Last year, we brought you spyshots of the next-generation Audi RS3 on the Nürburgring, but the car was then wearing makeshift fender flares over standard A3 bodywork. Fast forward nearly half a year and our spies have managed to catch the über hatch again, this time wearing its own clothes.
Despite still being covered in camouflage, the production bodywork clearly betrays the car’s far sportier demeanour with a more aggressive look. The “singleframe” is slimmer and shorn of its chrome surround (as is typical for RS models nowadays), while the air intakes surrounding them are even taller. There are two slits that surround each of them, which presumably have actual aerodynamic and cooling functions.
The already blistered fenders have been made even wider at the front to hide the broader track, and there also appear to be vents to draw out turbulent air from the wheel wells. At the rear, the mule finally sports a proper rear diffuser that fits the trademark RS oval exhausts.
Expect the RS3 to be powered by the same 2.5 litre turbo five-cylinder engine as before, but tweaked above and beyond the 400 PS and 480 Nm of torque it currently makes – it needs to at least match the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S’ 421 PS and 500 Nm, after all. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel drive will likely feature, and possibly a mild hybrid system as well to improve fuel economy and emissions.
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