Five cylinder hero here to stay ... for now: New look and chassis tweaks see 2025 Audi RS3 hyper hatch beat the BMW M2's Nurburgring lap time

Audi has revealed the 2025 RS3 with a smattering of visual and chassis upgrades for the hyper hatch and sedan.

It is still packing the same output of 294kW/500Nm as the pre-facelift RS3 model thanks to the legendary 2.5-litre TFSI engine, which also powers the RSQ3 SUV. It remains the only five-cylinder engine still in mainstream production.

This could be the last outing for Audi's venerable five-cylinder power plant, though there's a possibility it will live on after this RS3. Audi has not made any official promises yet, though.

For 2025, the RS3 gains an even sportier look. A new front splitter is complemented by chequered front and rear headlight signatures that are a nod to the RS3’s performance pedigree, in addition to redesigned side air intakes and carbon detailing.

Inside, RS sport bucket seats are clad in Nappa leather, while a new-look, flat bottom steering wheel swaps out physical buttons for haptic controls — something Volkswagen is moving away from.

A new chequered flag button allows you to quickly access performance mode, while an RS button allows for instant access to the self-configurable RS Individual mode.

Other changes are more minor and mirror the updated A3 model, such as redesigned air vents and an even smaller gear selector.

Underneath, the RS3 gets more precise tuning of its chassis control systems, which Audi says will help optimise track performance.

Audi says this is confirmed by its record-setting lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife of 7:33.123 minutes, more than five seconds quicker than its price-point competitor, the BMW M2.

Changes include brake torque vectoring, which help the car avoid understeer when entering corners at high speeds, while also making more power available when driving in and out of bends.

The RS3 comes standard with new C-rated Pirelli tyres, which can be upgraded to the more performance-oriented Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R for those seeking more grip on the track.

It’ll do 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.8 seconds, smashing the Golf R (4.8 seconds), edging ahead of the Mercedes-AMG A45 S (3.9 seconds) and even besting its bigger RS4 brother.

Power is sent to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, with the RS3 capable of hitting a top speed of 290km/h.

Deliveries for the RS3 will commence across Europe from next month, while Audi Australia told CarsGuide that the RS3 won't be available in Australia until some time next year. 

Pricing for the RS3 will start in Germany at €66,000 (A$108,741), with the sedan being €2000 (A$3295) dearer.

The current model is priced from $95,715 for the hatchback and $98,215 for the sedan, both before on-road costs.