Audi RS3 Sportback 2.5 TFSI quattro S tronic - road test - sports cars - Icon wheels
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Audi RS3 Sportback 2.5 TFSI quattro S tronic - road test - sports cars - Icon wheels
The RS3 is a mini supercar with incredibly manageable power, but is it that interesting?
Four hundred horsepower ten years ago was the hallmark of supercars. Recently, however, the Germans have become fascinated with power even for compact sports cars. The fault - or credit - belongs to the Mercedes A45 AMG, which, with its 360 hp. (380 hp at the last stage) ushered in a new era of "super hot hatchbacks".
And this is howAudi RS3, in its latest evolution it reaches the height 400 hp, 33 more compared to the previous version. IN 2.5 five-cylinder turbo It is not only more powerful but also lighter than 26kg and smoother and smoother in delivery. The only version available RS3 is a 5-door Sportback, exclusively with automatic dual-clutch transmission 7-speed, and of course with quattro all-wheel drive.
DAILY SUPERCAR
In the arms of armchairsAudi RS3 I detect a slightly raised driving position with a slightly tilted steering wheel. A strange position for a sports car that contributes to more comfort in everyday driving and in no way suggests that you are aboard a monster. IN care about the interior (Alcantara on the steering wheel, soft plastics and thin leather) but the design is a bit dated, especially compared to the latest Audi.
But all this fades into the background when five-cylinder turbo 2,5 liters warms his vocal cords. At idle, it emits an even, anonymous sound, an almost dull growl, but a couple of taps on the gas pedal are enough to get sweeter and more metallic notes. Sound that more politely resembles soundAudi Quattro Sports. If you have less imagination, then imagine how one sounds Lamborghini Huracan, but without dolby.
In the face 400 h.p. power and 480 Nm of torque, on paper this engine is a real monster. IN leisurely gait it is docile and soft, especially in the softer Audi Drive Select modes. However, even in the softest settings, the shock absorbers never relax and, depending on the setting, go from hard to hard.
This is not undercut as extreme or outrageous, mind you, but it's still tougher than the RS4. IN steeringon the other hand, it is slightly more fake and less accurate than that of its older sister.
I leave the city and head towards my favorite road: the 10 km mountain road that I know as my refrigerator: this is the moment of truth.
VERY FAST, TOO EASY
The fact thatAudi RS3 the pneumatic mounts are wider at the front than at the rear (255/35 19 vs 235/30 19) - bad sign. However, there is no denying that the RS3 is fast. Very fast. However, after walking a few kilometers at a “flight from the police” pace, I find that I am not shedding a drop of sweat; Moreover, I don’t even put my own. RS3 racing along invisible tracks at a crazy pacebut with every attempt to adopt a more creative driving style, the nose widens outward. It's not the blatant understeer that was characteristic of the early RS models, but the deliberate understeer that makes the car simple and intuitive even at the limit. There four-wheel drive quattro prefers efficiency over pleasure: oversteer is an unacceptable option. You can try to anticipate the throttle to the chord point, but you won't get what you want.
When you increase the pace, it feels like the car is focused "all ahead", while the rear is lazy, inert, unwilling to cooperate.
If you have maintained enough speed into the corner, you can move the rear end (but not much) with load transfer, perhaps through steering and brakes. But at this stage, even if you manage to cheat - marked - turbo lag and in order to hit the gas in time, the car goes straight, behaving in the same way as a front-wheel drive car.
The secret is take it a littleboth at the entrance and in the middle of the turn, and release it as soon as possible so the wheels can bring the cavalry to the ground. It won't be very interesting, but it's the only way she loves to be treated.
Also because the huge front Pirelli P Zeroes attack the asphalt well, but if you ask for too many of them, they will soon turn into a crisis and punish you with even more noticeable understeer.
That said, the steering does not provide accurate pointers, but the stability of the Audi is such that you will quickly learn to trust the mechanical clutch.
Our sample is also attached to i carbon ceramic brakes (you can only have the previous ones) included in Dynamic Race package (9.000 euros) together with a speed limiter increased to 280 km / h, magnetic shock absorbers and a sports exhaust with a double black tailpipe.
In theory they should be tireless, only suitable for highway use, but in fact they also show signs of slowing down on the road.
Finally, there is the gearbox, which is always punctual and precise, but has a slightly pleasing character for a sports car with such firepower.
CONCLUSIONS
The Audi RS3 is the fastest and most powerful sports compact car to date. Its list price is 54.000 euros, and with the right settings, it will easily go up more. But it's also true that it's now a (not too) small RS4 in shape and power.
He is monstrously fast in any conditions, but at the same time obedient, comfortable and practical in everyday life. His brute strength doesn't make him a bad beast, on the contrary: it has never been so easy to move fast, but his excessive composure also makes him not very pleasant for those who like strong emotions.
If you want a toy that gives you the thrill of driving, the Audi RS3 is not for you; but if you are looking for a compact car with the sprint qualities of a supercar to live every day in the sun and rain, then there is nothing better.
