It's official! Audi RS 3 Sportback

[Joker]

It is always interesting to hear an inside view on RS cars and Qisha's insights invariably reveal small details that others miss out. Most of all, i like the way he explains why certain decisions have been made. There was a lot of concern about the different width wheels on the RS3. He confirmed that this solution had worked very successfully before in other Audi models, which was reassuring.

I have ordered an RS3 blind! So maybe i've been a fool. With or without magnetic ride, i think it will be a superb car. i trust Audi / quattro Gmbh to make it so.

BTW, thanks for posting that report.

I saw this video yesterday and thought it was great.

Not a fool, you made the calculated decision of wanting the car early and hoping the ride is to your liking instead of waiting to see for sure and be late to the party, my point was that Qisha's comments can't really confirm the ride will suit you, only you can determine that question as Qisha's preference might be to a firmer setup than you. He might reassure you a bit but only that.

One thing that will help is more reports coming back from multiple sources saying the same thing, if most say it's well judged then great.

Audiworld and Autocar say it's ride is good so that's a great start.

[tailpipe]

Where have you got to on ordering an RS3? Are you going to go for it now, or wait?

A lot of people have given me a hard time for buying a car that will be out of date within a year of buying it. But since it is unlikely that a new RS3 model will appear in the next generation A3 any time soon, i figure time is still on my side. I think the RS3 has the very best engine Audi makes at this time as well as the very best gearbox. I can handle a firm suspension, indeed, I like a firm suspension. What i don't like is no give whatsoever.

[Joker]

A lot of people have given me a hard time for buying a car that will be out of date within a year of buying it. But since it is unlikely that a new RS3 model will appear in the next generation A3 any time soon, i figure time is still on my side.

If they aren't willing to take the gamble and possibly get one of Audi's best RS cars simply because the model is due a change soon then it's their loss, don't worry what others think.

I think the RS3 has the very best engine Audi makes at this time as well as the very best gearbox. I can handle a firm suspension, indeed, I like a firm suspension. What i don't like is no give whatsoever.

Firm is grand as long as it isn't jarringly so, in my mind Porsche are best at getting this balance right but I have faith in Audi, recently some of their most sporty of models have got surprisingly good, the S4, the R8, the TT, all firm but still comfortable, hopefully the RS3 continues this trend.

[tailpipe]

I wonder if Porsche has lent a few components to Quattro Gmbh for the RS3? Such as as springs and dampers. You wouldn't give a damn about magnetic ride if that was the case. I think the last time Porsche got involved with an RS model it was the old and original RS2? Lovely car.

[rs-6]

I doubt it, if that would be the case Audi would use it in it's marketing.

[Joker]

I doubt it, if that would be the case Audi would use it in it's marketing.

Agreed, the Porsche brand is a powerful marketing tool that Audi would undoubtedly use where ever possible.

[harald-hans]

Hi at @ll,

I just want to mention that I have ordered my RS3 last week - color is "Misanored" Pearl.

Delivery date - 2nd quarter 2011 ...

Greetings from Germany

harald-hans - R

[tailpipe]

Congratulations on a great choice.

Delivery starts in the second quarter, i.e. from April, it's the same for all of us.

[doodlebug]

First UK cars not expected until July (at best), demonstrators and first customer cars to arrive at the same time. I'll be test driving before placing an order.

The original 500 car quota is likely to be exceeded given current interest in the vehicle.

[tailpipe]

My dealer says they're getting the first UK allocation. He says April. Not July. I hope he is right. If it slips to July I'll be gutted.

I've just heard that the VW Group will display 7 concept cars at Geneva, including 2 from Audi. One is certain to be the Q3, the other could be another e-Tron / R4 / TT replacement, or preview the next A3. What is for sure is that the next A3 family is on a critical path to launch. Who will want a dull old A3 sportback when the new A3 is here? Not many. I imagine orders for the RS3 will dry up as soon as the new A3 is previewed.

So I think and hope Audi will expedite delivery fairly rapidly.

[doodlebug]

I'm afraid your dealer is telling porkies, they can't confirm delivery dates until March. The launch is set for summer. Here's the info from Audi UK (thanks Gareth). The R8 team supporting this car have indicated July as a likely time for first deliveries.

RS 3 Sportback - UK quota is 500 units

There will be limited production of just 500 RS 3 Sportbacks for the UK from the start of production in 2011 to end of production in 2012. As a result, demand for this fantastic new addition to the Audi range is likely to exceed supply. Here is more information on launch car availability and details of the open for ordering process.

Centre showroom/demonstrator orders

RS 3 will open for Centre Market Introduction ordering on Wednesday 21 December and close on Tuesday 4 January.

A quota of one showroom/demo vehicle per Centre will be available. There will be a maximum of one demonstrator per market area and the remainder must be showroom vehicles.

Orders must be SLI order type 05 Demo or 06 Showroom.

The specification of these vehicles is free, but if an order has not been placed by the deadline (4 January) then a vehicle will be ordered on your behalf in agreement with your Area Sales Manager.

Centres will not be permitted to sell their Market Introduction vehicles to customers until they are three months old.

The launch is planned for Summer 2011, further details are to be confirmed.

Price and specification guide

An electronic price and specification guide will be available to download from Desktop and from audi.co.uk on Wednesday 22 December to enable you to specify and order your RS 3 market introduction car.

