Next Audi A3, S3 and RS 3 to go all-electric

The iconic howl of the turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine in the 2022 Audi RS 3 might not be with us for much longer, with Audi sources revealing both the RS 3 and the mainstream Audi A3 line-up it crowns will make the shift to full electrification in their next generation.

That’s the latest word from British publication Autocar, which this week reported the current Audi A3 portfolio will be replaced in 2027 by a new all-electric line-up underpinned by the Volkswagen Group’s new ‘Scalable Systems Platform’ (SSP).

Citing anonymous sources within Audi’s head office, the report goes on to claim the electric transition will also facilitate a swap to rear-wheel drive for the first time in the model’s history, however, high-end performance variants including the S3 and RS 3 will retain their familiar AWD configurations courtesy of a dual-motor set-up.

In the case of the 2027 Audi RS 3, this should yield an even faster 0-100km/h acceleration time than the latest model’s already brisk 3.8 seconds.

Innovative EV technology like the Audi e-tron GT flagship’s torque vectoring system will undoubtedly trickle down and make its way into the ‘RS 3 e-tron’ too, while the SSP architecture will support both 400V and 800V charging systems and permit charging speeds of up to 270kW.

Both the hatch (Sportback) and sedan body types are anticipated to return for the new generation, however, the new platform and electric powertrains will more than likely result in a noticeable change in proportions.

Autocar’s sources say the new model will have “shorter overhangs, a shorter bonnet line, a longer cabin and larger wheelhouses”.

All of this should culminate in a drastic increase in cabin space, while a much lower centre of gravity should do wonders for the RS 3’s already lauded dynamics.

But while the Germans are targeting a 2027 launch for their next-gen compact range, Audi Australia executives have indicated the local timeline could look a bit different in terms of the overarching plan to scrap internal combustion engines altogether by 2032.

“It’s going to look slightly different in terms of timeframe in different parts of the world, and Australia is in a different place to other markets like Europe,” Audi Australia corporate communications manager Shaun Cleary told carsales at last week’s launch of the new RS 3.

“It’s quite possible our line-up will look a bit different in terms of combustion engines beyond that timeframe, but we don’t know.”

Cleary was coy when it came to the prospect of an all-electric RS 3, stating nothing was off the table and that all options were being considered.

“In the last few years, the theme that’s come through is that all options and avenues are being considered at Audi Sport and ensuring that the future of Audi Sport and RS models complement the Audi brand,” he said.

“Everyone’s monitoring things closely, in terms of how fast the market’s moving. It’s an exciting time to be a part of the automotive industry and play a leading hand in shaping the future of it.

“In the last 12 months the conversation around electrified vehicles and the appetite for the conversations about sustainability has increased and become very topical. So watch this space.”

If the new RS 3 is in fact the final outing for Audi’s beloved force-fed five-cylinder, there’s every chance that resale values of the new model and perhaps even its predecessor will skyrocket in the coming years as punters try to snap up what could be the final five-cylinder Audi.

Any Audi fan will tell you the five-cylinder turbo layout is synonymous with the brand’s compact performance models and can be traced right back to the 1984 Audi Sport Quattro S1 Group B monster.

“Certainly, demand for the RS 3 has been extraordinary over the past few years,” Cleary said.

“What it shows among enthusiasts and brand enthusiasts who are interested in these types of cars, it’s very important to them too.”

We’ve already seen prices of V8 LandCruisers skyrocket in recent times, so the current RS 3 could end up being quite a valuable collector’s item as Audi’s all-electric deadline approaches.

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