The 408HP A3 Sedan concept may have overshadowed the RS3 Sportback at the Geneva Motor Show, but now Audi has turned its attention to the latter. The brand with the four-ring logo released a new set of photos showing off its 340 horsepower-strong model posing on the streets of Monaco, as the company gets ready to begin shipping the first examples of the hot hatch this spring.
The four-wheel-drive hatch is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine producing 340HP and 450 Nm (331 lb-ft) of torque, good enough for 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.6 seconds, 0.1 seconds faster than the BMW 1 Series M Coupe. Priced at €49,900 ($68,200) in Germany, it is also €600 ($835) cheaper than its Bavarian rival.
As we told you when the car was first presented, the RS3 Sportback has an understated design for an RS model. The restyled front and rear bumpers, the rear spoiler and the lowered body (- 25 mm) are the most striking changes from the standard A3 Sportback.
Inside, the atmosphere is what you’d expect from a car wearing the RS badge. Standard equipment includes sport seats with Fine Nappa leather upholstery, a flat-bottomed multifunction steering wheel, two-zone automatic air conditioner, uprated audio system, Xenon Plus headlights with LED daytime running lights and 19-inch wheels.
Optional extras include black 19-inch alloys with a red rim flange, bucket seats, styling packages in black or matt aluminum or inlays in the new Aluminum Race material.
By Dan Mihalascu
