Audi is preparing a hardcore version of the RS3 to celebrate its trademark five-cylinder engine before stricter EU emissions rules force it out of production.
The upcoming special edition has already been spotted tackling the Nürburgring Nordschleife during development testing, with an official reveal expected early next year.
Visual tweaks hint strongly at track intent. A larger front splitter, new canards, and a bigger rear wing are all aimed at improving circuit performance. The prototype also carries blue brake calipers rather than the usual black items, suggesting stronger stopping hardware and possibly a unique colour package or livery.
Expect more power than the RS3 Performance Edition, which offered 401 hp (299 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft). Former Audi Sport boss Sebastian Grams previously suggested the five-cylinder still had untapped potential beyond that model’s output. Dutch carmaker Donkervoort managed to extract 493 hp (368 kW) from the same 2.5-litre turbo engine for its F22, showing what’s possible.
Whether Audi will push the figures that high remains uncertain, but a healthy increase could see this RS3 become the most powerful petrol hot hatch available, eclipsing the 416 hp (310 kW) Mercedes-AMG A45 S.
This new version is expected to serve as a farewell edition, much like the TT RS Iconic Edition did in 2022. The five-cylinder has defined the RS3 since its 2011 debut, but it cannot comply with the upcoming Euro 7 standards arriving next year.
That means a major rethink for the next RS3. Options include adopting the four-cylinder engine from the S3 and Golf R or moving into electrification to keep the model alive.
