Arguably one of the most loved hyper hatchbacks, the Audi RS3 has a cult following. Our spy photographers have spotted the all-new model on the roads.

Picture credit:S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

With its potent 2.5-litre 5-cylinder turbocharged engine, the Audi RS3 has enjoyed immense popularity. Now the all-new model has been spotted testing by our spy photographers. It looks like the 5-cylinder engine has been retained, along with the massive RS sports exhausts, big brakes with red callipers and wider wheel arches.

However, the 5-cylinder engine is going to need a boost in outputs if its to compete with the recently-launched Mercedes-AMG A45 S which has 310 kW. We know this engine can take the extra grunt, tuners have been extracting huge numbers, but the question will be can such enormous numbers be consistantly reliable over a longer period of time? There's also the issue of efficiency and emissions, as all manufacturers are under the cosh to be greener. It would not surprise us in the slightest if we see a version of Audi's mild-hybrid system make an appearance here and operate in the same way as the Audi RS6/RS7, where it shuts down the engine temporarily while coasting.

As for performance, we expect the all-new Audi RS3 to breach the 4 second barrier in the 0-100 kph sprint and while top speed will be limited to 250 kph, there will no doubt be an option to push it beyond 275 kph.

We're still some way away from seeing the production-ready Audi RS3 as we still haven't seen the all-new Audi A3, but we expect a reveal before the end of 2019.

Further Reading

Audi RS3 (2016) Review

Audi RS3 Sedan (2017) Quick Review

Spy Shots: Audi A3

Spy Shots: 2020 Audi A3

Audi A1 (2019) Launch Review