Audi Sport GmbH has revealed the RS 3 competition limited, a new special-edition variant of its compact performance model created to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Audi’s five-cylinder engine. Production will be limited to 750 examples worldwide, positioning the car as a collector-focused tribute to one of the brand’s most distinctive engineering signatures.
The car is very close to what a valued source had revealed to this website a few weeks ago.
The inline-five engine first appeared in Audi’s lineup in 1976 with the second-generation Audi 100 and has since become synonymous with the brand’s rally success, RS performance cars and unmistakable engine note. In the RS 3 competition limited, Audi Sport pairs that heritage with a series of performance upgrades, visual enhancements and exclusive interior treatments intended to underscore the milestone.
Available in both Sportback and Sedan body styles, the limited model combines Audi’s 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine with a new chassis setup, additional carbon aerodynamic components and a unique interior finished in Neodymium gold accents.
PERFORMANCE ROOTED IN THE LEGENDARY FIVE-CYLINDER
At the heart of the RS 3 competition limited is Audi’s 2.5-liter TFSI inline-five, producing 400 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. The engine accelerates the compact performance car from 0–100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, with top speed raised to 290 km/h.
The engine’s signature sound remains a defining characteristic. Its uneven firing order—1-2-4-5-3—creates the distinctive rhythm long associated with Audi’s rally-bred five-cylinder engines. Audi Sport enhances that soundtrack through the RS sport exhaust system with variable flap control and reduced insulation between the engine bay and passenger compartment.
The result is a driving experience that highlights the visceral qualities of the engine that powered everything from the Sport quattro rally car to the RS2 Avant, now translated into Audi’s modern compact RS platform.
NEW COILOVER SUSPENSION AND REAR STABILIZER
For the first time on the RS 3, Audi Sport equips the competition limited model with a fully adjustable coilover suspension designed specifically for the special edition.
The system uses twin-tube dampers with stainless steel front housings and aluminum rear construction. External reservoirs on the front dampers help maintain consistent performance under sustained high loads by improving cooling of the hydraulic fluid.
Drivers can fine-tune chassis behavior through three-way adjustable damping, including separate high-speed and low-speed compression settings plus rebound adjustment. Low-speed compression influences grip and cornering response, while high-speed compression adjusts the car’s reaction to sharp inputs such as bumps or rapid steering changes.
At the rear axle, a new tubular stabilizer with increased wall thickness improves stiffness compared with the standard RS 3 setup. Combined with revised rear spring rates, the system is designed to deliver greater directional stability and sharper handling when accelerating out of corners.
The car continues to utilize Audi’s torque splitter, capable of sending variable torque to each rear wheel to improve agility and traction. Ceramic brakes with red calipers are standard.
CARBON-INTENSIVE EXTERIOR DESIGN
Visually, the RS 3 competition limited introduces a series of new aerodynamic and design elements that set it apart from the standard RS 3.
Carbon fiber plays a major role, appearing on the mirror caps, side skirts, rear spoiler and trim above the rear diffuser. The front fascia receives additional emphasis through stacked carbon canards and a split front lip, giving the car a wider and more aggressive stance.
The special edition rides on 19-inch cross-spoke wheels finished in matte Neodymium gold, a color echoed throughout the car’s interior.
Lighting details also reference the engine beneath the hood. The darkened matrix LED headlights illuminate in a 1-2-4-5-3 sequence when locking or unlocking the car, mirroring the firing order of the five-cylinder engine.
Three exterior colors will be offered: Daytona Gray, Glacier White matte and the exclusive Malachite Green, a hue that recalls the iconic Audi Sport quattro rally era.
INTERIOR WITH GOLD ACCENTS AND SERIAL NUMBERING
Inside, the RS 3 competition limited adopts a distinctive color palette of black, Neodymium gold and Ginger white.
Highly contoured RS bucket seats feature black leather bolsters with Neodymium gold Dinamica microfiber centers, while Ginger white stitching highlights the diamond seat pattern. Matching accents extend to the armrests and steering wheel center mark.
Each car receives consecutive numbering on the center console, emphasizing the model’s limited production run.
Audi also introduces RS-specific digital instrumentation referencing historical design cues. The virtual cockpit plus features white-background dials, a nod to the instrument cluster of the original Audi RS2 Avant, the first RS model powered by a five-cylinder engine.
Performance telemetry including power output, torque, G-forces and lap timing can also be displayed through the digital cluster and the central touchscreen.
A MODERN TRIBUTE TO FIVE DECADES OF FIVE-CYLINDER PERFORMANCE
The RS 3 competition limited represents Audi Sport’s latest tribute to the engine architecture that helped define the brand’s motorsport identity and road-car character for half a century.
With 750 units planned for production, the model combines Audi’s modern RS compact platform with technical upgrades and heritage-inspired design cues celebrating the brand’s five-cylinder legacy.
European deliveries of the RS 3 competition limited are scheduled to begin in mid-2026, with pricing in Germany starting at €108,365 for the Sportback and €110,005 for the Sedan. While Audi hasn’t confirmed the car for the USA just yet, our sources have told us the car will be available as a sedan only in the USA and presumably Canada as a result.
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