The Audi A3 is back in America in a big way, with a new sedan configuration and the first S3 version to ever hit our shores. But the RS version is the one we're all really kind of hoping for. What kind of engine will it have, and when do we get to meet it?
This video of its latest Nürburgring run, along with multiple sources like PistonHeads and Top Speed, make it seem like the RS3 will pack Audi's famed 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder engine with something like 350 to 360 horsepower. It's the same motor from the old Audi TT-RS and a rowdy powerplant that's near and dear to our hearts.
If this is true, it should make the RS3 an even more ideal competitor to the Mercedes CLA45 AMG and upcoming BMW M2 than the S3 is, and the S3 is already very good on its own.
The RS3 could debut at any one of the auto shows coming soon, like Paris or Los Angeles this fall or next spring's Geneva show. The big question now is this: Will America get the RS3 this time? I think we'd give it a good home.