A winning formula: emotional driving in the Audi RS 3

6/6/2025 Ingolstadt

One year ago, Audi set a lap record on the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the RS 3²¹, making it the fastest compact car on the 20.832-kilometer racetrack in the Eifel to date. With an optimized chassis setup, semi-slick tires, and 400 PS from the legendary five-cylinder engine, the updated RS 3²¹ was more than seven seconds faster than the pre-facelift version.

Since the introduction of the torque splitter in 2021, the Audi RS 3²¹ has reached a new level of driving dynamics. The fully variable torque distribution on the rear axle enables not only increased agility but also more stability – an advantage in everyday driving as well as on the racetrack. With the product upgrade of the RS 3²¹, which has been on sale since the end of 2024, the compact sports car performs even better in corners. An improved algorithm ensures more precise networking of the chassis control systems, thus enabling earlier and better controlled agility.

The RS 3²¹ avoids understeer right at the start of the bend and turns in more willingly thanks to fine-tuning – including brake torque vectoring. This means that while the torque splitter provides torque to the rear wheel on the outside of the curve, the wheels on the inside of the bend are braked slightly. Thanks to these finely dosed braking interventions, the RS 3²¹ follows the curve radius more precisely than before and is positioned earlier and better at the apex of the curve. This allows the driver to accelerate sooner and achieve a higher speed at the exit of the bend.

The 265/30 tires at the front and 245/35 at the rear – standard with C-label rating – play a major role in the excellent handling. Specifically tuned for the RS 3²¹, the Pirelli P Zero R demonstrates strong grip on both dry and wet surfaces, as well as all-round precise handling across the entire speed range, thanks to a multi-compound tread with a softer rubber on the tire sidewalls and a harder compound in the center. The standard tire thus combines everyday comfort with sporty characteristics.

Beyond that, the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tire is available factory-mounted as an option and provides particularly intense driving pleasure. It is specifically designed for driving on racetracks but is also approved for use on public roads. In addition to an asymmetrical tread pattern, the tire features a specific rubber compound, derived from motorsport. This combination ensures a remarkably high level of grip and increased performance in dry conditions. Stability and lateral support are further enhanced, and braking distances are particularly short.

Like the standard tire, the semi-slick is a joint development by Pirelli and Audi, with the focus always on optimal performance.