The Next Fast Audi? The RS3
Each auto show comes with its share of real news, rumours and half-truths. Journalists sometimes manage to corner a spokesman and make them spill information about upcoming products.
One of these rumours comes from Audi and concerns their little A3 sedan. In an interview, the CEO of Audi of America, Scott Keogh, mentioned that the brand’s flagship compact sedan, the RS3, might be imported here soon.
For now, the most powerful A3 we can get here is the S3, with its 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder churning out 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. With the help of the legendary Quattro drivetrain, the car can scoot from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. If the RS3 receives the green light for importation to our shores, it would dwarf the S3; with a 367-horsepower inline-five its acceleration numbers would be stratospheric.
However, don’t hold your breath. While the RS3 sells well in Europe in this configuration, it would probably be offered here as a four-door sedan, since North Americans prefer that style.
We also learned that the Q8, the brand’s upcoming luxury SUV, would also be offered here. However, the Q1, Audi’s smallest crossover, probably won't be. According to Mr. Keogh, it doesn’t offer the right mix of luxury and value that American buyers expect from an Audi.