The New Audi RS3 Skids More Easily And... Smells Nicer?

First the A3, then the S3, and now, the rather inevitable facelift has arrived for the Audi RS3. Given the five-cylinder hyper-hatch was such a runaway hit in its pre-facelift guise, Audi has very sensibly chosen not to mess with the formula too much. Good.

In fact, the basics are pretty much exactly the same as before. It continues to use a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder – the only mass-production car left with a five-pot, to our knowledge – which sends 395bhp and 396lb ft of torque to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

That’s good for 62mph in 3.8 seconds, and an electronically limited 155mph top end – unless you go for the top Carbon Vorsprung model, which removes the limiter for a 155mph V-max.

You’d be hard-pressed to spot much difference with the exterior, either. It gets the new A3’s ‘Singleframe’ grille, and a pair of very beefy air intakes flanking the main grille. Out back, there’s a larger diffuser, while Audi’s obsession with fancy lighting effects continues: drivers can now choose from three different patterns for the daytime running LEDs, while the taillights now incorporate arrow graphics that dynamically light up as you approach or leave the car.

Things are largely the same inside as well, with the exception of a new, more prominent rev counter. All the better for getting the most out of that glorious five-pot engine, which Audi says is burblier than before in the mid-range thanks to tweaks to the exhaust flaps’ opening sequence.

The original third-gen RS3 was already the most playful and engaging the car had ever been in the corners, but Audi says it’s worked to make even bigger gains here. It’s tweaked the stability control, torque splitter and adaptive dampers, so that “the agility of the RS3 can now be deployed earlier and with greater control.” That’s Audi-speak for “it’s easier to do big skids.”

Said skids are now apparently easier to initiate via precise steering inputs rather than simply mashing the loud pedal, while if you’re being a bit more serious, it’s said to be less understeer-y and capable of higher cornering speeds than before.

Oh, and one more thing: Audi has worked hard on the smell of the RS3. Really. We’re promised finer-smelling leather and more pleasant scents from the synthetic stuff. In other words, try not to fart in it.

The RS3 remains available as a five-door Sportback hatch or a Saloon. Prices kick off at £59,510 for the standard hatch, rising to £64,160 for the mid-range Carbon Black and £68,650 for the Carbon Vorsprung. For the Saloon, simply add a nice, round £1,000 to each of those prices. That’s quite an increase from the pre-facelift car, which started from £53,830 in 2021. It’s on sale in the UK from September.