# First drive: 2015 Audi RS3 Sportback.



## R5T (Apr 7, 2010)

*Sam Philip* 22 January 2015.










http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/audi-rs3-review-first-drive-2015-01-22


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## rabbitgtibbar (Apr 29, 2002)




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## JDBVR6 (Dec 29, 2006)

It's a shame that we are stuck with the sedan version in the U.S. I prefer the looks of the A3 sportback over the Golf R but at least the R is available in the body configuration I want.  



More than likely my next car will not be an Audi. The Volvo V60 polestar wagon has been really catching my eye. :thumbup:


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## jsausley (Dec 2, 2011)

Please make that in a sedan and bring it here!


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## jrwamp (Mar 25, 2011)

Video to go with it:

http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=azT81jg-T-E


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## dlmartin81 (Jan 14, 2008)

Video in the previous post didn't work.


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## Bruticus (Aug 30, 2014)

jsausley said:


> Please make that in a sedan and bring it here!


If they bring it to the U.S., it's unlikely to be anything other than a sedan. I doubt it will be cheap, though.


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## Pathfinder2041 (Sep 20, 2003)

Color me amused and curious... I would like to see this car in the US as the sport back, but would by the sedan just to have it! Audi, take my money!!


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## jrwamp (Mar 25, 2011)

dlmartin81 said:


> Video in the previous post didn't work.


Thanks, mobile sucks...


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

I grabbed all of the photo and video assets Audi has released and have added them to our archives. You can find a blog post about it HERE: http://fourtitude.com/news/Audi_News_1/new-audi-rs-3-content-drops/

I'll link this thread from that story in order to continue the discussion.

BTW, anyone catch the diamond stitched leather with inner diamond perforation in the video trailer? That's some great detail work.


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## BoomTschak (Mar 30, 2012)

Yes, I'm just writing here to tell Audi_ (of America)_ that I have a blank check ready, just need a price and date to pick up the car.


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## trueunion (Apr 15, 2008)

love that sound omg I want one!


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Bruticus said:


> If they bring it to the U.S., it's unlikely to be anything other than a sedan. I doubt it will be cheap, though.


Guaranteed to be easily in the $50s. I'm not certain that there's a business case for that in the US market yet, even if it were in sedan form.


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## kendrickhphoto (Jan 26, 2012)

Travis Grundke said:


> Guaranteed to be easily in the $50s. I'm not certain that there's a business case for that in the US market yet, even if it were in sedan form.


The TT-RS sold here pretty well and this would be more practical. I've been waiting for the I5 to come over here in DSG. I already told my sales guy that I will put down a deposit sight unseen if he gets news a sedan RS3 is coming. I have a B8.5 S4 and it's great but it's a little big and the RS3 fits the bill perfectly. There are a bunch of B8 S4 guys on Audizine that would switch in a heartbeat. They said before that there wasn't a market for the S3 over here but look at how well it's doing now.


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

kendrickhphoto said:


> The TT-RS sold here pretty well and this would be more practical. I've been waiting for the I5 to come over here in DSG. I already told my sales guy that I will put down a deposit sight unseen if he gets news a sedan RS3 is coming. I have a B8.5 S4 and it's great but it's a little big and the RS3 fits the bill perfectly. There are a bunch of B8 S4 guys on Audizine that would switch in a heartbeat. They said before that there wasn't a market for the S3 over here but look at how well it's doing now.


Hm - good point, I completely forgot about the TT-RS.


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## Rudy_H (Jul 6, 2012)

kendrickhphoto said:


> The TT-RS sold here pretty well and this would be more practical. I've been waiting for the I5 to come over here in DSG. I already told my sales guy that I will put down a deposit sight unseen if he gets news a sedan RS3 is coming. I have a B8.5 S4 and it's great but it's a little big and the RS3 fits the bill perfectly. There are a bunch of B8 S4 guys on Audizine that would switch in a heartbeat. They said before that there wasn't a market for the S3 over here but look at how well it's doing now.


