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With the latest version—which was planned from the get-go—Quattro GmbH has turned out an even better car. A new chassis helps; like the current A3, the RS3 Sportback is based on Audi's MQB architecture, which is significantly lighter than the previous platform, cutting curb weight by a claimed 121 pounds.

The superior straight-line performance of the RS3 corresponds with significantly improved cornering abilities. Turn-in is precise, and the electric power steering is nicely weighted.

The RS3 doesn't just turn in quickly—it likes to rotate. The electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system shuttles around output a lot quicker than before, and it can send up to 100 percent of the available torque to the rear axle. If the stability-control system is in Sport mode, this hatch can be rather easily coerced into oversteer—and if the system is off, the driver can use the throttle to keep the rear hanging out, too.

The standard high-performance braking system is good, but the optional, segment-first, carbon-ceramic brakes are better. Yet even with its prodigious sportiness, the RS3 is a supple long-distance cruiser, especially when fitted with the optional electronically controlled dampers.

A few years ago, Audi crowned its A3 lineup with a top model by its Quattro GmbH performance division, dubbed the RS3 Sportback. At the time of the RS3’s launch in the spring of 2011, the second-gen A3 was already well into the autumn of its life cycle; the RS model had not been part of the initial product plan, and it never made it to the U.S. Nevertheless, the 5300 units sold elsewhere far exceeded Audi's expectations. It exceeded ours, too, when we drove it.

Styling changes from the A3 include a body lowered by a full inch and large lower air intakes connected by a winglike element. The front fenders are wider, and the rear end is graced by a dual-outlet exhaust system.

For now, however, the RS3 Sportback is the king of the red-hot compacts.



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Watch Out BMW and Mercedes-Benz! The 2015 Audi RS3 Is The King Of The Hot-Hatches!

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