It’s been 30 years since the Quattro four-wheel drive system first appeared on an Audi road car, and the effect it had on the perception of the brand over these three decades has been enormous. A few World Rally Championships help of course, but it was always the road cars that were at the heart of the philosophy, giving the security of traction and grip in all weather.
Over the years, the Quattro tag has been applied to every car in the range — even the latest addition, baby A1, will eventually benefit from the high-tech transmission. But it is the performance cars that truly get the point across, and the latest slice of compelling evidence is the RS3 Sportback.
Based on the existing A3 Sportback premium hatchback, the RS3 gets a serious dose of aggression and attitude to turn it into a bona fide performance car. The RS tag signifies the highest level of performance and it inherits the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged powerplant already seen in the TT RS: the five-cylinder configuration is extremely rare in modern cars and is a nod to the distinctive-sounding fiver from the original Quattro.
Developing a serious 340bhp backed up by 450Nm of torque, the RS3 Sportback puts its power down through the fiendishly clever S-tronic seven-speed gearbox through to the Quattro four-wheel drive system. It also looks the business. While a completely standard A3 Sportback is tasteful and relatively restrained, the RS treatment brings deep, aggressive spoilers and air intakes, chunky alloy wheels and a purposeful stance, thanks to the lowered suspension.
The inside is pretty special too; even though it shares a cabin with lesser versions, there is plenty of leather, suede and superb bucket seats.
But a car like this is all about the driving experience. Firing up the RS3 brings a deep, purposeful burble from the exhaust, and a distinctive one at that, thanks to the five-pot.
Slot the transmission into Drive and it will roll happily along, the large band of torque making life very easy for the driver. It takes no more effort to drive in this manner than any other Audi, and from the driver’s seat you could be forgiven for thinking it was a relatively humble machine.
It only takes a moment to reveal the flip side, however. For the full effect, the transmission needs to be switched to manual mode and the S button pressed, which activates a sound flap in the exhaust and also changes to a more aggressive throttle map. Start to squeeze the accelerator and the response is immediate — a distinct deepening of the exhaust note is accompanied by a rapid and prolonged burst of acceleration. The engine note increases in complexity and resonance as the rev counter closes in on the red line, all the while the speedometer is reading off ever-higher numbers. Flick the right paddle behind the steering wheel and the RS3 effortlessly switches up a gear, and the engine performs its brilliant act once again.
Squeeze the brakes hard and speed is readily shrugged off, while the stiff suspension keeps everything on an even keel. The steering responds quickly and accurately to inputs, but it is the traction from Quattro AWD that allows you to exploit all the power more readily than in any two-wheel drive car. You have to trust the system and believe in the physics because it’s hard to get your head around what this car is capable of — press the throttle hard and early and you are catapulted out the other side in a blur.
Verdict
It may be a simple recipe, but the combination of a characterful engine, sharp and sophisticated chassis with a handsome and purposeful design is a delightful one. The RS3 will be more limited than most too, but for the lucky few, it will be a car to savour. Colossal levels of torque, and from an almost idle-like 1,600rpm, means you rarely have to downshift in the seven-speed ‘box
Specs
Model RS3 Sportback
Engine 2.5-litre five-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed auto, AWD
Max power 340bhp @ 5,400rpm
Max torque 450Nm @ 1,600rpm
Top speed 250kph
0-100kph 4.6sec
Price NA
Plus Torque, sharp chassis, useful design
Minus ’Estate’ styling may not appeal to everybody
Rivals
BMW 1 series M Coupé
A perfect match in terms of power, but somehow, the BMW comes up with 500Nm of torque from an even earlier 1,500rpm. Also, it’s strictly rear-wheel drive and comes exclusively with a snickety-snack six-speed manual ‘box. It’s slower to 100kph because of less traction, but it’s 80kg lighter and should provide more bendy thrills. The Audi is however, practical and affords great everyday usability.
