Who is this dude. Chris Harris put me off an RS3 but this guy has me convinced. it's a real world daily driver. I don't drive to & from work at 6am like I'm at Silverstone- I want a useable comfortable car that's rapid when I want it to be, not full on ALL the time. great review.
IndianMartialArtist except shift years manually or do a burnout. but it can be utterly numb and boring in corners and let you know that you that you're not driving a bmw or a merc lol
I agree man...the RS3 is one hell of a complete package I'd like to have one in my garage for the straight line performance and luxury...and thr new M2 for RWD cornering fun and speeds
Samzilla Considering the RS3 is (at least in my market) going to cost at a minimum $20,000 more than the Type R or Focus RS, they aren't really in the same buyers camp, even if they are more evenly comparable performance wise. I think the US market they might be a lot closer price wise though? Not sure - we pay a huge premium for anything from Germany here because of badge snobbery.
Matthew Sharpe we don't have a date for the type R or even know if we're going to get the rs3 in America. However I understand price is a factor but that's the point of the comparison, to see if the cars are worth the price they're set at. It will be interesting to see the Focus RS go up with the Rs3. America vs Germany lol 😼
has anyone else started the video not that worried or impressed of what was to come and by the end of the video is completely in love with the car ? exciting times if one has the money to spend.... day dreaming.... LOVE the videos XCAR, love how you guys have your own vibe, your own point of view, always looking forward for your videos, keep up the good work!, cause we WILL watch it, cheers!
SoCalSupercars As a german i still don't understand why the majority of americans seem to be not interested in Hatchbacks. They're practical and have alot of room. In Germany and overall in european countries hatchbacks are very popular. F.e. I see just as many Audi A6 Sedans as i see Audi A6 Avant everyday. Same goes for the Hatch versions of the BMW 5er and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The Audi RS6 Avant is probably the best Hatchback you can get right now and has way more room than f.e. a S6 Sedan. Yet i'm sure americans would prefer the S6 Sedan over the RS6 Avant. Despite the RS6 having more HP and more room. So i'm curious, what is it that so many americans don't like about hatchbacks?
Ti Ma As an American....well, I agree. :) I'm in the minority, though. People here prefer sedans (saloons) for cars, but if they want to carry anything more than a stick of gum, they feel it necessary to purchase a huge SUV. I always preferred hatchbacks though - they look better.
One presenter who actually speaks sense for once. All this rear wheel drive and sliding around corners is brilliant for once a week around a track but for everyday use 24/7 NOTHING better then an Audi RS like he said IT WORKS!
I saw one the other day, ridiculously big. I suspect you're young and/or American - cars (particularly in Europe) used to be a lot smaller, I just checked and my parents had a Citroen estate when I was a kid that wasn't as long as this.
Thomas Pynchon the length of the RS3 is 4343mm and the length of the golf R is 4596mm, and the length of the Honda Civic type R is 4390mm. Honestly I don't know what you saw but it definitely is not big in comparison to other hot hatches it is in fact average size or just below. You must have seen the RS6 or something.
+1 .. Fast forward to 28 April 2021. . The wait continues for the 2021/2022 Audi RS3. . The '21 Audi S3 (300hp 2.0l w/Haldex Quattro) body style either of the Sportback or Sedan both look good. .. Waiting on the 2022 Audi RS3 sedan for North America. . Make mine in Daytona Grey Pearl Metallic ...
Funny to think back to those first hatchbacks that i coveted. Fiesta supersport! Then golf gti mk 1 with a 1.6 engine and about 110 hp! Great wee car in its day, though. Doubt i will ever be able to afford an rs3, but my audi a3 2.0 has performance that blows away those cars i mentioned. Vorsprung.
+Jack Burn i bet it is. Quite honestly, the stock version is enough for me! If had money....rs3, though. That sound! Wife got an r32, which also sounds great, i think. Shes had it bout 5 years now and the most impressive thing about it now is its build quality and reliability....good as a regular golf. Fab!
The forgotten fast hatch from the mid-80s was the Fiat Uno Turbo. Almost as fast as a 911 of the time, from a 1.4 litre pot. I drove a few. Incredible things.
