2022 Audi RS 3 hatch and sedan revealed

Audi has revealed its all-new RS 3 hot hatch and sedan performance heroes, which are expected to arrive on Australian shores in the first half of next year.

An uprated version of the current 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo petrol engine will be under the, bonnet offering an unchanged 294kW and 500Nm — a rise of 20Nm.

Audi had been engaged with in a war of one-upmanship with the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S in previous years, with each model surpassing the other with each new or updated model.

However, carrying over the same engine means the RS 3 remains 16kW less powerful than its rival.

It will still cover the 0-100km/h dash in 3.8 seconds on its way to 290km/h when equipped with ceramic brakes and the RS Dynamic pack.

Otherwise, the top speed is limited to 250km/h.

There is big news at the back end, with a torque splitter fitted as standard for the first time.

An electronically controlled multiple disc clutch is used on each of the drive shafts to send the right amount of torque along the rear axle.

When going hard in corners, more torque is sent to the outer rear wheel, which significantly reduces understeer.

It also allows for — in appropriate conditions — controlled drifts, which drivers can access via a specific RS Torque Rear drive mode.

There is also an RS Performance mode, which is created specifically for the track with an engine and transmission configuration tailored to using semi-slick tyres — which are available as a factory option for the first time (Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs, to be precise).

An RS sports suspension is standard and features newly developed shock absorbers and a valve system specific to the RS 3.

Buyers can option adaptive damper control which continuously and individually adjusts each shock absorber to the road conditions, the driving situation and the selected drive mode.

The new RS 3 stands apart from its predecessor with external tweaks such as a wide RS bumper, redesigned Singleframe grille with distinctive honeycomb pattern, large air intakes and an additional air outlet behind the front wheel arches.

Inside, the 12.3-inch driver display has a number of RS-specific touches, such as revs displayed as a bar graph, power and torque percentages, g-forces, lap times, 0-100km/h acceleration times and more.

A 10.1-inch touch display includes the ‘RS Monitor’, which displays the coolant, engine, and transmission oil temperatures as well as tire pressures.

For the first time, the RS 3 gets a head-up display projecting relevant information onto the windshield in the driver's direct line of sight, while there is also shift light indicator which changes from green to yellow to red to indicate when to change gears in manual mode.

Local pricing and specification will be revealed closer to launch.