In June, Audi announced details of its redesigned 2022 A3 compact and 2022 S3 sports sedans, including more power and updates to the cars’ handling. The range-topping RS 3 was conspicuously absent from that announcement, but the automaker has just remedied that omission with an overview of the European-specification cars scheduled to go on sale early next year.
The new 2022 Audi RS 3 continues with a turbocharged five-cylinder engine, but the engine is massaged for 2022 to produce around 395 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) and Quattro all-wheel drive. Audi says the RS 3 can run to 60 mph in less than 3.8 seconds and that it can achieve a limited top speed of 155 mph. Buyers can opt for two upgrades that increase the top speed to either 174 mph or 180 mph.
Power numbers always grab the headlines, but the new RS 3’s underside is worth discussing. It’s the first Audi model to come standard with a torque splitter system on the rear axle. It replaces the differential and multiple clutch system with an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch on each driveshaft.
In aggressive driving situations, the new torque splitter system shifts torque to the wheels that need traction most and can reduce the car’s tendency to understeer. It also adds the ability to drift the vehicle by sending all of the power to only one of the rear wheels. Audi will also offer semi-slick tires as an option for the car to further improve its track speeds and handling.
Technology takes a front seat in the new RS 3. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation is standard and uses a 12.3-inch screen. In addition to vehicle speed and other standard information, the RS 3’s Virtual Cockpit displays cornering g-forces, lap times, and acceleration times. It’s joined by a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen in the center stack, which carries further performance information that includes coolant, engine, and transmission temperatures.
Beyond the new RS 3, the Audi RS line includes the RS 5 Coupe and Sportback, RS 6 Avant, RS 7 Sportback, RS e-tron GT EV, RS Q8 SUV, and TT RS. All of Audi’s RS vehicles build on the performance, price, and luxury of Audi’s S vehicles, which themselves are a step above the standard model lines.
It’s important to note here that these specs and features are for the RS 3 Audi is unleashing upon Europe. Audi says that the version destined for the U.S. market will feature 401 horsepower and will arrive later than its Euro counterpart.
Audi is the source of information for this article. It was accurate on July 19, 2021, but it may have changed since that date.
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