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The new Audi RS3 Competition Limited is one of the hottest hatchbacks of all time and it's just been locked in for a 2027 launch in Australia.
Sadly, the fire-breathing RS3 is also primed to be one of the most expensive hot hatches ever, as Audi plans to make just 750 cars globally, with only a small batch of 18 Sportback hatches and eight sedans expected to land Down Under.
All RS3 Competitions will bag a trick coilover suspension, extra air bending aids and get the option of a special Malachite Green paint that was originally offered on the legendary short-wheelbase Audi Sport quattro (1984-1985).
Supposedly built to celebrate 50 years of road and rally Audis powered by five-cylinder engines, the real reason the new RS3 Competition has been rolled out is to farewell the turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder that will be killed off, along with the current RS3 itself, because they do not meet upcoming Euro 7 emissions.
Helping the RS3 special stand out from lesser models, the Competition gains a pair of new canards at each corner of the front bumper that is combined with a new split front lip that is finished in a fetching matt carbon.
The same lightweight composite is used for the mirror caps, side skirts and rear spoiler, plus more carbon dressing around the large rear diffuser.
All the aero tweaks are said to work following more wind tunnel testing with lift reduced over the front axle.
Further goodies include 19-inch ten-spoke gold matt rims and, for the real engineering geeks out there, a set of darkened matrix LED headlamps that have a welcome or farewell illumination sequence that matches the 1-2-4-5-3 five-cylinder firing order.
Just three hues are available – the popular Daytona Grey already chosen by many RS3 buyers, plus a new Glacier White matt and the aforementioned exclusive Malachite Green finish.
Inside, the swansong for the RS3 gains a cabin that embraces black, gold and ginger white colours. The RS bucket seats gain black bolsters and yellowy-gold inserts and ginger white belts. It all sounds awful, but it works.
RS3 Competition Limited graphics for the puddle lamps and a serial number mounted neatly on the front of the gear shifter complete the upgrades.
One final Easter egg for the run-out RS3 is the digital instrument cluster that bags exclusive white instrument dials that pay tribute to the original 1994 RS2, that also featured a powerful five-cylinder turbo, and was the world's fastest wagon when it launched.
Under the bonnet, pesky emissions regs mean that the turbo-five-cylinder produces no more power, carrying over the same 294kW and 500Nm of torque as before – although few would gripe with a blistering 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.8 second dash and claimed 290km/h top speed.
The big news is, for the first time, the RS3 gains a new coilover suspension that has been developed exclusively by Audi Sport for Audi's hyper hatch.
Featuring twin-tube dampers, with remote reservoir up front, engineers have also fitted a stiffer rear sway bar to curb body roll.
Boasting extensive tuning, the three-way adjustable dampers and further adjustment for the rebound and compression are unique to the hot hatch segment and more akin to expensive track-focused supercars.
The result is a car that can be tailored to your individual driving style or track you're about to attack. Alternatively, Audi said you can also tweak the RS3 for maximum comfort, while lowering its ride by up to 10mm compared to the standard car.
The catch? Like the RS5 and RS4 Competition special editions adjusting the suspension needs manual tools and requires wheel-off fettling if you're raising or lowering the ride height.
Helping offset an inevitable towering price tag, the RS3 Competition Limited edition comes standard with sticky Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tyres, the RS sports exhaust, a set of lighter carbon ceramic brakes that, alone, cost $10,800 on the standard car.
Factor in its trick suspension, high level of standard kit and relative rarity and, in Europe, it is no surprise that Audi charges a huge premium for its last-ever five-cylinder RS model.
In Germany, the RS3 Competition Limited costs a whopping 30 per cent more than the high-grade version it's based on.
With that in mind, when pricing is announced the Audi RS3 could cost more than $140,000, surpassing the 2019 Renault Megane RS Trophy-R ($108,000) and the more current $111,000 battery-powered Hyundai Ioniq 5 N as one of the most expensive hot hatches ever to be sold in Australia.
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