It’s long been thought that Audi’s latest RS 3 would be coming to the U.S., and now the automaker’s local chief, Scott Keogh, has confirmed it. However, the U.S. is unlikely to get the RS 3 Sportback that goes on sale in Europe this summer; rather, we’ll get an RS 3 sedan, previewed last year by the A3 clubsport quattro concept car.
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"We really, really want the RS 3," Keogh told Automotive News (subscription required). The sedan is "going to be a great positioning car, a great halo car—I'm very confident we'll see that car in the market.”
Unfortunately, Keogh didn’t say when the RS 3 will arrive. It’s unlikely we’ll see the car until 2016 as we’re yet to see any prototypes.
When it comes, expect it to be powered by the same turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine found in the RS 3 Sportback, paired with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive system. In the hot hatch, the engine rates in at 362 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque in the hatch, enabling 0-62 mph in just 4.3 seconds. Similar performance is expected for the RS 3 sedan.
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Another model confirmed for our market by Keogh is the Q8, a large, coupe-like SUV based on the running gear of the latest Q7. It’s expected to arrive around 2017 and provide Audi with a rival for the Cadillac Escalade, Mercedes-Benz GLS (GL-Class) and upcoming BMW X7.
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