Achieving perfection
There is little wrong with the Audi RS3 sedan
In the quiet, early hours, the ascending roads towards Northcliff Tower give the impression of a hillclimb in a rally stage. Especially during seasons of inclement weather, like the downpours Johannesburg has seen in the past week.
And don’t infer that as an admission of guilt to excessive speeds in residential settings. Oh no, 60km/h feels plenty quick, when you’re concentrating on the narrow lanes, changing surfaces and blind inclines.
It’s become an enlightening part of my road test schedule, offering a neat summary of engine tractability, suspension quality and overall manoeuvrability. You could say I’ve got some stories to tell about the little route. Like the one time a modest, front-wheel drive crossover consistently spun its tyres in the wet, struggling to make the climb as it slid left and right.
Or another occasion when an Uber driver in an Almera had stopped right after a blind crest, necessitating full deployment of anchors and evasive steering.
Taking the new Audi RS3 sedan on my suburban jaunt last week, aside from delusions of being Walter Röhrl, I was reminded of how brilliantly suited the vehicle is to real-life conditions. Quattro all-wheel drive assures unbreakable traction, which inspired confidence on those waterlogged roads and slippery uphill treks.
The torque-rich five-cylinder and responsive dual-clutch transmission means momentum in the elevations is never a struggle. I was often inclined to tip the left steering-mounted paddle down into a cog lower than necessary, to amplify the full howl of that fantastic motor.
This is a performance vehicle after all. Earlier this year at the launch, we gave the car a full workout at Zwartkops Raceway in Tshwane. Unleashing the full 294kW/500Nm, experiencing the 3.8-second 0-100km/h sprint time, it was clear that the supercar-chasing credentials of the compact Audi Sport model had not been sullied. Even the acoustics (though slightlly milder than before) could not be accused of being as meek as the newest iterations of some rival contenders.
If you levelled any gripes about understeer at the predecessor, the new one remedies matters with a new torque-splitting system. It uses an electronically controlled, multiple-disc clutch on each of the driveshafts, in left-hand curves it transmits drive torque to the right rear wheel, in right-hand curves to the left rear wheel.
With its most extreme RS Performance driving mode, the vehicle becomes a veritable track demon, taking successive laps of hard, fast driving without hiccup.
It is an easy vehicle in which to look heroic if you find your skillset on the novice side of the scale: with that smart all-wheel drive system, the limits are high and getting it wrong seems nearly impossible. With the previous model, many accused Audi of holding back with the aesthetic differentiators. This time around, there is no mistaking the RS3 for an S3 or a regular A3 with S-Line kit. The single-frame grille and air intakes take on an aggressive expression, while the rear benefits from an integrated diffuser, punctuated at each end by large, oval pipes.
Speaking of loudness, the colour palette is a real scream, with shades ranging from lime green to a shocking yellow and seductive red. On the inside, you get RS-specific displays, sport seats with one-piece back-rests and carbon fibre trim. Buyers can specify Nappa leather, as well as RS Design packages in red or green, which enliven the cabin. You have to hand it to them regarding standard kit as well. Items that would have been optional in previous iterations, are included this time.
Features such as the digital cockpit, matrix LED headlights, Bang & Olufsen sound, reverse camera and the meaner RS exhaust system are part of the deal.
At R1,245,000, the RS3 sedan offers an impressive amount of performance for the price. It should also not be forgotten that this could be one of the last appearances for the iconic 2.5 TFSI motor, as the brand intensifies its shift towards electrification.