Audi RS3 Competition Limited test, how the most exclusive version ever built goes

Adi chooses to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 5-cylinder engine with a special edition of only 750 examples, 84 of which in Italia, of the RS3. Christened Competition Limited, it focuses on exclusivity and driving pleasure thanks to a suspension system designed for those who will also use the car on the track. Because in addition to the exclusive colouring and generous use of carbon fibre, the RS3 Competition Limited is fitted with multi-adjustable shock absorbers capable of 'tailoring' the car to the driver

from the very first glance, it is clear that the RennSport engineers have spared no expense in creating the RS3 Competition Limited. At the front, the new carbon splitter, the new canard deflectors at the side air intakes and the composite mirror caps stand out. On the sides, there are carbon fibre skirts and 19-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels in matt neodymium gold, while at the rear, the aesthetic kit includes the upper frame of the extractor and the spoiler in composite fibres. There is also a partially matt rear window finish and burnished Audi Matrix LED headlamps. The dynamic Coming home and Leaving home animations light up according to the 1-2-4-5-3 pattern, with a clear reference to the cylinder ignition sequence. On the colour front, in addition to Daytona grey and matt ice white, there is a malachite green paint in honour of the Audi Sport quattro of the 1980s. No news on the dimensions front, at 438 cm in length, 185 cm in width, 143 cm in height and with a 263 cm wheelbase.

Opening the door of the Audi RS3 Competition Limited, with the naming projected on the ground, we find a highly personalised ambience with colour combinations in black, neodymium gold and ginger white. At the base of the tunnel, a numbered matte-finish plaque displays the serial number of the individual model. The front shell seats, in matt carbon, feature black leather upholstery on the side panels, while the centre sections are in Dinamica microfibre in neodymium gold. The steering wheel flattened in the upper and lower sections has a ginger white marking at 12 o'clock. Along the crown covered in black Dinamica microfibre are contrast stitching also in ginger white; the same colour finish is extended to the seat belts. The load capacity is unchanged from the standard model, with a volume of 282 to 1,104 litres.

Wrapped in the shell seat, we are greeted by the white background instrumentation: a clear homage to the 1994 Audi RS 2 Avant, the first car in the RS range. Powered by the 2.5 Tfsi turbocharged inline five-cylinder with direct injection producing 400 bhp at 5,600 rpm and 500 Nm of maximum torque, mated as usual to Quattro traction and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the RS3 Competition Limited claims a top speed of 290 km/h and a 0-100 km/h sprint covered in 3.8 seconds. There are two main changes compared to the current model: sound and set-up. The special series, in fact, adds multi-adjustable ring-nut shock absorbers to which is added the oversized rear anti-roll bar, characterised by a torsional resistance of 85 Newtons per millimetre, making it 6 per cent stiffer than on the standard model. The hardness of the springs, meanwhile, reaches 80 N/mm, a 14 per cent increase over the standard model. During the first contact we found a greater feeling for the steering and more 'communication' with what is happening under the wheels. At the same time, the RS3 Competition Limited showed drier absorption of bumps, which is almost excessive in everyday use, while consumption remains low at code speed (we recorded around 10 km/l) with a good range guaranteed by the 55-litre fuel tank.

There is no shortage of standard carboceramic brakes at the front, always ready even at low temperatures to curb the car's 1,630 kg of kerb weight. On the sound front, the gear programmes selected via Audi drive select, in dynamic, RS Performance and RS Torque Rear modes, for example, the valves open well in advance and the adoption of the RS sports exhaust. Compared to the standard model, the tone is even louder thanks to the reduced thickness of the sound-absorbing materials at the bonnet, inside which the carbon cover of the five-cylinder engine makes its debut. Completing the aerodynamic kit is a specific roof spoiler which, in combination with the dedicated front splitter, guarantees superior downforce values. As on the RS 3, the Competition limited can be fitted with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo semi slick tyres; perfect for track use.