The Audi RS3 Competition is a £92k goodbye to Ingoldstadt’s five-cylinder

Just like the standard RS3, the Competition comes with the same ‘torque-splitter’ rear axle that’s made the model such a step above its predecessors – under load, up to 100 per cent of the available rear-axle power can be sent to a single wheel for proper torque vectoring. Combine this with these manually adjustable coilovers, a stiffer anti-roll bar and optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres and we don’t doubt that the RS3 has been elevated to another level. It’s just a shame this is its final form.

Design and interior

These cars will be a rare sight on UK roads and if you do spot one, you have a keen eye – the visual changes are subtle. The front end gets the most dramatic update, with the intakes either side of the central grille now framed by more aggressive surrounds, and a small splitter element giving it more of an edge. There are a pair of small canards on either side, too, with each and every new exterior component finished in unique matte carbonfibre. Headlights are darkened Matrix LED items, but on unlocking/locking the car, the DRL section will now display the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order of the five-cylinder. A gimmick to some, but I love it. 

The mirror caps, new side skirts and modified rear spoiler are finished in matte carbonfibre too, with the latter building on the standard car’s boot-mounted item with an additional central element to reduce lift. Malachite green is a colour specific to the RS3 Competition, the shade seen on the iconic Sport Quattro of the ‘80s (and thankfully, the only colour the UK gets), but grey and white are also available. Its intricate 19-inch ‘10-cross-spoke’ wheels are the kind you’ll find on the standard car, but they’re now finished in a subtle Neodymium matte gold, a colour that becomes a theme inside.

Audi has made sure you won’t mistake this for any ordinary RS3, with Competition branding on the seats, puddle projectors, floor mats, boot carpet and even etched into the rear glass. Stunning carbonfibre-backed bucket seats are upholstered in a striking off-white quilted Alcantara, with gold trim, RS2-inspired white digital dials, ‘Ginger white’ seat belts and a Alcantara-clad, flat-bottomed steering wheel making it feel the special car it is. Look closely at the centre console and you’ll also spot the exact number of the 750 cars you’re sitting in, numbered consecutively unlike many of these special editions.

It will be a sad day when the RS3 and the five-cylinder that powers it meet their end, but before then, we need to find out if we have a new star hot hatch on our hands. Hopefully they go out on a high. 

Audi RS3 Competition specs