Audi USA today announced that the 2022 RS3 will start at US$ 58,900 (US$ 59,095 w/ US$ 1,095 destination charge). Wider, lighter, and more powerful than the outgoing model, the new performance sedan is here to raise the heartbeats of Audi fans. The 2022 Audi RS3 continues to be powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, here making 401 hp and 500 Nm of torque. That’s actually more than the European model, rated at “just” 394 hp.

Audi told us in June that the bump in power was a result of a “specific request” from Audi USA. “Since the increase is pretty minimal, we don’t anticipate a distinctive difference in performance,” they said, though. Audi estimates that the RS3 will be capable of hitting 96 km/h from a standstill in just 3.6 seconds, which is 0.3 seconds faster than the outgoing model. It’s hard to say if that’s a meaningful improvement over the Euro model because it officially takes 3.8 seconds to reach 100 km/h)and Audi is known to be conservative with its estimates anyway.

 

In that guise, though, it was capable of completing a lap of the Nurburgring in just 7:40.748, making it the fastest compact production car ever around the famed German racetrack, when that record was set. To slow the RS3 down, Audi has given it a set of 6-piston brake calipers at the front while the standard rotors are 375mm across at the front and 310mm at the back. Buyers can opt, however, for a set of larger ceramic brakes that are 380mm at the front and reduce overall weight by 10 kg.

The RS3 is also equipped with 19-inch aluminum 10-Y-spoke wheels and reverse staggered summer performance tires, as standard. If you really want to get the most out of your car, though, Audi will, for the first time, offer optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires, which are designed specifically for race tracks. A Carbon package will be offered as an option and includes a carbon fiber rear spoiler, side sill inlays, and mirror housings. The Black optic plus package, meanwhile, offers 19-inch 10-Y-spoke wheels finished in full matte black, black Audi rings and badges, as well as a Brilliant Black roof, for a more sporty aesthetic.

Inside, the RS3 comes standard with fine Nappa leather upholstery and 8-way power-adjustable front sport seats. The optional RS design package, meanwhile, adds green accents throughout the interior, including on the seat shoulders, the center bars of the air vents, the edging on the seatbelts, and more. The 2022 Audi RS3 sedan is set to hit U.S. showrooms this summer.