As Audi V10 collectors and content creators we at Pitstop salute the new amazing Audi RS3! Half the cylinders but all the fun! 😊 Even more props to RBR for the level of video content you guys are producing. It boggles my mind the amount of time and effort that has to go into these visual transformations. My hat of to you Raz and your team (I hope there is a team!? 😅), keep it up your productions is an inspiration! /Anton
@@RemoveBeforeRace haha wow thats insane Raz! 🤯Keep it up but dont kill yourself while doing so, with this level of content production you need assistance! 😅
I kinda like the fact that RBR community is consciencious and insigntful about the reviews to the bones, so there’s no room for any mistake! That tells a lot about who watches your videos and how factual the content is. Also love the excitment and genuity of in-drive impressions. It feels as if you were alongside sitting at the passanger seat, experiencing the same thrill. Great review of a great car. I hope Audi could improve on weight distribution and steering directness of their cars one day though.
As someone who snatched one of the first stateside RS3’s, pretty spot on review. So happy i went with this over an S4. The car is an absolute blast to drive. The engine just keeps pulling the higher you go, it handles amazing, downshifts are amazing, i could swear it shifts up quicker depending on how hard you’re mashing the throttle, and personal opinion, I’m amazed with the job they did on the bodywork and the new interior.
Nice, congrats. I’m actually finally getting mine in a few weeks. It’s in the build stage now. What did you get for a steering wheel? I’m getting mixed info on that question for the U.S. Is it flat bottomed? And is it leather wrapped or alcantara wrapped?
I had a WRX STi years back with lots of turbo lag. I honestly ended up liking it for the reason you said: when the turbo spooled up and kicked you in the ass it put a smile on your face every time.
This has to be the best bang for your buck deal in the car market at this present moment. What a mini masterpiece!!! Was told a year wait but time flies…I can already imagine the impressive 0-60 at low elevations.
@@DaleSteel like what A45S? A45S is mundane compared to this, it might have the straight line performance, but thats the end of the story. M240i/M2 its a class of its own, longitudinal I6, they are different phisolophy of cars. What's more on the list? Golf R, Type R. What are your compepitors for the RS3?
@@giulianodimurro1638 ?? Every car that beats other is its competitor? BMW M5 beats Skoda Octavia, so BMW is Skoda competitor? Mate, get yours thought right. I accept everyones opinion, but what you just said is just dumb.
1st mistake : the 1999 S3 8L 1.8 had 210 (later 225) and it wasnt like this 2nd mistake the 8P RS3 had 340hp from the first 2.5lt five pot engine and the 8P S3 had 265hp but still love your review
Great review. Love that you talk about a critical aspect which is the sound and how it makes you feel - that is a key part of the driving experience that you can enjoy every single day. My RS3 is on order... sedan in green. Optioned up with carbon and interior design package with the gorgeous alcantara wheel. Even though it's an almost 12 month wait (in australia), don't really care
At 3:59 that RS3 had 335BHP, not 235BHP. That car would smoke the BMW M135i in a race which had around 320 BHP. And done 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, ain’t no way you’re doing that with 235 BHP lol
If the RS3 sportback was perhaps my #1 aspirational vehicle for about 5 years, the `22 model has made it a slam dunk. I mean, money no object, this is my dream car. I found out today Audi is no longer offering the RS3 in Canada. I immediately thought, if I come into the cash I'll find a way to bring one here (insane, I know). With the introduction of the 2022 I instantly understood two things: 1) there's no longer any need to make excuses for its middling dry road\track handling. 2) time is running out to purchase one of these gems new, especially with that 5 cylinder masterpiece. [Audi Canada just made it even harder, and the U.S. is offering just the sedan]. Thanks RBR for NOT reviewing the Sedan version, love that hatch! Oh, and that colour! I've only seen it on the sedan before. I never even imagined how good the 5 door would look in the neon green.
Reviewer: the instant response of this engine is amazing! Just feels so great with no lag Same reviewer: the slow response is really cool, gives it character! Who needs fast response anyways? Me: wuut
I don’t believe any opinions on ride quality until I’ve driven the car myself. I don’t know what they’re comparing the ride quality too. Just like you said - some have claimed the lag is bad and some say it’s gone… who do you believe? Neither. Just go drive it yourself.
@Mr Sir Some people expect it to have power in fifth gear at 1,000 rpm. Keep revs above 3000 and it rips fast. Loves lower gears. I know it sounds stupid, but lots of people do not know this. They are new to bigger turbo cars. Smaller turbo cars can spool faster and make power at 2000 rpm, but it drops at 5-6k. RS3 loves 3000 to 7000 all the time, but the rush you get in sensational. If you know how to drive, it won’t matter to you.
