Audi's fanciest vehicles tend to receive the lion's share of the attention these days, but don't forget about the cars that lie near the base of the lineup. The A3 may be the entry-level Audi sedan, but it's also possibly the best-looking one. And while we've had the sportier S3 model debut, we're still waiting for the successor to the sportiest RS 3 version to come out.
As of June 10th, Audi has not unveiled it...yet. But they have offered a drawn-out tease for it.
The Audi media site currently features a discussion about future hybrid and electric Audi Sport models with managing director Sebastian Grams and head of sales and marketing Rolf Michl. The lead image, however, is much more exciting for those of us concerned with more conventional RS models: it shows the two of them posing with sedan and sportback versions of the RS 3 in fairly light camouflage. The "1-2-4-5-3" represents the cylinder firing order of Audi's iconic 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, which puts out 394 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque in the Audi TT RS.
If the lead image weren't enough of a hint, the last couple minutes of the video is the two of them admiring the two RS 3s, running their hands over the two cars and muttering to each other about them in German.
AutoExpress initially reported a September 2021 reveal for the RS 3, but the latest reports say the car will debut this summer. Their report also expects the engine to be tuned up to around 420 hp. Deliveries are expected to start early 2022, though it may take a bit longer to reach America. And, as many Americans view premium hatchback as an oxymoron, it's likely that the U.S. market will only get the sedan.
While the RS 3 should hew to tradition for this generation, the electric conversion is coming to Audi Sport. Per the Audi discussion, more than half the lineup will be hybrid or electric by 2024, and up to 80 percent of it will be by 2026.
