Performance and presence all in one

Carmel Stewart is seduced by the eye-catching looks and jaw-dropping abilities of Audi’s hot saloon

Add the £1,000 optional extra exhaust package to the Audi RS Saloon, and the mighty 395bhp roar of the 2.5-litre, five-cylinder, direct injection engine will announce your arrival and departure to all.

And, if that doesn’t do it for you, apply the eye-catching optional £2,400 Viper Green exterior colour and the world and his/her wife/husband/ partner will know your every move.

Stats show a 0 to 62mph takes as midge over four seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (with limit er) and 174 mph without.

Clearly, with all that power and stunning good looks, the Audi RS Saloon is a hot performer, perfect for those who like to turn heads and have the required wallet depth. At a basic price of £45,675, adding just a few optional extras will easily up the ante by £10k. Added to this, an average fuel consumption measured at 34mpg and CO2 emissions of 188g/km are not going to bring any savings.

But none of this will present any problems to Audi buyers. The company’s sales are restricted only by production – they just can’t build the cars quickly enough to satisfy demand.

Those who do manage to get hold of the RS 3 Saloon, regardless of colour and accompanying exhaust, will find themselves in possession of a cracking good performer and a permanent smile. Built on a slightly wider track than the A 3, the RS manages to flatter the average and encourage the expert. Acceleration is as immediate and splendidly smooth as you would expect from a Vorsprung durch Technik vehicle.

Thanks to Audi’s excellent seven-speed S tronic dual clutch, power is seamlesslymore than enough oomph for a blistering turn of speed on request. Paddles are in place behind the steering wheel for those who like to take charge.

Drive Select enables the driver to choose the set-up that most suits their driving style by altering the engine or gear-shift characteristics, the quattro drive system and the steering feel between four preset modes: comfort, auto, dynamic and individual. For me, being of robust girth and indeterminate age, comfort was my go-to setting, with the sharper dynamic setting only coming into play on the twist sand turns of country lanes. Road holding was rock solid every step of the way.

Inside, the RS 3 is equally impressive with heated RS-embossed front seats of the sport variety which means they add a certain grip which is more noticeable for those of us who have outgrown our sylph-like body style but are still comfortable for all that. A flat-bottomed steering wheel, metal pedals, digital virtual information dials with sat nav map and seven-inch colour monitor that slides into view on ignition, all add to the experience.

All the fancy connectivity is available. Pay extra for Audi Connect and a host of information some of us are unable to live without will come streaming into the cabin. Add £325 to the final tally and a wireless charger will ensure your iPhone keeps you in constant touch when you leave.

Or you could turn it all off and enjoy the drive. You won’t regret it.