@Mr Sir You just need to be in the powerband. I’ve had mine for almost five years and it’s been a blast. I’m 50 and I drive it fast all the time. I constantly piss off people with the loud exhaust and driving fast. This car never gets old. New one will be the same way too, minus the quieter exhaust. Light to lights is a blast. On-ramps are sensational.
Its a difficult one to choose from the rs3 and a45s, personally I think the a45s looks more aggressive, especially it’s front end with the amg grill and bonnet bulges. Also the interior for rs3 looks bland in comparison. But then you have the 5 cylinder for the rs3. I still think I’d take the a45s, but not much in it.
Nice video man, but a lot of hp figures are wrong 😕 The 8P had 340PS, the 8V had 365PS at first, then 400PS (from 2016 in the sedan). The first S3 was the one from 8L (1999) with 210PS or 225PS (drove it back then, was a lot of fun), oh and the first car ure showing is an 8P generation, not an 8L S3
Audio issues and incorrect bhp figures. Also you should talk about why the wheel is not flat bottom - it’s because the model you are driving has ACC and Audi doesn’t offer a flat bottom wheel with touch sensors other than for the RS6 and up.
Awesome car, for me the only letdowns are the steering wheel from the predecessor - flat bottom with alcantara (soooooo nice!). It made it feel that much more special to drive, and the similar touches on the gear knob, where it had alcantara, feels awesome and has the RS touches on it. Everything else is amazing.
I appreciate the review this one is one of my favorite review and thank you for showing us that the runway digital can be changed to something else. because i dont know how i feel about the runway rpm, i like the second one. I am excited to get my 2023 RS3 soon!
@@verhu010 it's going to be hard to trade the v6 in for a inline4, the electronics turbo sounds interesting and the 420 bhp also but will it ever compare in noise and torque, I know its no v8 but come on next best thing
Reading other reviews, new RS3’s in other countries have a far more sporty interior spec than we will get here in the UK, like red stitching on the seats , flat bottomed steering wheel, better mats etc, the interior looks too similar to an S3 and other lesser A3 models, considering the price of these cars, it’s not good enough. What are Audi playing at here in the UK.
I’ve chosen the A45s , collecting this week, it’s been a turnmoil for me over the last 12months !!!!! RS3 OR A45S I’ve weighed everything up and Mercedes for me came out on top ! ❤. Can’t wait
hey man , you had the wrong S3 with the 1.8T engine , the one you showed is the 2.0T, I feature the 1.8T S3 on my channel , its my project car , just sharing not harm
These videos are awesome. I love to production quality, unfortunately I can’t get the hatch being in the US but I can get the saloon which still looks awesome, especially that green. Might go and spec my car and put a deposit on it.
Ya I just don’t understand the steering wheel decision. I had a 2017 S3 and even that had a flat bottom wheel. It totally made the interior feel like a sporty car, and now the RS3 doesn’t even have it?
I owned the A45s, now have the RS3, much better car in many ways - no more back ache too. Seats in the Merc were too hard and the Audi is super special in the looks - people just stop and gaze at it. Never had that with the Merc, which with the big wing on it, did look a bit boy racer.
@@luciussander8217 Audi just looks like an Audi. I wouldn't call it special, especially since you can get the exact same Matrix LEDs and exterior styling on the regular A3. It's also funny to me that people buy cars with optional sports seats and expect them to be a padded chair.
As an 80s / 90s lad to me that noise is AUDI at its best. I want one, I really do. I use to live in the same village as the Le Man racing driver, Derek Bell. He had a blue RS2 Avant. Made this exact noise. Sexiest noise a car can have.
The steering wheel on the launch edition is the heated one that comes with the comfort pack. This is standard on the Vorsprung, so no flat-bottomed wheel on the Vorsprung, either. Not sure that alcantara is available in the UK either
@@kamsa1243 is that right? I was really hoping to switch the wheel out on mine when it finally turns up, but since the cruise control is one of the things I want (the standard on my outgoing Mk3 S3 is horrendous) I guess I'm putting up with that wheel 😢
@@AntneeUK Yeah if you configure an RS3 and select their cruise control package, it automatically swaps the wheel over to the A3 one. It is what it is I guess.
I'm sorry, but this looks like a tuner car straight from factory. I'm going CLA 45S for my next car. Looks a lot better and I don't care about a handfull of seconds over a 21km track, not on the road and not even on a track day.
Nothing an exhaust can’t fix. Don’t even say that you shouldn’t have to buy an exhaust for a 60-70k car because people buy aventadors and huracans and still put new exhausts on them. You’re most likely going to buy an exhaust anyways.
@@jongib6096 Oops, I should read for comprehension, missed the sound quality as the issue. I have never owned the previous generation, we do have a MK2 TTRS so am familiar with 5 pot wail.
What happened to the steering wheel? As soon as you started driving it turned from flat bottom to normal round steering wheel. Do they all do that?!? Good review other than that!!!
