IRELAND - The Scorchingly awesome AUDI RS3 launches in September starting at €66,750.

• All-new RS3 launches in Ireland in September, starting price of €66,750 OTR
• Weight reduction of 55kg and increase in power of 27bhp versus its predecessor
• Fine Nappa leather, LED headlights, 19” alloys, Audi Drive Select and RS Suspension and Brake System as standard
• The most powerful production five-cylinder engine produced in RS history

Audi Ireland has announced that the all-new Audi RS3 will launch in early September, with a starting price of €66,750 OTR. Order books are now open.

“There is a long tradition of five-cylinder engines at Audi” says Prof Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at Audi AG. In the ‘80s, such engines turned Audi into a sporty brand, both in motor sports and in production. The all new Audi RS3 Sportback features the latest generation of our 2.5 litre, five-cylinder engine.

Power and prizes

The six-time Engine of the Year award-winning 2.5 TFSI produces 367 bhp and 465 Nm of torque in the new model. The turbocharged engine accelerates the compact five-door from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, and top speed can be increased to 280 km/h upon request. It consumes just 8.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres with CO₂ emissions of 189 grams per kilometre, leading to an annual road tax of €750.

A seven-speed S tronic, which shifts even faster than the previous model, directs the power of the 2.5 TFSI to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive system. The quattro system features torque vectoring based on intelligent software and is designed through-and-through for maximum driving enjoyment. The all-new Audi RS3 Sportback steers directly into corners. On low-friction road surfaces, drivers can even perform controlled drifts, if desired.

Inside and out

Compared with the Audi A3 Sportback, the body is 25 millimetres lower. The pivot bearings of the front axle, the progressive steering, the RS-specific sport suspension and optional Audi magnetic ride adaptive damper control are designed specifically for the RS.

Customers can choose from a palette of eight paint finishes to either accentuate or subtly play down the purposeful look – it includes the two new shades, Nardo grey and Catalunya red, metallic, the latter available exclusively for the RS 3 Sportback.

Availability

The new top model of the A3 family is rolling into dealerships in September 2015 with an on the road price of €66,750. The all new Audi RS3 Sportback complete package is rounded out with sharp interior and exterior details and a generous list of equipment.

Christian Gussen, Managing Director of Audi Ireland, said the new RS3 “demonstrates Audi’s transition from racetrack experience to road car performance in its key competencies of quattro and engine technology”.

“The enhanced driving experience is delivered thanks to engineering innovations in weight reduction, dynamic suspension improvement and quattro technology.  Audi Sport continues to deliver remarkable performance figures,” said Mr Gussen.

Audi RS 7 piloted driving concept @ Hockenheim - Long version

TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE LAP - GO TO 14:20

• Audi sets new standards for piloted driving
• Audi RS 7 piloted driving concept completes Hockenheimring lap driverless at racing speed
• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, AUDI AG Board Member for Technical Development: “This top performance substantiates the skills of our development team with regard to piloted driving at Audi.”

At the DTM season finale, Audi demonstrated the sheer fascination of piloted driving. The Audi RS 7 piloted driving concept completed a lap on the Grand Prix track in Hockenheim – at racing speed, without a driver. 

Audi scored yet another major success in the development of piloted driving: Before the season finale of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), the latest technology pioneer was running up to its physical limit, with no driver. It took the Audi RS 7 piloted driving concept just slightly over two minutes to complete a lap on the Grand Prix track in Hockenheim – piloted with high precision and accuracy to within centimetres. 

 

“The top performance by the Audi RS 7 today substantiates the skills of our development team with regard to piloted driving at Audi,” said Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. “The derivations from series production, particularly in terms of precision and performance, are of great value for our further development steps.” 

 

For orientation on the track, the technology pioneer uses specially corrected GPS signals. This GPS data is transmitted to the vehicle via WiFi according to the automotive standard and redundantly via high-frequency radio. In parallel to this, 3D cameras in the car film the track, and a computer program compares the cameras’ image information against a data set stored on board. This is what makes it possible for the technology pioneer to orient itself on the track within centimetres.

 

Piloted driving is one of the most important development fields at Audi: The first successful developments were achieved ten years ago. The test results continually flow into series development. The latest test runs at the physical limit are providing the Audi engineers with insights for the development of automatic avoidance functions in critical driving situations, for example. 

 

Driver assistance systems from Audi are already making driving more relaxed and better controlled. These systems’ highest level of development can be experienced in the updated Audi A6* and Audi A7 Sportback* model series. The offerings include Audi side assist, Audi active lane assist, and adaptive cruise control with Stop&Go function including Audi pre sense front. 

 

Experts from Volkswagen Group Research, the Electronics Research Laboratory (ERL) and Stanford University (both in California) are supporting Audi as partners in the further development of piloted systems.