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RS3 - Saloon!


cruiser647
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Funnily enough as much as I like the RS3 I've never wanted one because I'm not much of a hatchback fan, so seeing this has really piqued my interest.

It must handle well with a more rigid body as well.

Shame the wheel arches don't have the same kind of size as the old RS6 saloon - would have looked pretty awesome then.

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Looks like an RS4 saloon.  The A3 range morphed into A4 size.

 

I hope its more reliable than the MK2. It seems they can be fragile.

 

 

I will be holding on to my limited edition Mk1 for a bit longer. 

 

Now, If they made the RS3 saloon look like the clubsport, ( even without its headline grabbing concept power)  with the styling/  active rear wing/ air brake, I might find it harder not to change.

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I have looked at this a fair bit on Facebook.

It looks bland.  Like a Hyundai.  It could be anything.  The rear is all wrong.  There's nothing whatsoever special or 'right' about the shape, curves or lines.

If it didn't have an Audi badge on it, it could be any other thrown together 2016 small saloon car.

For someone who likes Audi and doesn't care what it looks like, I'm sure it'll be a technically wonderful car and they'll enjoy it.  To me, it looks like the blandest car they've ever produced next to the current generation TT (a car I think is absolutely woeful to look at).  I don't know what has happened to Audi in the design department but their cars appear to get less interesting to look at with each new model of late.

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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The problem with Audi is they like to play it safe.  Even more so after dieselgate.  The previous generation A5 (2007-2016) A4 (2008-2015) and A3 (2003-2012) sold in huge numbers, so you can understand why Audi have not changed the recipe.  Likewise the TT - the body in white / silhouette is pretty much the same.  Okay, perhaps I'm slightly biased with the 3 and 4, but I have to agree Audi have played things too conservative with the A5.  Haven't driven a new shape A4 yet, and cannot wait to try the S4 in particular.  The last one was torquey and fast but soulless and fairly plain on standard alloys, seats and no quattro sport differential

The RS3 looks great in the flesh, and I thought it went and sounded like a racecar.  I just wish it had rear arches to match the fronts.  As it is, it runs different offset / different width front and rear wheels.  If I'm totally frank I was expecting it to be quicker, it doesn't feel 65 bhp up on the S3, which is possibly why Audi have upped the power to 400 (the Sportback will no doubt receive the upgrade too).  I can only imagine they didn't want it to steal the RS4s thunder at the time - a car that has since finished production.

If it was my money though, I'd go for the S3, I've said it before but I really do think its one of the most complete Audis I've ever driven for the real world.

 

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22 hours ago, Ian_C said:

 

If it was my money though, I'd go for the S3, I've said it before but I really do think its one of the most complete Audis I've ever driven for the real world.

 

Indeed.  Each time I see an S3 I always think the person driving it has more sense than vanity.  They look 99% the same car as the RS3 and still offer very good performance, but they've not had to pay the ridiculous price tag.

I know the RS3 is technically superb and I'm sure they do indeed sound fabulous in the flesh, but I still can't help thinking that Audi are taking the pants down of their customer base and laughing all the way to the bank.

I think BMW have done it with the new M3 and M4, but at least they look aggressive and like you've given an arm and a leg for one.  The same goes for the M2.  They look fabulous so it is a degree of feeling like you've been given a fillet for the price paid.  On the RS3 Saloon though, that side profile in particular is absolutely awful.  It could be almost any small saloon in the world.

The TT used to be a stunning car (first generation) and then the second generation moved it on and it still retained an air of exclusivity and class about it.  Now, I see one and can't help think it has completely lost its way and that the only people buying it must have a real issue with exploring what else is out there. 

I also think BMW were guilty of something similar with the current generation 6 series.  It is a very good looking car but I can't help but thinking it could have been a lot better.  I hope they resolve that on the next model (that must be due very soon).

Each manufacturer probably has a few bland and uninspiring cars in their range but I just see a lot of the same from Audi these days and I hope they change that.  I like the option of having a lot of choices when I pick a car but I'd struggle to find anything in their range that would appeal to me and meet what I needed (I'm sure I could find the latter from a technical perspective and all-round quality, but I don't think any of them would be cars I'd want to own from an aesthetically pleasing perspective).

Edited by NewNiceMrMe
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I want to like the new RS3 saloon but just not sure about Audi RS's direction of design.... I most of the current RS hate alloy wheel designs and the way Audi has made the front and rear bumpers too "busy", much prefer the diffuser on the Golf R :)

 

Golf R

Edited by Riz
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To be fair most if not all Audi S/RS and Volkswagen R's have been criticised for having a under-steering setup, its just the way they are..... having now covered nearly 6000 miles in my Golf R I am yet to feel the under-steering on the Golf R, its pretty sorted! :)

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The RS3 might have bigger wheels and tyres - hence more grip - but the S3 is the better 'poised' and better handling car.  The S3 Sportback is one of few Audi products this side of the R8 that is actually adjustable, as per Jethro Bovingdons video below.  Previously, evo didn't find the 3dr as playful, hence I have a feeling the 5dr has stiffer rear suspension than the 3dr, which makes the nose keener to change direction

 

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The dynamics of the Golf R are superior to the S3 period and also the RS3

So if you want a genuinely fast B road car R wins all day every day

If you want something that does everything exteremly well, leather seats as standard and a far better build quality and service back up, then S3

Personally I dont get all the gripe with the RS3, its a superfast barge in a straight line and half reasonable in the bends with probably the best engine I have driven for many a year, why they dont stuff it into a three door Golf is a complete mystery as that would be an absolute hoot of a car, which would trump anything from Beemer or Merc in the hatchback sector

All that being said the way sterling is dropping we will have to sell internal organs to afford anything from ze fatherland

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5 hours ago, ashleywater said:

The dynamics of the Golf R are superior to the S3 period and also the RS3

The Golf R and S3 are absolutely identical!  ;)

Audi S3, length 4254mm, width 1777mm, track 1535mm

Golf R, length 4255mm, width 1799mm, track 1541mm

The Audi runs 7.5x18 ET51, the Golf 7.5x18 ET49 which explains the slight difference in track (obviously the front wings govern the body width)

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