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46 TOPCAR.CO.ZA|January 2016Road test: Audi RS3 Sportbackpositioned on the lower part of the grille – avery intimidating sigh t when observed froma rear-view mirror. Ours is painted inSepang Blue, a colour which together withthe aluminiumstyling package, injects theRS3 with a classy and refined appearan ce.Things are far morepronounced atthe rearwhere two canon-like tail pipes bookend thealuminium-loo k diffuser.``````The control roomThe cabin is a work of art. While it resemblesthat of the regular S3 Sportback the RS3alpha-numeric coding is liberally scat tered,featurin g on the flat-bottomed st eeringwheel, instrument cluster, door sills, seat sand floor mats – there’s no mistakin g whichmodel you’re sitting in. Ours has beenquitehandsomely kitted with an ar ray ofexpensive but necessa ry touches such as theS sports seat s – a beautifully meldedcombination of fine Nappa leather and redquilt stitching, very Bentley but helluvasupportive. Then there’s the RS designpackage which adds contrast ing red accentson the air vents, seat belts, gear leversurrounds and knee pads. Although not asembellished as its rivals, the cabin issuperbly finished echoing the quality andsophistication we’ve come to expect from thebrand. Owing to it sharing much of its DNAwith th e A3 Sportback the RS3 is also a verypractical machine, with boot spac e rated at280 litr es with th e seat s up and 1 120 whenfolded flat.``````The grinding teet heffectThe 2.5-litr e 5-cyli nder turbo restingunder the bonnet is one of the angriestmotors we’ve ever sampled. Loud andobnoxious, it shrieks on start-up beforesettling into a ro ugh but progressive idle. Itboasts a 20kW and 15Nm power andtorque hike over its forebear thanks to amoreefficient intercooler and a higher-boosting turbocharger resulting in atotal system output of 270kW and 465Nm.Astonishing figures, really, help ed alongby a reprogrammed seven-speed dual-c lutchtransmission that swaps cogs withgreate r efficiency an d verve. And thefigures? Well, with launch controliniti atedthe RS3 will cut through the air like ahot knife through butter securin g a 0-100kph sprint time of 4.41 seconds. Yes,4.41 seconds. To put that into perspectivethe first-gener ation Audi R8 V8 took 4.6seconds to record the same feat... In-gearacceleration is just as impres sive, theRS3 needing 2.45- and 2.86 seconds toreach the respective 60-100 and 80-120kphbenchmarks. Top speed is limited to 250kph.The sensory experience is complemented by``````a well-o rche stra ted soundtrack, a result nodoubtowing to the optional sports exhaustsystem and 1-2-4-5-3 cyli nder ac tivationsequenc e. Wind it up and the unrelentingaccelerative effects are accompanied by arather rowdy whistling turbo and poppingexhaust note. It is loud, the overrun equallyso, like firecrackers ignitin g in a Tuba. Sure,the entire experience can get abit overbe aringat times but the Audi Drive Select (ADS)gives you several options to choo se fromincluding an Individual mode to tailoryour preferen ces accordingly. The ADSsettings control such parameters as throttle,steering and ge arbox response, as well as themagnetic ride dampers.The transmission tweaks asprev iouslymentione d have also improved fuelconsumption and reduced CO2 emissions byaround 12 per cent, thanks to a taller``````seventh ratio and a coasting function.Despite the spec sheet’s highly optimisticcombined fuel consumption figure of6.3ℓ/100km we managed to record amore realistic 9.8ℓ/100km along our 80kmtest rout e.``````Railing the turnsWhere the prev ious RS3 was a somewhatblunt instrument in the corners thenew model is sharper and moreprecisehang ing on tothe ro ad like a tram on rails.While it do esn’t have the mostcommunicative steering around it is directand reacts eagerly to inputs. As with allQuattro-driven Audis the RS3 has atendency to understeer at times but grip isexce llent none theless. The all-wheel drivesystem has beenreprogrammed to sendas much as 100 percent of the available``````Isthata Bentley Sir?TheSsportsseats togetherwith the RSdesignpackage certainlygivethatimpression