title: "Audi RS3 Competition Limited: 750 Units, Three-Way Coilovers, Ceramic Brakes" slug: audi-rs3-competition-750-units date: 2026-03-10 category: launch tags: [audi, rs3, hot-hatch, five-cylinder, limited-edition, europe] source_url: "https://www.carscoops.com/2026/03/audi-rs3-five-cylinder-compe/"
Audi is celebrating 50 years of the five-cylinder engine with a 750-unit RS3 Competition Limited, available in both Sportback and Sedan forms. The turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder still produces 395 hp (294 kW) and 500 Nm. Power hasn't changed. Everything around it has.
The Chassis
The headline upgrade is a three-way adjustable coilover suspension. Stainless steel front dampers and aluminum rears feature external reservoirs for thermal management. Drivers can manually adjust high-speed compression, low-speed compression, and rebound independently. Audi includes a dedicated toolkit and setup manual, which signals who this car is for: people who bring tire pressure gauges to track days.
A stiffer rear stabilizer bar complements the coilovers. Ceramic brakes with red calipers are standard. Optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks are available for those who treat public roads as a suggestion.
Sound Design
Audi reduced the firewall insulation. That's not marketing speak for a speaker-based engine sound enhancement. They physically removed material to let more of the five-cylinder's distinctive uneven firing order (1-2-4-5-3) into the cabin. The RS sports exhaust with variable flap control handles the external acoustics.
The Matrix LED headlights perform a startup sequence that mirrors the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order when you approach the vehicle. It's a detail that costs almost nothing to implement and lands perfectly with the audience buying this car.
Visual Treatment
Carbon fiber canards and a split front splitter up front. Revised rear spoiler on the Sportback. 19-inch wheels in Neodymium gold matte with red brake calipers. Three color options: exclusive Malachite Green, new Glacier White matte, and Daytona Gray.
Inside: RS bucket seats with carbon seatbacks, black and Ginter White leather with Alcantara, a virtual cockpit with a white background inspired by the RS2 Avant, and a matte serial number on the center console.
Pricing
The Sportback starts at €108,365 ($126,000) in Germany. The Sedan: €110,005 ($127,900). Deliveries begin mid-2026 in Europe. North American availability hasn't been announced.
