Audi is currently launching the new RS3 in both
Sedan and Sportback forms. The biggest highlight of the new version is
of course that five-cylinder engine which has been updated beyond what the
slightly increased numbers might reveal.
The updated turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder
engine now makes 400 PS and 480 Nm of peak torque, making
the new Audi RS3 one really seriously powerful car for its size.
But the changes run deeper than the increased output
figures might suggest, as Audi has also made the engine 26 kg lighter
as well, further improving the model’s power-to-weight ratio. The crankcase is
now made from aluminum, instead of compacted graphite iron, the cylinder
barrels are plasma-coated, the crankshaft is hollow bored while the aluminum
pistons now get integrated channels for oil cooling.
Audi’s new RS3 is now capable of catapulting itself
from zero to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, thanks to the permanent Quattro
all-wheel drive system and the standard dual-clutch S-Tronic seven-speed
transmission. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h but tick the right box
in the options list and the new RS3 will top out at a more impressive 280 km/h.
The suspension has also been updated while Audi is
also offering as an option the RS Sport Suspension Plus which is a fancy way of
how the Germans call their adaptive dampers. There is even the option of front
carbon disc brakes, if you feel like the standard 370mm steel discs are not
going to cover your needs.
It all sounds very good indeed and if Audi has
managed to match the glorious soundtrack of that engine with a proper fun
driving character, things will not be that easy for the Mercedes-AMG A45.
