear selector could be more interesting. Good thing the promise of using the paddle shifters up top once it's in motion is something to look forward to.

Suppose you want to startle someone after a red light or gap some unassuming newbies at your local track. In that case, the 2018 RS3 hatchback's capability to bolt from 0-100 kph (62 mph) in 3.68 seconds is enough to have them check out your rear badging on Google later in the evening.

It'll also do 0-200 mph (124 kph) in 13:72 seconds; that's enough to dot most competition with your foot stuck on the floor. For spirited driving, the paddle shifters on this unit will deliver enthusiastic upshifts and grabbing downshifts.

We wouldn't advise doing donuts in a unit as clean as this just to get a couple of pats on your back or mentions on social media. But when push comes to shove, always remember the RS3's standard all-wheel-drive system also features a torque vectoring rear differential with, wait for it… Drift mode!

Add that to a stiffer suspension, sportier tires, bigger brakes, and upgraded chassis components. This unit was designed to please.

We'd love to blurt out everything good about Auditography's featured 2018 Audi RS3 8V Sportback, but we'll let you enjoy the rest of the action and exhilarating sounds in the video below.

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About the author: Humphrey Bwayo
Humphrey Bwayo profile photo

Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life.
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