Audi Sport continues developing the new generation RS3 Sportback, with the compact hatchback gunning for the most powerful model in the segment: the Mercedes-AMG A45 S.
The prototype brought forward by our spy photographers continues to wear full body camouflage, applied even on the rear side windows, but even still, some changes are more than obvious.
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At the front, the next generation RS3 sports a new lighting signature, alongside a prominent bumper with new side air intakes and a new grille. The roofline is only slightly arched towards the rear, so it will not chew into headroom, and at the back, we can partially see the new LED taillights, as well as a pair of big oval tailpipes.
The wheel arches are wider and the side skirts have a sharper styling. Elsewhere, the wheels are larger compared to the normal A3 models and the ventilated brake discs round up the visuals on the outside.
This is the interior of the next Audi S3, but the RS model will only differ in details such as the sportier seats and trimmings
The interior pics are from an S3 nabbed a while back, but the RS3 Sportback will more or less mirror it, featuring more aggressive bucket seats and different trim options. We look forward to seeing the new dash in person, with the Lambo-style air vents on the driver’s side, flanking the digital dials, new infotainment system, a tiny gear selector, flat-bottom steering wheel and typical RS trim and badges.
The new RS3 Sportback is set to get an updated variant of the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine. Expect a small bump in power over its predecessor, which makes do with 400 PS (395 HP / 294 kW), with the new model believed to arrive with 420 PS (414 HP / 309 kW) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque, and the Performance version, perhaps due later on, getting 450 PS (444 HP / 331 kW). Power will be channeled to the Quattro all-wheel drive system through a dual-clutch automatic transmission, while there’s talk for a potential drift function as well.
Audi might unveil the A3 and S3 at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, on March 3, and the RS3 will follow it, perhaps close to the end of the year or in early 2021.
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