Ya but telling your sales guy is a waste of time

To be perfectly honest, the only way is if someone created an online petition and requested a $500 deposit to be shown to Audi NA. Sounds sketchy I know...however, if you can hit 3,000, likely 2,500 US, 500 Canada I bet you there will be a RS3 in NA. If you have a petition of 5,000 people with no deposit, I bet 5-10% would actually buy it.


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## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

I've just gone and dug around for content generated from the Finland launch. This means a bunch of stories in English, a few in German and many videos of various levels of quality or coolness. You can find that all on our blog. Here's a link: http://fourtitude.com/news/via_four...-sportback-first-drives-video-guide-internet/


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## Bruticus (Aug 30, 2014)

Travis Grundke said:


> Guaranteed to be easily in the $50s. I'm not certain that there's a business case for that in the US market yet, even if it were in sedan form.


With options, it may be in the 60s. There's a lot of car choices in that price range.


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## Baylorguy (Aug 18, 2012)

I think we will have a better idea of price points (assuming it even gets to the US) once BMW releases pricing for the M2. The CLA 45 AMG is about $48, so I would expect the M2 to start in the low 50s. It wouldn't make sense for BMW to price the M2 within striking distance of M3 pricing. Remember, one of the main points of this is to attract younger customers, and it is a theme we are seeing across the board. If Audi priced the RS3 much past say... 55K, it would swing someone like me to one of its competitors. I would expect the 3 cars to get into the 60's when heavily optioned, but would expect most consumers to end up between 55K and 60K after options.

I for one think it will come to the US. There are cars we would not have dreamed of before that we are getting now. And it seems to be happening in this particular segment. News of the Focus RS being a global car (heck even AWD for that matter), the M2 pretty much confirmed, the Golf R becoming a regular production car, strong rumors of an Golf R400, etc. Put on top of that a confirmation from the head of the M division that some future M models will have xdrive. All of this together shows the landscape is changing, and we are playing by different rules. In many cases the logic of "Well we didn't get it before, so we won't get it this time either" may not always apply.

When I look at all of this and throw in a gut check, it would be absolutely stupid for Audi to not offer some form of the RS3 stateside. I could be way off the mark... and my gut check has been wrong... but that is how I currently see it.


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## jsausley (Dec 2, 2011)

Bruticus said:


> If they bring it to the U.S., it's unlikely to be anything other than a sedan. I doubt it will be cheap, though.


As long as it comes in base under a fully optioned S4, it will sell (which is like $62k). A $56,675 or so base would be good, optioned to mid-60's with all of the nonsense you don't need.


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## HalvieCuw (Mar 20, 2003)

Travis Grundke said:


> Guaranteed to be easily in the $50s. I'm not certain that there's a business case for that in the US market yet, even if it were in sedan form.


Any fandom I have left for the brand will be gone if they don't bring it here.


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## Nachtsturm (May 8, 2012)

Travis Grundke said:


> Guaranteed to be easily in the $50s. I'm not certain that there's a business case for that in the US market yet, even if it were in sedan form.


I know they will sell at least one.  I'd be quite happy if it were to be a sedan. I think the S3 sedan is one of the best looking smaller sedans out there.


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## gizmopop (Feb 6, 2000)

jsausley said:


> As long as it comes in base under a fully optioned S4, it will sell (which is like $62k). A $56,675 or so base would be good, optioned to mid-60's with all of the nonsense you don't need.



Currently a loaded S model Audi is a few grand shy of the base RS model. If that pattern applies to the S3/RS3, the RS3 would start firmly in low-mid $50K territory (as a fully loaded S3 is $51-52K). 

The A4 is due to be replaced soon, so the corresponding S4/RS4 might come in at a price point different to the current amount, a fully loaded new S4 might have a higher price ceiling than $62k, its also likely to make more than 333hp the current one does.


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