Audi’s five-cylinder engine is easily one of its most iconic powerplants, but its days are numbered as European Union emissions standards tighten. As one last hurrah for the engine, the automaker is planning a track-focused variant of the RS3, but like other hot Audis, it’s unlikely to make its way here.
The car is expected to sport a range of go-fast upgrades, including beefier brakes, more aggressive bodywork, and a power boost, with the engine’s output pushed beyond the 401 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque seen in the RS3 Performance Edition, which also matches the 2025 RS3 variant sold in the United States.
It’s also worth noting that the prototype seen in spy shots is the RS3 hatchback, which we don’t get anyway. The changes are intended to make the car a track monster, and we’ll likely see some exclusive or limited paint colors to go with the special edition.
Audi executives have said the company has some runway with the five-cylinder engine, even with the increasingly strict emissions rules, but it’s hard to see a future for the mill without some form of electrification. One of the engine’s big selling points is its sound, so whatever Audi does to improve fuel economy and emissions can’t go too far.
[Images: Audi]
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