New Audi RS 3 sets a top Nürburging lap time as it prepares for launch

Ahead of the launch later this summer, Audi has taken its new Audi RS 3 to the Nürburgring to see how fast it will go. The answer: very, as it turns out, the car having set a time of 7min 33.123 seconds in pre-production form. That’s two-seconds quicker than the existing RS 3, over six-seconds quicker than the time set by the Renault Sport Megane RS Trophy R and a whopping 11 seconds ahead of the FL5 Honda Civic Type R. 

The time, set by legendary Audi racer and development driver Frank Stippler, is down to the further evolution of the RS 3’s sophisticated chassis hardware, which includes Audi’s RS torque splitter that allows variable torque distribution across the rear axle, brake torque vectoring that manages the individual torque delivery to each wheel, Audi Sport’s latest adaptive sports suspension and a thorough re-working of the RS 3’s electronic stability control systems. 

‘The key to our success was the RS3 turns in more willingly at corner entry thanks to fine-tuning – including brake torque vectoring – which allows the vehicle to be positioned earlier and better for corner exit from the apex, at the latest. The result is a lower steering angle from apex to corner exit, which leads to less friction and earlier acceleration, allowing you to carry more momentum and speed onto each subsequent straight’, explained Stippler. 

The RS 3 is still powered by Audi’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine, and will be the last Audi model to be fitted with this warbling motor. The 394bhp and 369lb ft it produces are clearly a benefit when setting a ‘Ring time, but so too would have been the Pirelli Trofeo R tyres that have been an option on the RS 3 since 2021, although not on UK models. The lap time setting pre-production car was also fitted with 19-inch carbon-ceramic brakes.