Audi's compact sedan puts out big performance in RS3 form. The inline 5-cylinder engine puts out close to 400 horsepower and it sounds phenomenal. Find us on your TV @ www.motorweek.o...
Motor Week still feels the same, like an 80's review format. Only difference is that it is more sharper thanks to digital cameras with 4K resolution, rather than the VHS/Betamax lines resolution. But still rocking that 80's vibe, it doesn't get old. Not that I was born in the 80's, but watching their retro reviews is incredible.
We’ve owned ours for almost 18 months, now... And, we just don’t miss the manual. The rev-matching in Sport Mode is just amazing and grin inducing all day, every day.
I took delivery of my 2018 RS3 almost a year ago today. I hope I'm still driving this car 20 years from now, it's that good. If you think this thing is fun on a sunny day, you should take one out when it's snowing.
This is one of the few new cars on sale that I like on that irrational, "I just can't help it" level. I love the 5-cylinder, the compact size, and the styling (plus MQB cars all drive great, and this is tied with the TT RS as the ultimate MQB). I'm normally not interested in sedans, front-heavy cars, or vehicles without manuals, but the RS3 transcends those issues for me! (Well...I'd still like it more with a manual)
I totally agree. I wanted to veer away from 2-door cars just so I don't have to always punish my passengers and have some cargo flexibility, so I went with an RS3.
Now one year ownership as of yesterday and at 15,547 miles, 11,039 miles being fast country back road runs and the rest being basic transportation. Immediate change to 245/40/18 Michelin A/S3+ on Neuspeed RSe10 18x8.5 inch wheels solved poor traction 19-inch factory configuration. Car performance and has been flawless, love the Nardo Gray color. Great machine indeed.
AN UPDATE - Now at 22,764 miles with 16,390 miles being fast country back road runs, (week days only) the Audi continues to be a great performer. The A/S3+ 245/40/18 tires are near replacement which will involve same size Michelin 4S as theA/S3+ has been discontinued. Transmission actions seem to have increased in speed and performance of such is much quieter as the mileage has increased. The 18" tire configuration made significant improvement in the Audi's road handling performance versus the original factory 19-inch wheels/tires and well worth their cost. Truly a great performance automobile indeed and the best I've had over the past 64 years I've been driving and owning high performance automobiles.
I forgot to mention my company (Dupiivision Inc. Bethesda MD) used to generate the videotape copies you made available to the public in the home videotape days of Sony BetaMax, Panasonic VHS and Sony 3/4-inch Umatic format. DVD and other video formats certainly changed things in terms of todays home video products.
Faster than a Corvette, and better looking than most generic Audi sedan designs, the most appealing vehicle and best value in the Audi lineup. Car & Driver gets 3.5 seconds and 11 second quarters
@@threepac I can attest to the tunability. Mine went from 12.1@115 stock to 11.3@123 with nothing other than a tune. Plus with the all wheel drive, it's a monster on the street, would destroy my mid 140 trapping mustang from a dig.
That’s because the same V10 crew hand build this engine. It’s half of a V10 with a turbo. Tune and bolt ons are putting them into the 9’s with early development.
CareerFireman for 60k it’s a good deal for what you get. Next step up for an AWD car that’s this quick or quicker stock is an E63s or M5 which are both bigger cars and 120k. What would you consider a great car for the money? You probably won’t answer.
I wish they wouldn't say 2019 when those aren't out yet and the car in the video is clearly a 2017 or 2018. Still, good to see Motorweek review this bad boy.
I've got an S3 with everything you see here sans the 2.5T. With a tune on the 2.0T it's just amazing the power you get from these small engines and I can only imaging with the 2.5T the RS has.
Rommel Anasco Actually, we had ours dynoed stock, and found we actually were getting 423bhp, and 408ft. lb. (up 23bhp and 52 ft.lb.)! You should have yours dynoed just to find out!
I seen a light gray one today after coming home from work. Black chrome body and black chrome rims😻 So clean and sounds so fucking nice and I was right next to it. Sadly I only have a 14 veloster turbo haha
Title is a lie and misleading. This is a Catalunya Red 2018. This is not a 2019, cause there are no 19’s sent to the US yet, and Catalunya red is not available on the option list for 19’s. If they ever come.
