Audi has made various unforgettable marks on the history of performance and motorsport, including in the rally world with its quattro all-wheel drive system, and also with its five-cylinder engines. Providing a unique sound experience and compelling performance, five-cylinder engines have been central to Audi’s legacy of performance excellence, and Audi is celebrating 50 years of five-cylinder engines with a limited-edition variant of its current five-cylinder-powered performance car: the RS 3.
That is the new Audi RS 3 Competition Limited, and only 750 examples of it will be built. While the 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine is the centerpiece of the RS 3, the Competition Limited variant adds various upgrades to the car to celebrate the five-cylinder’s heritage, which, for Audi, began in 1976 with the Audi 100. The exterior design of the Audi RS 3 has been revised to look sharper in the case of the Competition Limited, with new carbon fiber accents, 19-inch wheels, headlights that animate the engine’s 1-2-4-5-3 cylinder firing pattern with their segments, and an exclusive Malachite Green color.
With nearly 400 horsepower going to all four wheels, the Audi RS 3 Competition Limited is small and mighty, with a 0-60 time of under 3.8 seconds, and a top speed of 180 mph. Aside from the formidable performance of the car, especially considering its size, the unique sound of the Audi RS 3 Competition Limited is one of the most important factors of its appeal. Its exhaust system features fully variable flap control, allowing the sound to be throatier in certain modes, while a lack of sound insulation around the firewall means occupants can hear the unique exhaust note more clearly.
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A new rear stabilizer is part of the new Audi RS 3 Competition Limited’s coilover suspension, which works in conjunction with the torque splitter, ceramic brakes, and other features like three-way adjustable shock absorbers, to offer high-performance handling. The interior, meanwhile, features a unique color combination of black, Neodymium Gold, and Ginger White. “RS 3 Competition Limited” lettering can be seen in the door lighting, and the floor mats, while a matte serial number in front of the shifter showcasing its place in a limited production run. The instrument dials have a white background, like the Audi RS 2 Avant, the first RS Audi to have a five-cylinder engine.
The limited-edition performance model features a Sonos sound system and is available with Malachite Green, Daytona Gray, and Glacier White exterior colors. European deliveries for the exclusive five-cylinder performance car are set to begin in the middle of 2026, honoring an incredible legacy of half a century of unique performance cars.
Image Source: Audi
