Audi RS3 for £9435 off – save 13 per cent on Ingolstadt’s last hyper hatch
The last five-cylinder performance car Audi will ever make won’t be around for ever and there are deals to be enjoyed, albeit with a catch
Make no mistake, we love the current Audi RS3. It may not have a manual gearbox, it also may not be the most interactive of driver’s cars, but in marrying an effervescent five-cylinder turbocharged engine with a trick torque-splitter rear differential-equipped AWD system, it’s a proper riot to pummel round a track or across your favourite country road.
It’s a car we won’t be able to enjoy for much longer, given the days of that five-cylinder engine are numbered. It’s thirsty, relatively dirty in terms of its emissions and is far from a helpful car for Audi to have in its lineup when it comes to meeting the ZEV mandate. This unique powerplant is the last of its kind, and soon it too will be waved off.
The issue with the RS3, though, is that, like so many performance cars nowadays, many would consider it prohibitively expensive. Starting from £61,525 (if specified in the free Kyalami Green or Arkona White paint), this hot hatch is the kind of money Porsche 911s cost in the not-too-distant past. Happily, deals can be done, though one needs to heed the Ts & Cs.
Take an example we’ve found that’s not even built yet, set for delivery to Swindon Audi in September with a 75 plate. A Carbon Black model (£65k OTR in Audi’s configurator), it comes with 19-inch cross-spoke wheels as well as the Technology Pro pack and is finished in Progressive Red. With a claimed RRP of £69,430, this car is being offered with a £9435 discount compared to RRP, taking it down to £59,995 all in. Remember, it’s not been lingering on the lot, it’s not been pre-registered – the thing isn’t even built yet.
> Audi RS3 v Toyota GR Yaris v Mercedes-AMG A45 S – which is the best AWD hyper hatch?
The catch is, £5625 of that is a dealer contribution when you sign up to pay for the car on PCP, as an incentive to go with their in-house finance options over other solutions, be they personal loans or third-party financing of another kind that could have a lower interest rate. It’s a lump off the top, and gets the monthly payment to a competitive-enough figure, but if you call up Swindon Audi with a wad of cash or your finance sorted independently, you can expect to pay at least £65k.
