Local pricing and specifications for the 2017 Audi RS3 sedan have been released this week, with the new five-pot sports sedan kicking off from $84,900 before on-road costs.
Arriving ahead of the hatchback-bodied RS3 Sportback, which Audi says will land “later in the year”, the RS3 sedan is the first time the smallest RS model has been offered in three-box form.
Under the bonnet is a newly-developed version of the company’s 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine, which we’ve already seen in the TT RS, developing 294kW of power and 480Nm of torque – up 24kW and 15Nm over the pre-facelift RS3 Sportback.
Drive is sent to all four wheels via Audi’s quattro permanent all-wheel drive system and a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.
Performance wise, the new RS3 can sprint from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the pre-facelift model, while claiming a fuel consumption rating of 8.4L/100km on the combined cycle.
Standard equipment includes RS sport suspension plus with Audi magnetic ride, LED headlights, 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit driver’s display, 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35 tyres, MMI Navigation Plus with MMI Touch controller and 10GB hard drive, and Audi Connect with WiFi hotspot.
Other features include a 180W 10-speaker Audi sound system, DAB+ digital radio, tyre pressure monitoring, and an array of driver assistance systems like side assist, active lane assist, and rear cross traffic assist.
In typical Audi fashion, there’s still a number of cost options for the RS3 sedan, including the RS performance package ($7300) – which includes a special Audi Sport ‘rotor’ alloy wheel design, carbon-fibre inlays for the cabin, and a 705W 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
The Audi RS3 sedan is available to order now.
2017 Audi RS3 pricing (plus on-road costs)
RS3 sedan – $84,900
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