The new Audi RS 3 hatch is a £50,900 entry fee into the Audi RS world. The RS is Audi’s high-performance halo brand often denoted by a simple RS logo/badge. The most interesting fact about this particular Audi is the engine. The RS 3 uses a 5-cylinder 2.5-liter unit, which is very rare to see these days but also very welcome. As emissions regulations have tightened car manufactures has downsized to using smaller capacity turbo-boosted engines. A 1.5-liter engine pretending to be powerful will always be found lacking.

Audi’s 2.5-litre TFSI 5-cylinder engine will offer smoother power delivery, far better driveability, more guts and therefore a better driving experience all around. It will make you feel like a king. But a 5-cylinder engine? it’s a bit of a dinosaur, but we do love fossil-fueled fossils here at DCBHQ.

Audi RS 3 Quick Facts:

400PS five-cylinder engine with 500Nm of torque.

RS Torque Splitter and new RS 3 driving modes for even more agility.

A seven-speed, short-shifting, dual-clutch transmission.

0-62mph in class-leading 3.8 seconds.

Up to 180mph top speed with the optional dynamic pack.

Four specifications: RS 3, Carbon, Launch Edition and Vorsprung.

Widened body, RS sports exhaust system.

Cockpit displays like those found in race cars. 

RS sport suspension plus with adaptive damper control is available as an option.

The RS 3 Saloon is listed at £51,900. Both are available to order in the UK starting in mid‑August 2021, with first customer deliveries due towards the end of the year.