Open for customer orders

Limited quota will be available in SLI for customer orders from Thursday 6 January 2011. Cars will be allocated by the RS team as per the usual process. Customers who placed the earliest deposit or interest in the car via roi@audi.co.uk will take delivery of the first vehicles.

It will not be possible to provide customers with confirmation of build weeks until March 2011 at the earliest. It is crucial that Centres inform customers of this in order to manage their expectations when placing an order. Deliveries of customer RS 3s will begin in Summer 2011. More specific timescales cannot be given at this time.

Timings
Open for Centre showroom/demo orders 22 December 2010 to 4 January 2011
Limited quota for Centre customer orders Thursday 6 January 2011
Confirmation of build weeks from March 2011
RS 3 premiere at Geneva motor show Calendar week 09 2011
Centre launch and first Customer deliveries Summer 2011

[tailpipe]

Doodlebug,

When exactly does summer begin? Is it May, June or July?

I've always thought of the seasons as follows:
- Spring: March, April and May
- Summer: June, July and August
- Autumn: September, October and November
- Winter: December, January and February

If I'm right that equates to a June arrival for the RS3 rather than July. That's still not April as I was told, which is mildly annoying. When I ordered my RS3 car, i was led to believe Q1 presentation (March at Geneva) followed Q2 delivery. I don't mind waiting until May, but if it's July I'll throw a gasket.

Do you think the above press release contains a fair amount of bullsh1t designed to manage customer expectations? Wasn't the VW Golf R the same? They said it would be limited to 500 units per annum, but in fact quite a few more have been sold. I suspect that with the RS3, Audi will want to sell as many as they can before production ends to justify the investment.

I tend to stand by what I said above: Audi cannot afford to delay the RS3. They made this mistake with the B7 RS4 and it cost them sales. Within a very short period of time after the RS4's launch, the new B8 A4 made it obsolete. The design of the new B8 platform was a big advance over the B7, so a lot of people who might have bought B7 RS4s waited for the S4. It was a smart decision, because the B8 S4 was as capable as the old B7 RS4 and in many ways better, but it cost less.

Even before the RS3 arrives, it is late having been in gestation longer than an elephant and the somewhat lacklustre 8P A3 platform is hardly the greatest foundation. Can Audi delay it further when a new A3 is on the horizon? The new A3 cannot be late either, because not only is the current A3 platform already very old (2003) Mercedes-Benz is readying its own assault on the category with radically new A- and B-Class models.

While I could think about waiting for the next S3, which is rumoured to get a 300 bhp version of the EA888 in-line 4-cylinder engine. If i have to wait until July, I may simply get a Golf R instead. I need a new car now!

[doodlebug]

The details above are from an Audi UK communication to the dealerships, so not a press release as such. Customers wouldn't normally see this, though clearly some of the details should be passed on!

I've been advised that cars aren't likely to appear until July, clearly more should be known in March when build details are released.

As I understand it, interest is such that more than 500 units are likely to be sold without any trouble. It would appear that timing isn't an issue to the market, I suspect the initial positive (but brief) reviews have aided the level of interest.

I looked at Golf R, but would need a considerable discount to make it appealing. Paying £40k for a Golf is a step too far!

[Joker]

Tailpipe, I am a little surprised to hear that you would still consider a Golf R if the RS3 is a couple of months late. Great is might be but when you start to add the extra kit that's standard on the RS3 you end up only a few grand less, it's still minus that magical engine, minus the image and status that comes with a RS and it's chassis hasn't received the same sprinkle of magic either. Then there's to limited production numbers that are assured with the RS.

No brainer mate, stick with your original decision.

[darkop]

Just got confirmation over twitter.. From one of the employees in US dealership!

''Audi revealed the Q3 in orange to us at the dealer meeting as well as the Q5 hybrid! Also the A3 sports sedan concept.''
So I guess, new A3 is not far away...

[tailpipe]

Thanks for that Darkop. Geneva is going to be interesting.

Joker, I am generally the sort of person who buys a car and keeps it until it falls apart - unless of course there is good reason to get rid of it. (My old BMW E46 M3's engine expired on two occasions and all the interior trim came unstuck, because BMW used a new glue that didn't work); so it went after only 3 years.) My old Audi A2's engine has just died after 10 years of service and putting a new one in it would cost more than the car is worth. We have an old Merc and its also on its last legs. I am hoping it'll last until the RS3 arrives. We go to italy in the Summer (wife is Italian), so I am hoping to have my RS3 in time for the drive from London to Rome. Seriously, I need a new car by June at the latest.

[doodlebug]

Tailpipe, did you get any further info from your dealer?

Rumour has it the initial quota has been taken up, no more factory orders.

[tailpipe]

My dealer says full details about availability and delivery timings will be published next week, i.e. at Geneva. He says anything anyone's heard up until now is either speculation with deliberately conservative estimates designed to manage expectations. He thinks that May-June is realistic, but it could be sooner.

He said that since new A3 will begin to appear this year, the RS3 will not remain on sale for very long. I've heard a rumour that production will cease in September. I don'y know if it is true. The current A3 product plan looks like this:

Q3 5-door hatchback - September 2011
A3 3-door coupe/ hatchback - September 2011 / Spring 2012
A3 5-door Sport back - September 2012/ Spring 2013
A3 2-door Convertible - Spring 2013
A3 4-door Sedan - Spring 2013 / September 2013