Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

There's a new, 395bhp addition to the RS3 family, but is it any good? We headed for some mountain roads in Oman to find out
Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

Pros

Cons

It’s amazing what a simple change of body style can do to the appeal of a car. The Audi RS3 Sportback? Well, it’s ‘just’ another hot hatch, albeit a spectacularly quick one with an engine that seems to have the explosive force of a small yield nuclear weapon. But when Ingolstadt announced it was to create an RS3 saloon alongside an improved Sportback, suddenly the want increased dramatically.

We’re talking a ‘junior’ four-wheel drive super saloon that’ll sprint to 62mph as fast as a BMW M3 while spitting out a noise reminiscent of the old S1 Quattro rally car. How can you not be tempted by that? A saloon just seems more grown up and serious than a hatchback, and in its four-door clothing, the RS3 is arguably more neat and attractive. When a meeting with the latest addition to the RS family was arranged in sun-baked Oman, I wasn’t exactly going to say no.

Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

So how does it drive? Identically to the Sportback, is the answer, which is why you won’t be seeing a separate review for each (it all comes down to preference and how much you like going to Ikea). The saloon is just 5kg heavier than the Sportback at 1515kg, and the difference in rigidity is - Audi tells us - negligible. And you’ll be pleased to know that the new version of Audi’s 2.5-litre inline-five - 26kg lighter than before thanks to the use of an aluminium block among other things - channels the same relentless rage as it does in the TT RS.

Power and torque figures are unchanged for the RS3, meaning 395bhp and 354lb ft of torque is at your disposal whenever you want the five-pot warbling to intensify. Although it revs to 7000rpm, the top end isn’t particularly heroic. There’s no sudden spike in power, just a wall of noise and fury that gets into full swing at 4000rpm and doesn’t end until the redline, just before the seven-speed dual clutch transmission slots in a new cog with ruthless efficiency. There’s a surprising violence to the manufactured yet oh-so satisfying pop chucked out of the oval exhaust pipes during each shift, too.

Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

A 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds gets you bragging rights over the BMW M2 and - as mentioned - an identical sprint time to its M3 big brother. You can even get the top speed raised to 174mph if you wish, and given how conservative electronically-limited speed limits tend to be, we wouldn’t be surprised if topping 180mph would be possible.

We’ve established it’s rather brisk, then, but how about handling? If you’re just gently pootling around the 2.5-litre turbo five powers the front wheels only, but when needed, anything from 50 - 100 per cent of the power can be sent to the rear thanks to the four-wheel drive system’s Haldex multi-plate clutch. Exactly how it behaves depends upon what driving mode you’re in, with the general rule being more will make its way rearwards if you’re in Dynamic.

Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

It’s much the same system as in the TT RS, which we found to provide a general feeling of neutrality, bonkers levels of grip and - when pushed hard enough - understeer. But on the Omani mountain roads we sampled near Salalah, the rear of the RS3 seemed much more up for a bit of cheeky movement, both under braking and after a little provocation.

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Some more committed/brave colleagues even managed full on opposite lock moments, but I have a suspicion it’ll be difficult to replicate such antics back in the UK without lubrication - whoever’s responsible for building roads in Oman has a thing for weirdly low grip tarmac, and the vast quantity of sand doesn’t help much either.

On the plus side, the frequent appearance of camels on the local back roads gave us plenty of opportunity to try the colossal eight-piston (at the front) brakes, which are mighty whether or not you option the carbon ceramic discs. Although at nearly £7000, you can probably do without the fancier stoppers.

Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

A BMW M2 is almost certainly going to be the more playful, fluid car back on our home turf, but not everyone cares about the ‘throttle adjustability’ us motoring journalists like to drone on about. The RS3’s bombastic powerplant is a huge selling point, especially when compared to the comparatively limp straight-six in the BMW, not to mention the dull inline-four in the odd-looking Mercedes-AMG CLA45.

It’ll be hugely grippy and hugely fast whatever the prevailing conditions, and its relatively compact size makes for an entertaining package to chuck around. I’m even fond of the progressive steering which becomes more direct the more you turn the wheel: it should feel weird and unnatural, but it doesn’t. It makes light work of tight corners, and is well weighted too.

