You can push a button to get neutral, balanced or oversteering.
Old-school rally enthusiasts rejoice The 2022 Audi RS3 sedan, RS3 Sportback, and RS3 coupe will both retain a turbocharged five-cylinder engine. This is a confirmation from the automaker – given the unique “1-2-5-3-3” camo, which refers to the engine’s firing order, we previously assumed that. Today’s announcement focused also on the RS3’s new torque-splitting back differential. This gives the compact sport sedan more agility, balance, and power.
The engine’s details are not available at this time, but Audi has admitted that it will produce 394 horsepower (294 Kilowatts) as well as 369 pound-feet (369 newton-meters). Although the horsepower rating is the same, it’s now available at 5,600 to 7,000 rpm earlier than the previous generation. The torque goes up by 15 lb-ft (20 Nm). The RS3 is able to reach speeds of 62 mph (100 km/h) through a seven speed dual-clutch transmission. It can also accelerate to a top speed 180 mph (290 km/h). These numbers outperform the Mercedes AMG CLA 45’s time of 4.0 seconds to complete the 0-60 sprint, and its top speed of 168 mph
A new torque-splitting rear axle, designed for RS3, keeps that grunt under control. The RS3 uses a multi-plate clutch on each axle-shaft to actively send power to either the right or the left. It can also drive the outside wheel in corners to reduce oversteer and improve maneuverability. The RS3 can send 100% of the engine’s torque directly to one rear wheel in certain circumstances. This flexible powertrain configuration, according to Audi, provides excellent stability. Audi claims that much of the hardware can be shared with the Volkswagen GolfR and the new torque-vectoring differential. However, tuning is unique.
The Audi Drive Select controller also has two modes for sporty driving. There are Comfort, Auto Dynamic, Efficiency, and Comfort modes. The RS Performance mode delivers maximum power to the rear axle. This balances handling and reduces understeer to allow for faster lap times. A dedicated RS Rear mode maximizes the torque split to the rear of the car. This allows the driver to perform lurid and controllable drifts (on a track, of course). The driving modes also modify steering weight, throttle response and suspension stiffness.
The 2022 Audi RS3 has two suspension options. Standard dampers are static. The shock absorbers and internal valves of the RS3 provide better rebound and bound control. The Audi Drive Select modes allow each shock to respond to road imperfections individually. This allows them to adjust to bumps using an optional adaptive damper system.
Audi has not yet revealed the 2022 RS3 fully, but it appears that it will retain much of its predecessor’s driving dynamics and character. It’ll be more fun to drive up mountain roads with the unique five-cylinder engine sound and tail-happy balance. The 2022 Audi RS3 will likely make its debut this summer.