Car Moon

The Audi RS3 Sportback and the BMW 1 M Coupe represent two very different approaches on the compact sport model segment.

Ingolstadt’s proposal is a five-door model that looks more like a hotted-up small station wagon than a hatchback. It features a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five producing 340-horsepower and 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) linked to Audi’s all-wheel drive quattro system and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.

Volkswagen has announced that it will compete at this year's 24-hour endurance race at the Nürburgring with an all-new challenger, the freshly developed Golf24. The dramatic racing version of the Golf borrows the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine from sister company Audi's TT RS and RS3 models, modified to deliver 440-ponies and a maximum torque of 540Nm or 398 lb-ft. Power is transmitted to the permanent four-wheel drive by a sequential six-speed gearbox with paddle shift operation.

Now here's a video worthy of the all-new Audi RS3's sporty credentials and quattro heritage. Forget about the bland static footage of the car released at launch because this clip is -mostly- about having some slideways fun on the snow accompanied by the howling sounds of the RS3's 340HP turbocharged inline-five. Enjoy the 7 minute long film, which was shot in Canada, right after the break.

Earlier this week, we brought you a first look at Audi's second proposal in the hot hatchback segment after the 265HP S3, the new RS3 Sportback that borrows the TT RS' 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five with 340 ponies. Now we have the first video that takes us up close and personal with the RS3. Unfortunately, the clip does not include any running footage of the car. The European market order books for the RS3 Sportback open in December with prices in Germany starting from €49,900.

It's official; Audi has finally lifted the wraps off the all-new RS3 Sportback that will be if not the, one of the most powerful and fastest hatchbacks in the market when it goes on sale in Europe in early 2011. It adopts the TT RS' 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine producing 340-horsepower and 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque available between 1,600 rpm and 5,300 rpm.

Power is transmitted to the road through a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with two auto and one manual modes, and the Ingolstadt firm's quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.

Weighing in at 1,575 kg (3,472.28 pounds), the RS3 completes the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in a mere 4.6 seconds, while top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). Audi adds that the RS3 returns an average fuel consumption of 9.1 liters per 100 km (25.9 US mpg) and emits 212 g CO2 per km (341.18 g/mile).

Ever since it was confirmed that Audi was developing the TT RS and especially after the Coupe made its public debut at last month's Geneva Motor Show, there have been rumors that the German automaker is developing an RS version of the A3. Well, this time is seems that the rumors were based on actual facts as our spy photographers snapped a test mule of the most powerful A3 performing test runs in Nurburgring, Germany.

Even though officially the RS3 has not yet received the green light, Audi's engineers have begun testing the TT RS's five-pot on an S3 mule meaning that the company is seriously considering a production version. For the record, it is not at all uncommon for automakers to test vehicles or specific versions of cars that are awaiting final approval for production. In the RS3's case, according to our sources, if all goes well and Audi's high-rank execs give their blessings, we could see the RS3 on the market as soon as 2010.

In the TT RS, the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine makes 340HP and 450 Nm (331.90 lb.-ft.) of torque. Most likely, those numbers will not change on the RS3 that will also get the TT's new six-speed manual transmission as well as Audi's quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.

Since the RS3 will probably weigh in about as much as the TT RS, expect to see similar performance figures with 0–100km/h (62mph) times of under 5.0 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250km/h or 155 mph. As with the TT RS, Audi will probably offer to remove the limiter as an option increasing the hot hatch's top speed to over 270km/h (170mph).

As for aesthetics, despite the fact that the only visible difference on the test mule were the covered foglights, the production RS3 will get the usual upgrades such as new alloy wheels, revised bumpers and front grille as well as a larger roof spoiler.