For die-hard Audi enthusiasts, there is hardly a more beautiful symphony than engines playing in the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order.

This unique, throaty sound especially evokes memories of the legendary Group B era or when Walter Röhrl attacked Pikes Peak in the Audi Sport quattro S1.

Audi Celebrates 50 Years of the Five-Cylinder Engine

With the special edition Audi RS 3 Competition Limited, Audi Sport is paying tribute to its five-cylinder history. For us, this comes with mixed feelings, as the hand-built five-cylinder engines are being discontinued. Too bad.

But Audi Sport is Audi Sport and they don’t say a quiet goodbye to the five-cylinder engine. The Audi RS 3 Competition Limited, limited to just 750 units and powered by a 400 hp 2.5-liter TFSI five-cylinder, is a true driving machine.

Limited to Just 750 Units

In recent years, Audi has offered a triple-adjustable coilover suspension either as an option for the Audi RS 4 and Audi RS 5 (link), or directly from the factory in special models such as the Audi RS 4 Avant Edition 25 Years (link) and the Audi RS 6 GT (link).

The same applies to this Audi RS 3 special model. All 750 units come equipped with a coilover suspension that is independently adjustable in high-speed and low-speed compression, as well as low-speed rebound.

On the RS 3 Competition Limited, the front struts feature external reservoirs, while the rear dampers do not. Since the RS 3 Competition Limited (Sportback from €108,365 and Sedan from €110,005) will not be available until July 2026, there are no test reports or lap times available yet.

In the August 2023 issue of Sport Auto, the 450 hp Audi RS 4 with the optional Competition Plus package was a full 20 seconds faster on the Nürburgring Nordschleife than the standard model with the same engine power, thanks to the optional suspension. For various Audi models, we at KW suspensions naturally also offer coilover kits for retrofitting. You can find more information on our website at www.kwsuspensions.com.

Photos Audi