Audi Sport has taken the RS3 to the next level, enhancing its performance and style. The latest upgrades make this high-performance compact even sportier, with changes that are immediately noticeable. The aggressive front design, motorsport-inspired wheels, and RS bucket seats all contribute to its dynamic appearance, while the distinctive growl of the five-cylinder engine adds an acoustic thrill. The 2.5 TFSI engine, paired with an optimized chassis and new tires, delivers even sharper handling. This is confirmed by the RS3’s new lap record at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife. Drivers will appreciate the heightened driving dynamics and premium materials that elevate the Audi RS3 to a sensory experience.
Bold Design Emphasizes Performance
Following its update, the Audi RS3 boasts a more pronounced sporty look. The standout feature is the hexagonal Singleframe grille with a bold border. It is now flatter and wider, highlighting the car’s sporty character with its prominent rhombus-patterned grille. The redesigned front also includes functional side air intakes with vertical black blades and three new apertures above the front splitter, which spans the full width of the vehicle and lowers the RS3’s stance—echoing the Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak from 1987. The updated daytime running lights and headlights further enhance the car’s performance-oriented design. The RS3’s digital signature now features a checkered flag made up of 24 elements. Additionally, for the first time, drivers can select from three different daytime running light designs in the MMI touch display, thanks to the new matrix LED headlights.
Rear Design and New Features
The rear of the 2025 Audi RS3 showcases a stronger motorsport-inspired presence. Vertical side reflectors echo the design elements of the front air intakes, while the RS-specific diffuser features a prominent red reflector in its center. The two oval tailpipe trims of the RS exhaust system are framed in black, making them appear even more substantial.
The taillights have also been updated with a new graphic design. Arrows dynamically light up from the center outward with the coming home and leaving home functions, emphasizing the car’s progressive design.
Exterior Colors and Wheels
The RS3’s bold exterior is enhanced by new RS-specific colors, including Kyalami Green, Kemora Gray, and the new metallic shades Ascari Blue and Progressive Red. For the first time, there’s also a Daytona Gray matte finish. The Singleframe grille and diffuser come in either high-gloss or matte black. Standard features include matte-black 19-inch aluminum wheels with a 5-Y-spoke design. For added flair, optional motorsport-inspired rims are available in either matte dark gray or glossy metallic black with a bicolor finish. You can further personalize the RS3 with carbon and high-gloss black packages, which trim the front air intakes, side skirts, and rear diffuser. Wing mirror covers are available in body color, black, or carbon.
Interior Design and Features
Inside, the RS3 continues its performance-focused theme with a dark, refined interior. The steering wheel, flattened at the top and bottom, comes in either perforated leather or optional Dinamica, with a 12 o’clock marker in accent color. Optional RS bucket seats provide extra support and are upholstered in Dinamica microfiber and Pearl Nappa leather, featuring RS honeycomb stitching and a large RS badge. The seat backs are finished with matte carbon for an added touch of sportiness.
Lighting and Trim
New lighting features include contour and ambient illumination that highlights design elements like the flatter shifter, center console, and door panels. At night, planar lighting backlights hundreds of lasered rhombus shapes on the door panels, which light up when locking or unlocking the car. Interior trim is finished in anthracite effect paint that changes with the light, and new trim options include a one-piece RS-specific matt carbon strip and a new black Dinamica variant. Microfiber material is also available for the door and center armrests.
Design Packages
Red and green design packages add vibrant touches to the seat belts, seat shoulders, and air vents, with contrasting stitching on the seats, center armrest, door armrests, steering wheel, and 12 o’clock marker. The black velour floor mats feature RS lettering for a cohesive look.
Performance Displays
The 12.3-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus includes Sport, Performance, and Runway views as standard. Runway mode uniquely displays speed with the highest revs in the foreground and idling speed in the background. New features include a prominent rev counter and displays for power output, torque, g-forces, acceleration, and lap times. The RS-specific shift indicator blinks in green, yellow, and red to signal the optimal shift times. The 10.1-inch touch display now shows coolant, torque splitter, brake, engine oil, and transmission oil temperatures in color, with optional tire pressure monitoring. Additionally, the RS3 includes an app store with various applications accessible directly from the vehicle’s infotainment system, independent of the smartphone.
Distinctive Five-Cylinder Engine Sound
The Audi RS3 is equipped with the iconic 2.5 TFSI engine, a masterpiece from Audi Sport, delivering 294 kW (400 PS) and 500 Newton meters of torque. This powerhouse accelerates the RS3 from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.8 seconds and achieves a top speed of 290 km/h. Renowned for its motorsport heritage, the five-cylinder engine is celebrated for its captivating sound, which is a result of its unique 1-2-4-5-3 firing sequence. This firing pattern creates a distinctive rhythm, enhanced by the twin RS exhaust system with variable flap control. When you press the red-ringed engine start/stop button, the engine emits a rich, throaty sound that becomes even more pronounced in the Audi drive select modes—Dynamic, RS Performance, and RS Torque Rear. The exhaust flap control has been fine-tuned for the 2,200 to 3,500 RPM range, ensuring a consistently robust sound across all driving modes. This acoustic experience is further amplified with the optional RS Sport exhaust system, making every drive in the RS3 an exhilarating auditory event.