@@jakem4219 Yes. You are correct, but they are still showing a 2018 in the video. You can't get carbon brakes and the display will not retract in the 2019 either. FYI
Great review. ; I'm a Nissan/Infiniti guy, but I've been flirting with German brands for a while now. My DREAM BRAND is Porsche, but Audi has been teasing me, 😅. This car looks fun, with it's compact dimensions and large power band. I really wash Porsche borrowed this body style and made a sister car, like they did the Q5/Macan!!! I got kids and still not ready to surrender to a true dad-car 🤣. But it's on my radar❗👍🏽✌🏽😊
You can NOT even begin to make a judgement on that using a RU-vid video, let alone going for worse video by using RU-vid slomo. It's a 12.2 second quarter. It launches just fine. There are only a handful of things in it's price bracket that can hang with those times.
Norm T Just watched at 0.25 playback. Can still very clearly see the rear tires spinning. When the weight shifts to the rear upon hard acceleration it makes sense for the tears to spin a bit more slowly than the front which they do. However they most certainly spin a good bit.
Would have been even better if the engine was mounted in the car the right way with more rear wheel bias on the Quattro System. The performance package has bigger tires in the front? We’re living in a whole new world of global platforms, manufacturing efficiency and front wheel biased AWD systems I guess.
"Never had more choices when it comes to buying a new vehicle." Unless you want to buy a non-luxury station wagon, in which case, you're pretty much completely f***ed.
This car can easily be put into the 10s , very nice car indeed , but I personally would have to buy one used , I cannot bring myself to pay $50.000 for this little shoebox .......
I know its a lot of performance, but $57k starting price...yikes. If it would last past 50k miles without needing major repairs it would be more appealing.
@@IMHARDNBEHINDU I can afford it, I just dont want to waste money on repairs. I saw a lot of problems with the S3 so I assumed RS3 would be similar or worse having more power. I remember people having head gasket issues very early, and burning coolant. I'd love to own one, I just prefer reliable performance to unreliable performance.
It’s a 30k exotic drivetrain. It’s a drivetrain the US has been waiting to get in a sedan. It’s a tuning monster. It’s pretty half of a V10 built by the same team who build the v10 for the R8/Huracan. Similar sounding engine.
@@spinnetti Right...except for the RS3 can be tuned on the cheap as well. Then the difference in performance would be...um...let's call it "more than noticeable".
@@mco51193 true, but at 3x the price its not worth it to me. My Stage II S3 is already faster than most things on the road but it doesn't look or feel special, and neither does the RS3. Best mix for me was an R8 to feel great, and the S3 as a daily driver.
5 cylinder will probably be their most reliable engine. It’s built by the same team who build the V10. It’s half of the V10. People are drag racing these in the 9’s and 10’s non stop.
The car looks, sounds, and performs wonderfully. But an lcd panel for gauges, an outfolding touchscreen, flat bottomed steering wheel, rediculous price tag, and the lack of a manual will keep me away for years to come. Nice try though, audi.
LRulesTheWorld Just shows you don’t know what you’re talking about: the screen in the center is NOT a touchscreen. The Virtual Cockpit is freaking AMAZING!! And, you don’t like a flatbottom steering wheel?!?! WTF?!?!
You clearly haven’t been in one. The virtual cockpit is fast and excellent quality. The steering wheel is the best in the industry. I now hate round wheels. Lamborghini uses the same virtual cockpit and flat bottom steering wheel. Almost 300k so they must be pretty dam good. Some people like to judge just for a video. I’m sure you drive a better car, right? 😂
Ryan B See previous comment. Also, I drive cars that are 20 years old, or older. Much better quality and easier to fix than anything currently on the market. Why pay $60k for an audi, when I can build a car to kill it for less than $10k?
built in understeer Haldex no thanks lag...lag...lag then power test drove on and it felt lethargic anywhere below 50% throttle this thing feels heavy for such a small car RWD+MT is always going to drive better
Stock, the throttle is weird till you tune it. Audi dialed it back big time to not compete with their other high end cars. That’s why tunes are putting 100hp on them with ease. A tune transforms this car and can spank almost anything on the road. Springs and a rear sway bar transforms this car big time. I almost got an M2, but was too slow for my liking. Fun backroad car, but highway is not great.