Audi RS3 Saloon
After a hectic start to its time with evo, the RS3 settles into daily life on our fleet
IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE A TOUGHER start to life on the Fast Fleet than the one endured by our RS3. Collected from Germany by digital news ed Jordan Katsianis, driven at speeds unsuitable for winter tyres across the autobahn system and then, almost as soon as the RS3 made it over the Channel, thrown into a group test with 911 Turbo S, M4 Competition xdrive and GR Yaris (evo 295). It was filthy, thoroughly abused but very definitely unbowed. The RS3 exudes toughness and has really shrugged off the pressure.
It arrived on the aforementioned winter tyres and, to be honest, felt a little underwhelming. I’d heard nothing but good things, but the sharpness I’d hoped to discover wasn’t quite there. Aside from an amusing ability to slide around roundabouts at relatively low speed, the RS3 felt a little soft around the edges. Despite the efforts of the clever clutch-actuated torque-vectoring rear differential there was no escaping the nose-heavy feeling, too. Dynamic highlights included a surprisingly deft and quiet ride and immensely powerful carbon-ceramic brakes, but where was the handling balance and the agility?
Well, it turns out it was there all along but very well hidden by those tyres. A switch to Bridgestone Potenza Sports before the group test immediately transformed the RS3. The drive back from the tyre fitters was a revelation. The car really wanted to turn, and with such strong front-end grip you could feel it driving its outside rear wheel hard to create an incredibly neutral state. It carves such clean lines.
It’s amazing how this shift allows the other elements to shine, too. I guess the soft-edged feel on the winters made me subconsciously adopt a simple A-to-b mindset. Just sit back and relax. But with the new-found aggression I’ve been encouraged to use that five-cylinder engine more freely and hang on to gears where before I’d simply short-shift. The 2.5-litre motor is a little flat and inertia-laden at low revs but absolutely flies once it’s spinning over 3500rpm or so. The RS3 is fantastically rapid and the engine configuration does create some real character. More mundane observations? It gets so, so dirty. The front tyres hurl filth up the sides of the car and the muck is also whipped up to the side mirrors and very quickly renders them useless. I’m surprised this wasn’t picked up during the car’s development as it’s actually pretty dangerous. Our RS3 also doesn’t have blindspot assist, which seems an odd oversight on any car, let alone one that costs nearly £70,000.
One big surprise has been the efficiency of the engine, which on longer journeys can edge over 40mpg. The RS3’S breadth of ability is vast and it’s proving pretty painless to live with, I have to say. It didn’t quite perform against the brilliant BMW M4 Competition xdrive up in the Scottish Borders but it’s working in Northamptonshire very well indeed.
Date acquired December 2021 Total mileage 8657 Mileage this month 1305 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 30.1