The feisty Audi RS3 Sportback eggs you on with its five-star, five-cylinder fervour
The RS 3 Sportback has gone home to Audi Singapore, but this writer is still tingling from the remembered high. It is often said that you will not know what you will miss until it is gone, and this is exactly how we feel about the spicy, ICE-powered (short for internal combustion engine) Sportback.
We used to take these fun-to-drive, nice ICE cars for granted, especially in the sub-supercar end of the price spectrum. However, in the push towards greater electrification, such offerings are now a lot thinner on the ground.
Some cars serve errand and transport duties, and then there are cars like the RS 3 that make you want to sniff out empty, winding roads so you can put it through its paces.
Casual car fans often mistake fast for fun, but driving enthusiasts will appreciate an engaging and involving driving experience that makes you work hard to really go hard.
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This is the third iteration of the RS 3 Sportback, but the best part about the model has remained a constant element throughout the course of its evolution – the charismatically vocal five-cylinder engine.
The RS 3 Sportback’s stance is properly purposeful and there is an aura of potential violence about the compact, haute hatchback as we rock up to it.
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The sense of menace is further accentuated by the sporty black trim around the dark grey test-car and matching “5-Y-spoke” design alloy rims.
During our time with the car, passers-by around the CBD certainly recognised the RS 3 for what it is, as we noticed folks whipping their heads around to check the five-door hatchback out.
With most EVs, people look and wonder what it is, but with the RS 3, people look because they know what it is.
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Compared to its predecessor, the latest model boasts a sportier appearance with a distinctive hexagonal Singleframe grille and striking light signature.
The tail-end of the car – and the view most likely to be seen by slower cars – is dominated by a RS-specific diffuser that incorporates a red reflector in its centre.
Oval exhaust tailpipes peek out from either side of this to complete the roster of sporty condiments.
The sporty theme continues within the cabin, with snugly supportive Nappa-clad front seats, as well as a motorsports-inspired steering wheel with a flattened top/bottom, which also features quick-access satellite buttons to access Performance and Individual modes. The cabin architecture is derived from the latest A3, but embellished with sporty elements in keeping with the RS 3’s performance credentials.
Things are off to a flying start as the feisty five snaps, crackles and pops to a rowdy, rude awakening when you hit the starter button. As everyone knows, a sportscar’s soundtrack is as important an accompaniment to the go-fast festivities as the going fast itself.
In addition to the routine drive select modes, the RS 3 has RS-specific dynamic settings, such as RS Individual, RS Performance and RS Torque Rear. Introduced in its predecessor, the cumbersome sounding RS Torque Rear is the mode where the torque-splitting magic happens.
As the name implies, the otherwise quattro all-wheel-driven RS 3 is endowed with cheeky, rear-drive handling characteristics. This includes on-demand oversteer that can be initiated via the steering, instead of just under power (like its predecessor).
The RS 3 is a welcome return to form in this pocket rocket genre, especially in the wake of the brigade of effortlessly efficient EVs. Sure, we’ve heard the praise for every EV’s instantaneous power delivery, but when you no longer have to put in any effort, is there any point to driving at all, beyond fulfilling unfulfilling A-to-B duties?
We even like the smidgen of turbo lag to the five-pot’s power delivery, and you really have your work cut out to take full advantage of the RS 3’s 400hp / 500Nm, but this is all part of its charm to passionate drivers.
Thanks to its superlative grip, it is capable of an explosive turn of speed on both the straights and in the corners. However, this is not without effort, and plenty of thought is needed to orchestrate its manoeuvres, especially as you’re carving up corners.
The RS 3’s compact proportions (pictured above: the RS 3 may be compact but will accommodate up to five occupants) lend themselves well to jiving with the Joneses in jams, because it is possible to dive in and out of gaps in traffic, especially with the turbocharged five-cylinder’s poky punch.
The soundtrack is both thrilling and addictive, because there’s a distinctive note to the five-cylinder’s rendition that is instantly recognisable and makes for a perfect companion in tunnel drive-bys.
The RS 3 is a tightly-controlled bundle of raw nerves and pent-up energy, and almost seems to be on a constant Red Bull drip. It may not have wings, but the RS 3 can certainly fly when push comes to shove.
Its rousing performance may be tinged with a dash of rowdiness, but there’s also a serious side to the RS 3 for those who value precision driving over playful showboating.
If anything, the RS 3’s bawdy blend of hot-hatch high-jinks and sporty style is a lovely change from the relative anonymity and general same-ness of the average EV. It certainly isn’t hard to understand how we ended up so high on this 5.
AUDI RS3 SPORTBACK 2.5 TFSI quattro S tronic
Engine 2480cc, inline5, turbocharged
Power 400hp at 5600 - 7000rpm
Torque 500Nm at 2250 - 5600rpm
Transmission 7spd S tronic dual-clutch
0-100km/h 3.8secs
Top Speed 250km/h
