AUDI HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE highly limited Audi RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 Years will be arriving Down Under in 2023. This limited edition builds upon the already outstanding RS Q3 with a host of exterior and interior features and details, including striking exterior design, a performance-focused interior, and an outstanding driving experience for owners in the award winning 2.5 TFSI turbocharged five-cylinder engine, paired with a sonorous exhaust note.
“This special edition pays great tribute to the best of SUV performance in the RS Q3 Sportback,” said Jeff Mannering, Director of Audi Australia. “Australia as a market is so performance-focused, and I have no doubt that owners will enjoy exclusive RS touches in this limited edition model.”
The RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 Years builds on the already highly-specified RS Q3 Sportback, with unique additions including edition-exclusive 21-inch alloy wheels in black, black Audi badging, and brake callipers, and most notably – racing-inspired RS front bucket seats with contrasting copper honeycomb stitching. This contrast stitching is carried over to the black Alcantara steering wheel and gear lever, and mimicked in RS floor mats with copper highlights. Finally, the door entry greets passengers with a lighting projection in a unique rhombus design.
Strong Character: The Exterior
Among other things, Audi is using two expressive colours to celebrate the RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 Years: Dew Silver matte effect or metallic Chronos Grey. The latter is intended exclusively for the special edition, while the matte silver is being added to the colour palette of the Audi RS Q3 for the first time. Also exclusive to the edition are the black, 21-inch light alloy wheels in a double-spoke design. It comes with black brake callipers as a standard feature or, alternatively the RS ceramic brake system with carbon-fibre reinforced front ceramic brake discs and brake calipers painted in a choice of anthracite grey, red, or blue for an additional charge.
Numerous add-on parts in black or glossy black emphasize the exclusive look of the edition. These include as standard, for example, darkened matrix LED headlights with dynamic flashing light and the wing mirror housings. The roof frame, window slot rims, and door trim are available in glossy black. The same applies to the blades on the front spoiler and the diffuser insert. The sporty look is rounded out with the four rings on the Singleframe grille and the rear, and the model lettering in glossy black.
Exclusive and Sporty: The Interior
For the first time in the RS Q3, passengers take their seats in new RS bucket seats that are exclusive to this edition. The RS emblems in the neck area of the seat make a strong impression, while the seatback covers in matte Carbon are also a special highlight. The bucket seats are upholstered in a leather-Dinamica combination in black and jet black – the new, sporty, elegant colour. Dinamica is a microfiber and consists of around 45% recycled PET fibres. In addition to the seats, it is also used on the instrument panel application. The copper-coloured stitching, which is repeated throughout the entire interior, creates a special contrast. This applies, for example, to the honeycomb stitching in the centre of the seat, the centre armrest, the door armrest, the steering wheel, and the black floor mats with glossy copper-embroidered RS Q3 lettering. The front seats feature 3-stage heating and are manually adjustable.
The 10 Years edition also boasts exclusive decorative inlays in a carbon matte-finish and features edition-specific illuminated door sill trims that project a red 3D diamond onto the ground when the doors are opened.
Irresistible: The Drive
The RS Q3 Sportback edition 10 Years comes with a powerful 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder engine. With 2.5 litres of displacement and 294kW, it boasts some 17 percent more power than in the previous generation of the RS Q3, which had augmented its performance to 250kW in 2015. Compared to the 2013 original version with 228kW, that is a 29 percent performance increase. The maximum torque of 480Nm is available between 2250 and 5850 rpm. The RS Q3 Sportback can reach 100 km/h from a standstill in just 4.5 seconds, with its top speed limited to 250km/h.
The special firing order 1-2-4-5-3 and the odd number of cylinders create a unique engine sound. The RS dual exhaust system emphasizes the characteristic sound of the five-cylinder engine, while the optionally available RS sports exhaust system sharpens it even further. The five-cylinder engine was awarded the coveted “International Engine of the Year Award” nine times in a row. The power of the five-cylinder engine runs to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive via a seven-speed S tronic as standard equipment.
Peace-of-mind for Audi owners
Like all Audi vehicles delivered to Australian customers from January 1, 2022, the RS Q3 Sportback Edition 10 Years come with the peace-of-mind of a five-year warranty. Audi also provides 12 years manufacturer warranty for bodywork against corrosion perforation for new vehicles.
Audi owners also receive a complementary membership during their warranty period to Audi Experience, Audi Australia’s bespoke loyalty program that offers access to exclusive national events, intimate Audi Ambassador experiences, and premium partner offers.