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When Audi decided to bring the second-generation 100 sedan up market for 1976, the brand’s tastemakers knew the existing four-cylinder wouldn’t do. A six didn’t exactly fit the new car’s packaging constraints, and so Audi split the difference and opted for an all-new inline-five cylinder based on the existing architecture of Volkswagen Group’s EA827 four-cylinder. With 2.1 liters of displacement and a modern fuel-injection system, the new engine with the unique 1-2-4-5-3 firing order made 134 hp and gave the 100 the oomph it deserved. Five-cylinder diesels and turbocharged fives soon followed, as did stunning motorsport success, and the brand with the four rings has been in the five-cylinder game ever since.
To celebrate the 50-year milestone of its distinctive engine, Audi has unveiled a special-edition model: the RS 3 competition limited. Just 750 copies are planned for worldwide distribution, available in both sedan and Sportback body styles, and each car will feature exclusive equipment that ups performance and appearance.
AUDI AG
AUDI AG
At their heart, of course, is the turbocharged 2.5-liter TFSI five making 395 hp and 369 lb-ft, plenty enough to launch the all-wheel-drive RS 3 competition limited to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds, on its way to a 180-mph top speed. The engine’s distinct sound is fully unleashed in the car thanks to reduced sound insulation in the firewall as well as variable flap control, which frees up the exhaust to sing its full song, particularly when Dynamic, RS Performance, and RS Torque Rear drive modes are engaged.
The inline five-cylinder engine in the RS 3 competition limited.AUDI AG
This limited-edition RS 3 also features a coilover suspension for the first time, along with a stiffer rear stabilizer. Three-way adjustable shocks allow for high- and low-speed compression to be dialed in, as well as rebound, all of which allow drivers to fine-tune the car’s dynamism to their own whims.
To look at the RS 3 competition limited is to know it is meant to be driven fast. Audi claims the car is “crouched as if ready to pounce.” The nose features matte carbon elements and matrix LED headlights, while Audi’s massive Singleframe grille sits above a sharp front lip, with air intakes incorporated at either side. Each corner of the front end employs stacked carbon winglets. The mirror caps, side skirts, and rear wing are all matte carbon, and each RS 3 competition limited rides on 19-inch wheels in Neodymium gold matte. Buyers can choose from three exterior colors: Daytona Gray, Glacier White, or Malachite Green.
AUDI AG
AUDI AG
AUDI AG
AUDI AG
AUDI AG
Neodymium gold accents the interior as well, along with a mix of black and Ginger White. Special door lighting projects “RS 3 competition limited” and that label is stitched into floor mats, headrests, and the trunk carpeting as well. RS bucket seats hug driver and front passenger alike, and each car features a unique serial number set into the center console.
Pricing for the Sportback is €108,365 ($125,400), while the sedan will start at €110,005 ($127,300). For now, allotment of this limited-edition RS 3 is confined to Europe, with delivery to begin mid-year, though an Audi spokesman has confirmed that “additional details on U.S. market specifications, pricing, etc. will be communicated close to the arrival of the car here in America.”
AUDI AG