Facelifted 2025 Audi RS 3 shown and priced

UPDATE, May 15, 2025: The 2025 Audi RS 3 will arrive in local showrooms mid-year priced from $104,800 plus on-road costs, marking an increase of more than $9000 over the previous versions.

Both the familiar Sportback and sedan bodies have been retained, with the former once again being the cheaper of two, even though they share a common spec sheet in terms of equipment and capability, all of which can be read about below.

ORIGINAL, August 20, 2024: The facelifted 2024 Audi RS 3 has finally made its global debut, almost two months after a pre-production version reset the previous version’s Nürburgring compact class lap record.

It’s been well documented already how the latest RS 3 doesn’t score any extra firepower as part of the facelift, instead wading into battle with an overhauled chassis set-up and a raft of new and/or enhanced electronics.

Still lurking under the RS 3’s bonnet is the waling and soon-to-be-retired 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine good for an unchanged 294kW/500Nm, driving all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a rear-biased quattro system.

Zero-100km/h is still dealt with in a claimed 3.8 seconds and the top speed is still capped at 250km/h, however that limiter can once again be optionally raised to 290km/h.

So with no extra straight line performance, the RS two-second improvement around the Green Hell (7:33.123) can be attributed entirely to the new chassis and electronic driver aids, chief among which is the software governing the torque vectoring, stability control and adaptive dampers.

Audi says each of these new algorithms were redeveloped to “respond even more sensitively” to the driving at hand, with the new damping control system now able to better cope with higher lateral forces, i.e. faster cornering.

The net result of these changes plus the subtle tweaks to the quattro system, centre differential and torque splitter mean the new RS 3 is more neutral than its predecessor and even more adjustable under throttle, resulting in faster and more composed corner exits.

Marking the new RS 3 apart from the pre-facelift version is an even more menacing exterior design headlined by a new black-heavy front fascia sporting a sleeker Singleframe, new intakes and tweaked headlights as per the rest of the updated A3 portfolio.

The rear apron and tail-light graphics have also been tweaked accordingly with the star of the show being the new functional rear diffuser.

Refreshed 19-inch cast alloy wheels round out the standard package.

Inside the cabin is a redesigned perforated leather steering wheel and (more aggressive) RS sport seats, the latter upholstered in Nappa leather and Dinamica microfibre.

Other headline appointments include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, upgraded 10.1-inch infotainment display, contour and ambient lighting, RS-specific displays, launch control, shift light, tri-zone climate control, stainless pedals, a black headliner, sat-nav, a head-up display and surround sound system.

Audi Australia is yet to confirm when the new RS 3 will be available Down Under or how much it will cost, however it would be safe to expect it here sometime in the first half of 2025 and a circa-$100,000 asking price.

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