“The RS 3 Sportback is an entry point to the RS range for driving enthusiasts. We are already seeing strong interest with 52 cars pre-sold to date, and the car hasn’t even arrived yet. “ said Dean Sheed, General Manager of Audi New Zealand. “Supply permitting, we plan on selling 100 units this year.“

“We know there is a large appetite for RS product in New Zealand. 2021 was a record year with 405 RS vehicles sold. This means once again we are the top market globally in terms of RS model share, with 23.1% of our total volume. We expect the RS 3 Sportback to be a key driver in ensuring we maintain this position in 2022.”

From 0 to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, RS Torque Splitter, and specific RS driving modes – the new Audi RS 3 Sportback offers driving dynamics of the highest caliber in its segment. Equipped with 294kW and five-cylinders, the power unit now delivers 500 Nm of torque and responds even faster.

With its five-cylinder, high-performance engine, the Audi RS 3 Sportback is one-of-a-kind in this segment. The 2.5 TFSI has won the “International Engine of the Year” award nine times in a row.

Visually, the RS 3 Sportback demonstrates its athletic prowess with a widened body, RS sports exhaust, racing-style interior and cockpit displays similar to those found in race cars. The design of the new Audi RS 3 Sportback is even more dynamic and powerful than that of its predecessor.

The new Audi RS 3 Sportback is the first Audi model that comes standard with a torque splitter. It replaces the rear axle differential and the previous multiple disc clutch package on the rear axle. Instead, an electronically controlled multiple disc clutch is used on each of the drive shafts. This ensures that the right amount of torque is optimally distributed along the rear axle. During more dynamic driving, the torque splitter increases the drive torque to the outer rear wheel with the higher wheel load, which significantly reduces the tendency to understeer.

The Audi RS 3 Sportback will be available at New Zealand Audi authorised dealerships nationwide from March 2022 with a MRP of $112,500*.

Additional information about the Audi RS 3 Sportback is available at www.audi.co.nz

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* Maximum Retail Price (MRP) excludes on road costs and any optional extras.

The Audi Group, with its brands Audi, Ducati and Lamborghini, is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the premium segment. It is present in more than 100 markets worldwide and produces at 19 locations in 12 countries. 100 percent subsidiaries of AUDI AG include Audi Sport GmbH (Neckarsulm, Germany), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy), and Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna/Italy).

In 2020, the Audi Group delivered to customers about 1.693 million automobiles of the Audi brand, 7,430 sports cars of the Lamborghini brand and 48,042 motorcycles of the Ducati brand. In the 2020 fiscal year, AUDI AG achieved total revenue of €50.0 billion and an operating profit before special items of €2.7 billion. At present, 87,000 people work for the company all over the world, 60,000 of them in Germany. With new models, innovative mobility offerings and other attractive services, Audi is becoming a provider of sustainable, individual premium mobility.