Drove a RS3 (latest version with 400 hp) yesterday and would like to share some impressions:

1. Engine feels very powerful but throttle/turbo response is the tradition of old school "meh, then boom" turbo cars. Probably a very nice Autobahn car but when you start off from standstill, there is around a second(!) of lag and then the turbo kicks quite violently. Not my cup of tea if I'm honest, especially since I have a comparison with my R8.

2. Exhaust sound with sport exhaust is quite nice for such a small car, it is not spectacular and very loud but pretty noticeable (people turn heads when I approach) but mostly in Dynamic driving mode (sport exhaust). The sound is also very special, not as boring as a farting 4-cyl. and not as unspectacular as a V6 Biturbo, so quite good for such a car. It reminds me a little bit of the V10 sound of my R8 but less loud, not that trumpet-like and with a bit of rougher tone.

3. Steering feel is fantastic for such a car, I really like it, very direct and sporty (in Dynamic mode).

4. Chassis setup feels sporty but also a bit "bumpy" in Dynamic mode.

5. Quality look and feel is OK, not even close to my R8 though. Virtual cockpit is a nice touch on this car, so is the Alcantara steering wheel (I like it a lot) but overall, quality is good but nothing special in this class. The controls already look a bit outdated I have to admit.

6. Brakes are great but I haven't driven the car on the track, so I can't say how good they are under heavy load.

7. AWD can fully cope with the power, very good setup (even in Dynamic mode, the behavior is pretty neutral).

Overall, an interesting offer for the money (lease would be around 700 EUR incl. VAT per month, no down payment, 3 years, 10k km per year) and there are some nice slightly used dealer cars available for around 60k and less, so not bad. For someone who is looking for a small(er) and powerful daily commuter with AWD, this car is perfect.


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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet (2015), Porsche Cayenne S Diesel (2017), Audi R8 V10 Plus (2016), Mini JCW (2015)