Three Generations of Audi RS3 Get Sound and Performance Comparison

But the 2015 and 2018 models are different in the only way that matters: the engine. The idea of stuffing a big 2.5-liter turbo engine inside a regular family car is not unique to Audi.

Back when it was a cool company, Volvo had its own 5-banger turbo in many cars, including the C30 and C40. Ford, who owned Volvo until it made the stupidest decision ever, also borrowed the 2.5-liter for its iconic Focus RS. That green rally monster still gives me goosebumps.

But Audi is the only company with mass-market success, even though the first RS3 wasn't all that amazing in the handling department... or so we think. Looking at this acceleration video, we couldn't help but notice how close the performance is: 4.6 seconds to 100 km/h for the classic 340 horsepower model versus 4.1 seconds in the current 400 HP model.

I mean, you saw the 2018 RS3 taking on sports cars and keeping up. Now imagine how mind-blowing the Mk1 was back in 2011.

The sound also got progressively better with each generation. And yes, we also couldn't believe they put only two small exhaust pipes on the first car. But things were different back then. Sleeper, understated cars were a thing, and YouTubers didn't brag about anything other than their subscribers.

When we said that the 2015 model and 2018 one are different, we were talking about the engine. The 2.5 TFSI went for aluminum construction and new injection, which made it 25 kg lighter yet also more powerful. A design makeover changed the headlights and also added the digital dashboard, which is a small highlight of this video from the guys at AutoTop.