The facelift brings a host of changes to the RS3's exterior. Up front, there's a redesigned grille with a diamond pattern and smarter-looking matrix LED headlights. Drivers can now choose from different daytime running light patterns. The air intakes sport vertical black blades, and three openings above the front splitter give the car a more aggressive stance.
At the rear, Audi has tweaked the taillights with new graphics. The bumper now features two vertical reflectors, with a third one bisecting the diffuser. Audi claims the new front design nods to the 1987 Quattro S1 Pikes Peak, though the similarities aren't obvious.
Color options have expanded. Ascari Blue metallic and Progressive Red join the palette, while Daytona Gray in a matte finish makes its RS3 debut. Kyalami Green and Kemora Grey carry over from the previous model.
The standard 19-inch wheels come with a matte black finish. Audi has also borrowed wheel options from Europe's RS3 Performance Edition, offering matte dark gray and glossy black metallic finishes with a two-tone design.
Inside, Audi has introduced carbon bucket front seats as a new option. These seats feature Nappa leather side bolsters, microfiber centers, and matte carbon backs, similar to those in the BMW M2. The standard Nappa leather sports seats remain available.
The steering wheel now has flat top and bottom sections, a red 12 o'clock mark, and quick-select buttons for driving modes. The shifter has a flatter design, and Audi has added red accents to the air vents, though the author questions this design choice.
Under the hood, the 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine carries over unchanged, still producing 395 horsepower (294 kW / 400 PS). However, Audi has made several performance tweaks. The adaptive dampers use a new algorithm for improved performance. The brake torque vectoring system has been enhanced to allow higher cornering speeds, and the car now has a more tail-happy nature for better drifting.
New bespoke tires come standard, with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks available as an option. These upgrades build on the RS3's previous achievement of setting a lap record for the fastest compact car around the Nürburgring.
In Europe, Audi will offer both the RS3 Sportback (five-door hot hatch) and RS3 Sedan. The U.S. market will only get the sedan version.
German pricing starts at €66,000 for the RS3 Sportback and €68,000 for the RS3 Sedan. That's €12,000 more than a base Golf R. In the U.S., the current RS3 starts at $63,395.
Source: Audi