Audi RS3 Saloon Review: A 'Junior’ Super Saloon That Wants To Smite The M2

When you’re not trying to be a hero in the corners, you can relax and enjoy a typically Audi - read: jolly nice and well put together - cabin, albeit with a particularly choppy ride threatening to spoil your day. The adaptive dampers are worth considering, we reckon.

I adored the TT RS when we drove it last year, and I’m overjoyed to report that the RS3 saloon feels very much like a larger, more practical version. There aren’t any UK prices available just yet, but it looks like it’ll be at least £4000 cheaper than the TT, probably more. Where do we sign?

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Comments

Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Omg thx

03/16/2017 - 18:53 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

ARRRRRRRRRRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSTHREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

03/16/2017 - 18:54 |
1 | 1
Anonymous
03/16/2017 - 18:57 |
55 | 3
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The 2.5 I5 engine has a great AUDIo. Get it because Audi audio …. No ok

03/16/2017 - 19:09 |
29 | 2
Anonymous

An Audi that can oversteer???

03/16/2017 - 18:58 |
2 | 1
Tiisetso

When the car you’ve been waiting for arrives but your bank account says no…

03/16/2017 - 19:03 |
20 | 2
DL🏁

I don’t know about you but I find the looks of the A3 (S3/RS3) Saloon a bit toy-ish. It doesn’t look like a complete car, like, say, the bigger A4. Kind of looks plasticky, cheap (I know it’s not) and the design looks disproportionate: its like the cabin is a bit too big for the front and back ends (look at the title photo, maybe you’ll see what I mean). Same applies to the CLA. The only two cars that make me feel so.

Much prefer the RS3 (A3/S3) hatchback. Maybe it has a more common (in the UK at least) bodyshape and so on, but it looks balanced, with the hatchback rear ‘adding weight’ onto the back wheels.

So if I was after a saloon, I’d get a low-mileage M3 for the same money, or spend extra for the upcoming RS4, or, even better, get the Giulia (the best looking saloon in the business by far). But If I was after the RS3, I’d totally get the hatchback version.

03/16/2017 - 19:59 |
13 | 3

I have a thing for fast Audis (I am planning on leasing a new SQ5 few years down the road), but I find myself struggling to fall in love with Audis with Transversely mounted engine as my mind constantly remind me of Volkswagen Golf.

03/16/2017 - 23:28 |
4 | 0

Came here to disagree, then ended up convincing myself that you are right…but I do quite like the proportions of the S3 sedan, it looks squat and purposeful. And, as you rightly say, a bit toy-esque. But I quite like that in a weird way as it stands out a bit, particularly given how popular the hatch in the UK. Interestingly, the A3 sedan is (give or take a few mm) the same size as the B5-series A4…which, in hindsight was a far better visually balanced car. Just goes to show what modern regulations mean for designers!

But I think what really lets the sedan down is a weak wheel offset, and questionable ‘stance’ from factory as the rear appears to sit lower than the front… In all honesty, I’m not going to defend it too vigorously, as I really don’t like my car for a number of reasons. Can’t agree with you enough about the CLA though, that looks like something Dali forgot to finish.

Off on a tangent too - but I’ve just looked at your garage, and my immediate thought was ‘I recognise that layby…’ (poor mobile pic from when I used the same photo spot!) Nice 718 though, fantastic looking thing!

03/17/2017 - 14:25 |
0 | 0

I agree. It’s something you’d see as an early-game unlockable in APB Reloaded.

08/26/2017 - 16:38 |
0 | 0
Devon Gonzalez

Even better, the US is finally getting it.

03/16/2017 - 20:13 |
2 | 0
Anonymous
03/16/2017 - 20:30 |
26 | 1
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Whau

03/17/2017 - 01:14 |
0 | 0
TheMindGarage

Anyone want to try sticking an RS3 engine into an M2?

03/16/2017 - 20:53 |
5 | 1
Anonymous

OMAN this is a nice car…. I think I’m going DUBAI one….. Nothing could spOIL this car…..I’m really LYKAN this…..

03/17/2017 - 00:27 |
8 | 1
Josh 20

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

i s e e w h a t y o u d i d t h e r e. . .

03/17/2017 - 08:23 |
1 | 1
NPS.

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

03/17/2017 - 08:23 |
3 | 1