The hotly anticipated Audi RS3 sedan has been spotted testing at the Nurburgring in Germany.
After refusing to confirm the addition of a Sedan RS3 to the Audi line up, this is the first proof that has surfaced that the German manufacturer is working on a mini hyper-saloon that will supersede the S3 sedan in price and performance and square off with the 280kW/475Nm Mercedes Benz CLA45 AMG.
Like the hatch, the RS3 sedan spotted testing features Audi’s distinctive honeycomb grille and the facelift version of the A3’s LED headlights. The RS’s signature dual oval exhausts, flared wheel arches and front intakes all hint that this is, in fact, the eagerly anticipated high performance RS3 sedan.
Utilising the same 2.5L five-cylinder turbocharged engine as the hatch, the RS3 sedan is likely to dispense the same 270kW/465Nm that allows the hatch to sprint to 100km/h in 4.3sec. However, there is speculation that the RS3 may receive the same engine tweaks as the upcoming TTRS, which has 294kW/480Nm.
Irrespective of power outputs, one thing we can be certain of is that the RS3 sedan will be all-wheel-drive and utilise the same seven-speed dual clutch transmission as the hatch.
The RS3 is expected to debut towards the end of 2016 with Australian deliveries not likely until mid-2017.
Your move Mercedes.
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