Audi RS 3 Saloon

FIRST DRIVE Latest version of high-performance model trades slickness for masses of character and true driver engagement

- Jordan Katsianis

THERE are few everyday performance cars that do quite such a good job of channelling a manufacturer's heritage as the Audi RS 3. The firebreathing hot hatch and saloon don't share their shapes with the iconic Quattro in the same way a modern Porsche 911 does with its forebears, but the correlation is no less distinct. Starting at just over £60,000, the RS 3 might not represent the future of Audi, but it's certainly helping to shape it.

The RS 3 is one of the firm's few models that have retained the same powertrain layout across all of its generations, which in this case is both its strongest element, and most compromised, too. Its unusual 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine is full of character, with a deep and resonant exhaust note reminiscent of those iconic Quattro rally cars from the eighties.

Peak power is rated at 394bhp, and it's generated with the help of a large single turbocharger.

Yet the forced-induction layout is quite simple and does without any clever tech, so turbo lag is noticeable. Combined with the often sluggish dualclutch transmission, the RS 3's peak performance can take time to access. You need to plot your heavy throttle applications carefully, anticipate the delay and then hold on for the rush.