Audi RS3 - power for show
Meet the king of hatchbacks. The most powerful, the fastest, the most expensive. The loudest. With a five-cylinder engine developing 367 hp. It accelerates to “hundreds” in 4,3 seconds, even accelerates to 280 km / h. Could something go wrong here? Let's check. We are testing the Audi RS3.
So we entered a world where the boundaries between a practical hatchback and a supercar are blurred. The power might be a little less, but in a lightweight package, it can work wonders. The bulkiness of the car allows you to hide in the crowd, and if you just growl, we say goodbye to anonymity. Yes, professional tuning companies have offered such monsters more than once, but they have never been serial. Inglostadt decided to replace the tuners - this showed Audi RS3. Thus was born the king of the hot hatch. However, he quickly fell from his throne. A moment later, on the occasion of the facelift, Mercedes squeezed a cosmic 2 hp out of the 381-liter engine. (more power than the 1184-horsepower Veyron Super Sport!) and accelerated the A45 AMG to 100 km/h 0,1 seconds faster.
A show of force
On the road, in the parking lot, in the rally and on the track - everywhere the RS3 dominates. Certainly visually. The evil look even pushes other cars out of the way. A bumper with large air intakes, a lowered stance and a 34mm wide track create a muscular front end. The front spoiler and diffuser section are body-coloured as standard. We can also order it in brushed aluminum, but it looks too elegant for a street troublemaker. The version with glossy black packaging looks more brutal.
The side silhouette is no less interesting. There's another spoiler above the rear window, but it's the 19-inch wheels that catch the eye first. In the photos you can see an additional anthracite black pattern for PLN 3910. However, there is also another tire size associated with this option. The standard wheels are 235mm wide with 35% profile, but after purchasing the option, the front tires are wider - 255mm with 30% profile. It is assumed that wider front "boots" will minimize the effect of understeer inherent in the previous generation.
The back is no less interesting. The presence of a diffuser can be found even in cars several times weaker, but here it has acquired a very characteristic look. The bumper has room for two large exhaust pipes. Their size is not everything, but more on that later.
All these sports accessories combined with the base color Nardo Gray look extremely reserved. However, it is enough for a pedestrian to catch a slightly longer eye contact, and he already understands what is at stake. So it was with the policeman. The radars are aimed at Audi RS3 automatic.
Undeniable luxury
Hot hatches are usually top-of-the-line variants of regular models. They have better equipment and more interesting details in the interior. AT Audi RS3 the term "upper" has been moved a little further. This is another category in which it outperforms the rest of the competition. However, this stems directly from the luxury character of the brand, and not from an offer prepared specifically for this version. Already in the S3 we can order S-type seats (here as standard) made from materials from the exclusive Audi catalogue. Let's add, for an amount of more than 20 3 zlotys. If we want more sport, we can order seats with a carbon structure for the RS7. This way we save kg.
The cockpit is taken from the regular A3 but enhanced with a series of red details. To emphasize the high-performance nature of the car, some elements were sheathed in Alcantara - the ubiquitous leather could be too obvious. Everything we touch is of very high quality. Despite the small size of the body, no one sitting here will doubt that Audi belongs to the premium segment. A feast for the eyes and the senses.
The thick handlebars feel great in the hands, and the deep seats provide plenty of body support when cornering. All function buttons are located in logical places; I also don't mind the intuitive control of the onboard systems. The Audi MMI radio is standard. It is no different from other models, but you still have to pay extra for navigation. The screen is hidden in the dashboard, so when you want to focus on the road, you press the appropriate button and go.
A hatchback should be practical, right? The rear seats are actually decent, unless you're bringing a basketball team with you. The front passenger seat is pushed as far back as possible, which means there is no room for a person sitting behind it. But wait - we can even connect two car seats with ISOFIX connectors. The trunk should be enough for parents with two children - it holds 280 liters.
He goes beyond
The first generation Lamborghini Gallardo accelerated from 100 to 4,2 km / h in 5 seconds thanks to a 10-liter naturally aspirated V500 engine with XNUMX hp. Imagine today Audi RS3 it reaches the same 100 km / h in just 4,3 seconds. We have come to the point where the line between hot hat and supercar has clearly blurred. But are you sure? I invite you for a walk.
I press the "Start" button. Effective caliber and two exhaust shots. Wow. The 2.5-liter hand-folded engine develops 367 hp. at 5500 rpm and provides a torque of 465 Nm in the range from 1625 to 5550 rpm. However, the real sensation here is the unusual number of cylinders - there are five of them, located in one row. Let's see what the Audi, which they are trying to call high-performance, is capable of - immediately set it to the "Dynamic" mode. There is a piece right in front of me, so I press the gas immediately to the stop. The acceleration is brutal, and the rough engine sound is punctuated by more exhaust fumes. It's like having such a small V10 under the hood. The clanging of the inline “five” is pure poetry. If I used Launch Control while moving, the action would be less efficient but more efficient. The system will focus on smoothly transferring torque to the wheels, limiting those signature shots. There is a "double clutch" effect - when shifting to a higher gear, the engine speed increases slightly.
If we had a long enough stretch of straight road, we could reach 280 km/h, provided we purchased the appropriate package. In the standard configuration, it will be 250 km / h. Brake discs with wavy edges are connected to 8-piston aluminum calipers. They measure 370mm at the front and 310mm at the back, but the former can be optionally made from ceramic and carbon fiber – an exception in the class. The braking force hits the steering wheel. Fortunately, the stripes are still there.
I enter a winding section of the road. Brake, turn, accelerate, brake, turn, accelerate. Again and again. The first impression is great, but also because of the engine. However, the suspension itself causes mixed feelings. These are not performance settings. Of course, Audi RS3 leads very confidently and willingly follows the given direction. The suspension is stiff, but not too hard and not too soft. Regardless of the selected mode - in Comfort it cannot sufficiently smooth out bumps, in Dynamic it does not strain to such an extent that it is impossible to turn the track for an impossible time. One thing is for sure - it always shakes on bumps.
After a very dynamic ride, mixed feelings can arise. Intermittent understeer cannot be converted to oversteer using the accelerator pedal. The rear axle does not want to overtake us and it is good where it is. The steering, while direct and responsive, keeps some information to itself. The sound of the exhaust knocks out, but especially strangers. The driver is isolated from some impressions and information.
Fuel demand? As a rule, on the highway 11,5 l / 100 km, in the city - as much as you like. Usually the computer calculated 20 l / 100 km. However, we managed to achieve a sensational result, smoothly passing the track with a length of about 200 km. It was enough to stick to the speed limit to finally get the result of 8.2 l / 100 km. With 367 hp under the hood.
Look at me!
Audi RS3 impressive. Muscular design, luxurious interior and performance. This car has the power to attract and can enchant. So much so that you won't say anything about the price. The base model costs PLN 257, which we define as “a lot,” and yet the test configuration exceeded the PLN 000 threshold. zloty Mercedes A300 AMG with 45 km and 381 to “hundreds” costs “only” 4,2 zlotys.
The RS3 is a show car of sorts. It's supposed to be amazingly fast, loud, and sound better than any four-cylinder engine. However, luxury won here, which replaced the uncompromising power of cars. While there are no objections to trim and design, yes, in terms of handling, the attempt to bridge two extreme worlds has put the sporty Audi in between, neither too sporty nor too comfortable.
If acceleration and sound are important to your sports car, you won't be disappointed. Even in Monaco there will be no shame. However, if you're looking for driving pleasure with a bit of brutality above all, keep looking. Audi RS3 it's a rocket, but it's controllable.
