2015 Audi RS 3 Sportback develops 367HP and tops 280 kmph

Hot, throaty sound, exhilaratingly free-revving and brawny power – the five cylinder engines from Audi are legendary. 367 hp output and 465 Nm of torque – Audi presents the new RS 3 Sportback, the most powerful compact car in the premium segment. With its powerful five cylinder, turbocharged engine, the five door model accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and its top speed can be increased to 280 km/h upon request.

“There is a long tradition of five-cylinder engines at Audi,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. “In the 80s, they turned Audi into a sporty brand, both in motor sports and in production. The new Audi RS 3 Sportback features the latest generation of our 2.5 liter, five‑cylinder engine – the most powerful production engine in the modular transverse matrix.”

Audi presents the most powerful car in the premium compact segment: The new RS 3 Sportback produces 367 hp and delivers 465 Nm of torque to the crankshaft. The 2.5 TFSI accelerates the five‑door model from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and goes on to reach an optional top speed of 280 km/h.

The 2.5 TFSI in the new Audi RS 3 Sportback guarantees to thrill with immense pulling power, eager revving and its own unique acoustic experience. The throaty roar and snarl backed by the rhythm of the 1 – 2 – 4 – 5 – 3 five-cylinder ignition sequence is the classic Audi soundtrack. Two flaps in the exhaust pipes downstream of the muffler control the exhaust flow to provide for an even more intensive sound experience that varies with engine load and speed. The driver can control these flaps via the Audi drive select system. The RS exhaust system is designed for high flow. For the first time in this segment, Audi offers a sport exhaust system as an option.

Powerful five-cylinder engines have a long tradition at Audi. During the 1980s, they powered the Audi rally cars, touring cars and production models to the front of the pack. The first RS model, the RS 2 from 1994, also had such an engine. The five‑cylinder made its comeback in 2009 in the Audi TT RS; it made its way into the RS 3 Sportback in 2011 and two years later into the RS Q3. The 2.5 liter engine has been voted “International Engine of the Year” in its class five years in a row since 2010.

The five-cylinder unit produces 367 hp from a displacement of 2,480 cc: a remarkable specific output of 148.0 hp per liter. Driveability is impressive. The peak torque of 465 Nm is already available at 1,625 rpm and remains constant through 5,550 rpm. The sprint from 60 to 100 km/h in fourth gear takes just 4.1 seconds; it takes just 5.8 seconds to go from 80 to 120 km/h in fifth gear.

The 2.5 TFSI catapults the new Audi RS 3 Sportback to 100 km/h from a standing start in 4.3 seconds – the best in its class. Acceleration is electronically capped at 250 km/h. Top speed can be optionally raised to 280 km/h, which is also unique in the compact sports car segment. In the NEDC, the entry-level RS model consumes just 8.1 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, ten percent less than its predecessor. This corresponds to 189 grams CO2 per kilometer (304.2 g/mi). A recuperation system, a demand-controlled oil pump and a newly developed start-stop system that turns off the engine shortly before the car comes to a stop contribute to this. The emissions rating is Euro 6.