The journalist of Car guide Gabriel Gélinas made a first contact with the new Audi RS 3 2022.
The third generation of the sports sedan adds innovative technologies and it broke a record on the legendary Nürburgring circuit in Germany.
Stylistically, “the look is decidedly more assertive, inspired by the recent RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback”, comments Gabriel.
Photo: Tobias Sagmeister
Compared to the A3, the RS 3 is 25mm lower. It is fitted with 19-inch rims and the front track is widened by 33 millimeters. Of note, the North American variant will only arrive in sedan format. Europe will be entitled to a hatchback version.
Sitting in the cabin, our journalist emphasizes the quality of assembly and finish. From a design point of view, we find a carbon dashboard, nappa leather seats with hexagonal patterns and stitching as well as the completely digital 12.3-inch instrumentation.
Under the hood, the sedan is powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. The power of 394 horsepower is identical to the older generation. Torque, now 369 lb-ft, is nonetheless available over a wider engine speed range. “At the wheel, we take great pleasure in blackmailing this five-cylinder engine with its atypical sound,” explains Gabriel Gélinas.
Photo: Tobias Sagmeister
On the circuit, Gabriel is delighted with the efficiency of the mode Drift, made possible in particular by a new technology: the Torque Splitter (torque distributor). Basically, this system ensures that the torque of the rear axle is distributed optimally. The driver can select the mode Drift and the torque distributor will be able to redirect all power to a single wheel and up to 1290 lb-ft of torque.
Photo: Tobias Sagmeister
“It’s an exceptional performance machine,” he exclaims as he tests the different driving modes.
Audi Canada, the price of the RS 3 2022 has yet to be determined at the time of this writing. However, we can expect the initial bill to be around $ 65,000. The model will arrive at dealerships in Quebec during the second quarter of 2022.