Skip to main content

Five doors, five cylinders, and quattro: Audi’s RS 3 Sportback adds up to one hot hatch

Our friends across the pond have it real good when it comes to sporty hatchbacks. Today, we just got another reason to be envious with the announcement of the new Audi RS 3 Sportback, the brand’s latest performance-paked compact vehicle.

The top-tier version of the A3 gets a larger, 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 367 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful five-cylinder Audi has ever made. This power is routed through the dual-clutch seven-speed S tronic transmission, which drivers can flip through manually with paddle shifters, or left alone to pick the best gear. A launch control system is included to optimize sprints off the line, letting drivers go from 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds.

RS3140015_large
Image used with permission by copyright holder

It wouldn’t be an Audi without Quattro all-wheel drive, and with the help of custom software and sensors, the torque can go from being split 50/50 between the front and back axles, or it can be fully sent to the rear, depending on coefficient of friction and driving style. Torque vectoring further improves the sporty dynamics of the RS 3 by lightly breaking the wheels on the inside of a turn, helping to curve the car around corners.

RS3140016_large
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The chassis rides on an McPherson strut suspension on the front, and a four-link construction on the real axle made up of high-strength steel rods. It sits an inch lower than the A3 Sportback, and the adaptive magnetic ride active damper system can be adjusted when drivers select their preferred drive modes. All this is  bolted on 19-inch wheels which either sport a matte titanium look or a high-gloss anthracite black finish. Drivers can even take the sportiness even further by opting for carbon fiber-ceramic brake discs on the front axle.

Of course, the RS 3 has to look like it goes as fast as it claims, and the hot hatch does the trick with a more pronounced front bumper, high gloss black honeycomb grille, and a rear diffuser. The interior screams performance, too, with an alcantara-covered, flat bottom steering wheel, boost pressure indicator, and lap timer.

Audi hasn’t said if the 2015 RS 3 is heading to U.S. roads anytime soon, but we can keep our hopes up that, after the Sportback makes it to European dealer lots in the summer, the German automaker will bend to our intense green-eyed stares of jealousy.

Alexander Kalogianni
Former Automotive Editor
Alex K is an automotive writer based in New York. When not at his keyboard or behind the wheel of a car, Alex spends a lot of…
8 key things you need to know from Apple’s WWDC 2025 event
From a fresh look and updated names, to new features, more intelligence and live translation
iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS 26 shown on devices.

The WWDC 2025 keynote ran for just over an hour and a half. For those of you who don't fancy sitting through the whole presentation, we've pulled out the key things you need to know from the latest Apple event.

1. Welcome to the 26 club

Read more
Tesla’s robotaxi service is almost here, but it’s not the car you want to see
Silver Tesla Model Y Juniper side

Tesla chief Elon Musk has said that the automaker is aiming to launch its robotaxi service on June 22, in Austin, Texas.

“Tentatively, June 22,” Musk said in a post on X on Tuesday, adding: “We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift.”

Read more
I tried an e-bike for the first time and now I’m hooked
It’s not about being a 'bike person', it’s about finding small upgrades to everyday life
A woman sitting on the Aventon Pace 4

Before this year, I’d never even touched an e-bike before, and the thought of riding one was never on my radar. With life already in constant motion thanks to two toddlers, biking wasn’t something I ever considered adding to the mix.

I’d always assumed e-bikes were for hardcore commuters or serious cyclists, not someone like me. I wasn’t looking for a big lifestyle change. I just wanted a quicker way to get to the park so we’d have more time to play before dinner.

Read more