I kinda hate 90% of Audi's product range, but this thing looks (and sounds) pretty cool! Save those wheels which should be on cut-spring MkII Golf... I'm assuming we won't be seeing it in the Ol' US of A?
Too bad we aren't getting it in the US. Really want a sporty hatch with a good auto ( I live in Brooklyn and getting out of the city is 1hr+ of stop and go traffic) All we have is the VW GTI/Golf R
G'day... I live in North Queensland Australia but have been living in our state capital for 6 months. In city traffic which can be a real bitch it's a bit thirsty. I can average 400km a tank around the city, however when on the gas it comes back to 350km per 50L. On the highway it's very nice up to the high 500 plus per tank. Fuel is so cheap here A$1.40 per litre for 98 octane so I don't stress a lot about fuel. I feel it uses similar or a little more than the BMW 135i which is a little tamer and still a awesome car and bang for your buck. What country are you in? Cheers Eddie
I'd buy that. It would be nice to see more of the interior though... I wonder (haven't checked yet) if there is a factory rally package option---mud flaps, tougher tires, ski rack maybe...this thing could be an awesome commuter to the slopes...
Awesome as usual but... It is time for you to call Chris Evans and get on with co-hosting the new Top Gear. Your manner will play perfectly and, let's face it, TG is still the holy grail of car shows. Go help save it. Thanx, Matt
What an awesome car! :D But I really feel like we need a new mindset about these hot hatches/hyper hatches. - The wheelbase of this car is roughly as large as the Audi A4 (B6), so handeling wise it should be kinda like that. I would consider cars like the VW Polo GTI and Peugeot 208 GTI the hot hatches of today. - Hyper hatch would work for the Golf-class and Hot hatch for the Polo-class Great video, I would love to try that car!
Fantastic review, Alex. You put into words how I've felt about the latest VW/Audi products. Times have changed: Japanese cars are gaudy, American cars are boring and Merc/BMW seem to be chasing them off a cliff at full chat!
Thanks, nice review, been waiting for that one. One thing: The microwave comparison really doesn't do it any justice. None whatsoever. Sorry mate. It's not for cooking, it's for re-heating. Re-heating something that has been properly cooked. ;) Also, it would be nice to get a little more into the details of how a car actually drives. Does it still understeer as much as the first gen RS3? Still as heavy on the front axle? How are the brakes holding up after some hard driving? I just read that the TT S brakes will fail on a track due to the massive torque-vectoring taking place. Any of that? Keep up the good work.
one of my many favorite parts of the car. The interior is immaculate and shames cars at twice the price. Audis have always had superb interiors and the rs3 is no exception.
I don't think car enthusiasts (your audience for this channel i assume) really appreciate the automatic and the quattro. The power isn't something that crazy, a mild modification to a focus st or rs could achieve the same power easily. Audi is asking a lot of money for something quite mediocre. You could buy a 2008 focus ST for £6k and bring that up to 360hp for an extra £3k and have a mental hot hatch with a 6 speed manual, and still have money left over for an old audi estate with a diesel engine capable of 50+mpg, better looking, bigger, more practical and... now you own two cars... i think any enthusiast would agree that is the better choice!
I'm tired of people saying that RS is subtle. That's the point. However, M and AMG both look "understated" compared to their car they are based on as well.
Not even a big AUDI fan nor a hater, but yes this is a Hyper Hatch - And I would consider it over other rivals in the market for sure if I where to buy one. A daily weapon for the road was a great description - Just imagine if one chips it too.../////////arrrgh fast for such a car.
I've heard it said that the A45 AMG and the RS3 are too expensive for 'a hatchback', but I think that's looking at them in the wrong way. With the performance on offer, they really do sit comfortably clear of more everyday hot hatches, but perhaps still occupy the territory of those who can only run one car (perhaps). Why have a daily driver and a sports car when you can have all in one? As suggested in the video, these should be thought of as more affordable mini Lambo's (or similar) with room for 4 adults and luggage. How could anyone disagree with that as a concept? They are all things to all people, surely! I'd take the Merc though :-)