NYIAS 2017: Audi's Rootin' Tootin' Little RS3 Sedan is Coming to America (and It's Expensive as Hell)
German performance sedans aren’t exactly a steal of a deal, but Audi’s RS3 is coming to America with a price well-above its chief rival from the Fatherland. The RS3 sedan, available for the first time in the North America, will start at $55,875 when it begins appearing in showrooms later this year.
That’s $5,000 more than a Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG — which starts at $50,875. It’s also a couple grand more than BMW’s M2, even though the Bavarian coupe is a less direct comparison.
Audi isn’t trying to pull a fast one on us; just the opposite, in fact. Audi designed the new RS3 with the United States in mind and is giving Americans what we covet most — horsepower.
With 400 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque running through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the RS3’s 2.5-liter inline-5 boasts a 3.9 second 0 to 60 time. Those are class-leading numbers for anything even tangentially related to the premium compact segment.
Audi promises maximum torque available at engine speeds as low as 1,700 rpm, and it’ll remain constant up to 5,850 rpm. It also says standard features will include LED lighting, blind-spot monitoring and pre sense basic — in case your spirited driving gets you into a crash. Available options will include Audi’s virtual cockpit, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, carbon fiber trim, special 19-inch wheels, painted calipers, and gobs of other electronic or mechanical niceties the company plans to announce later.
The all-wheel drive RS3 will make its North American debut next week in New York City. Audi should announce a concrete sales date at that time. However, we already know the company will produce a small number of specialty RS3s for later this year.
[Images: Audi]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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Ok. I'll be the freakazoid to ask - will it be offered with a manual? Or is it automatic only like the S3?
"It’s still a lot of money to pay for what is basically the less practical cousin of the Golf R with one extra cylinder." Totally different chassis (lots of aluminum). Moreover, if you're over 30 years old driving a hatchback you look like a dork.