Optimized Cornering and Enhanced Vehicle Dynamics
While the RS3 excels in straight-line acceleration, its true prowess shines in cornering, an aspect best appreciated through driving experience rather than mere statistics. This was vividly demonstrated when Frank Stippler set a new lap record on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife with a time of 7:33.123 minutes, surpassing the previous record for its class by over five seconds. This achievement underscores the RS3’s status as the fastest compact car on the renowned 20.832-kilometer track in the Eifel region.
The RS3’s exceptional handling is attributed to the advanced interaction of several key components: the torque splitter with its fully variable torque distribution between the rear wheels, electronic stability control, wheel-selective torque control (brake torque vectoring), and the adaptive dampers of the RS sport suspension. These elements work together within the modular driving dynamics controller, which synchronizes data to respond more precisely to driving conditions. Depending on the chosen Audi drive select mode, the RS3 can be made more agile and controlled, especially in low-friction scenarios where these systems also enhance stability.
Enhanced Cornering Performance
The 2025 Audi RS3 has made significant strides in cornering capabilities. With refined adjustments, including improvements to brake torque vectoring, the RS3 now handles bends with even greater precision. The car exhibits reduced understeer when entering corners and demonstrates improved responsiveness, thanks to more controlled brake interventions on the inside wheels. This allows the RS3 to follow the curve more accurately, whether under partial load or on deceleration, enabling drivers to position the car more effectively for a powerful exit. Essentially, this means drivers can accelerate earlier and maintain higher speeds through turns. The RS3’s enhanced lateral dynamics are particularly noticeable on the racetrack, where full intensity is achieved with the ESC deactivated.
Evolved Oversteer Control
The RS3’s handling has also seen advancements in oversteer management. Previously, inducing oversteer primarily required increasing throttle input. Now, the improved algorithm allows for easier initiation of oversteer through adjustments in steering angle, enabling drivers to achieve the desired drift angle more quickly.
Quick Access to Driving Modes
For those looking to access the Performance mode designed specifically for track use, a new button with a checkered flag icon on the left satellite is now available. Additionally, the red RS button on the right steering wheel spoke provides swift access to RS Individual mode, allowing drivers to customize their driving experience with ease.
New Standard Tire for Superior Grip
The 2025 Audi RS3 comes equipped with a new standard C-rated tire, designed to enhance everyday driving comfort while providing superior lateral support. This tire, specifically tuned for the RS3, offers exceptional grip on both dry and wet surfaces and delivers precise handling across various speeds. For those seeking even higher performance, the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tires remain available as an option.
The Essence of Luxury
The RS3 doesn’t just excel in visual and tactile quality; it also engages your senses with its distinctive aroma. One of the subtle yet immediate experiences when opening the doors of your new Audi is the pleasing scent that signifies premium craftsmanship. This sensory detail is a result of Audi’s meticulous attention to the quality of materials used inside the vehicle.
The RS3 interior boasts a natural and authentic smell, thanks to the high-grade leather and selected polymers. The RS sports seats, upholstered in Fine Nappa leather or the new RS bucket seats with high Pearl Nappa leather, along with the standard leather steering wheel, contribute to this sensory experience. Audi ensures the quality of these materials through rigorous testing. Each component, around 200 per vehicle, undergoes chemical analysis and is evaluated for odor in a specialized chamber. This process, which can take two to three hours per component, helps ensure that the combined materials emit a pleasant aroma under all conditions. A team of chemists assesses the resulting smells to ensure the distinctive new car scent meets Audi’s high standards.
A Decade of Excellence
Audi Sport has crafted the RS3 to be a recipe for success, blending high-performance elements such as the five-cylinder turbo engine, torque splitter, new standard tires, and optional semi-slicks. Like any great recipe, the RS3 is visually appealing, featuring motorsport-inspired wheels, carbon and black packages, RS bucket seats, and a steering wheel with a flattened top and bottom.
Since its debut, the RS3 has embodied innovation and excitement. The first generation, launched in spring 2011, featured a 340 PS five-cylinder engine and set itself apart from the A3 with distinctive bumpers, sills, and wheels. It was celebrated for its speed and driving precision.
The second generation, produced from 2015 to 2020, introduced a sedan variant in 2017 and saw the engine power increase from 367 PS to 400 PS following a product update. With a faster-shifting seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel drive, this generation delivered exceptional driving pleasure.
The third generation, which began production in 2021, continued the legacy with the RS3 Sportback and the second generation RS3 Sedan. Boasting 400 PS and 500 Nm of torque, the five-cylinder engine achieved unparalleled acceleration. The introduction of the torque splitter, replacing the previous rear axle differential with a multi-plate clutch system, elevated the RS3’s lateral dynamics to new heights.
