The Audi RS3 sedan has quietly arrived in South Africa (well, as quietly as a 294 kW compact super-saloon can, anyway), and we’ve managed to dig up local pricing.
Topping the local A3 range, the Audi RS3 sedan (no word yet on the arrival of the RS3 Sportback) will set you back R925 500, before you’ve ticked any of the many available options boxes. By our maths, that makes it R269 500 more expensive than the S3 sedan.
Revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 2016, the RS3 sedan’s suitably massaged 2,5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine makes a whopping 294 kW and 480 N.m (the latter from just 1 700 all the way through to 5 850 r/min), which the Ingolstadt automaker reckons is enough for a scintillating 4,1-second blast to 100 km/h.
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Naturally, drive is sent to all four wheels (thanks to the German brand’s trademark quattro system) via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, while top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. Should you for some reason wish to raise that figure to 280 km/h, Audi will gladly do so, provided you pay them an additional R20 900.
The RS3 is visually set apart from its tamer siblings by its standard aluminium matte styling package, fetching 19-inch alloy wheels and RS-specific bumpers, front and rear. A sports exhaust system, sports suspension and uprated brakes are also included.
The standard equipment list includes a music interface, Nappa leather trim (with contrasting stitching), headlining in a “rock grey” hue, aluminium trim for the door-sills and a tyre repair kit (in place of a spare).
Noteworthy optional extras for the RS3 include Matrix LED headlamps (R7 750), a panoramic glass roof (R11 100), electrically adjustable front seats (R11 200), adaptive cruise control (R15 300), Audi magnetic ride (R13 640), ceramic brakes (R65 000), MMI Navigation Plus (R24 000) and the brand’s nifty virtual cockpit (R7 250, plus the cost of the aforementioned navigation system).
