I’m a simple man. I see a five-cylinder Audi, and I can’t help but write about it. The 2026 Audi RS3 Competition Limited is our topic this time around, a limited-run model that leans heavily on heritage while still adding real performance upgrades. It’s almost worth the six-figure asking price based purely on vibes alone.
You might disagree, I understand. And I admit that I have precisely zero money to spend on a five-cylinder rocket like this. However! If I did, I’d hurry for a place in line, as only 750 examples will be built.
Every Audi RS3 Competition Limited model gets a turbocharged, 2.5-liter TFSI engine that makes just shy of 400 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. The valved exhaust makes sweet music throughout the rev range with its distinctive 1-2-4-5-3 firing order. Best of all, Audi has reduced insulation around the firewall in case you’ve always wanted an even louder five-cylinder experience inside the cabin.
I hardly care about the specs—the sound and cool factor do the trick for me—but they’re still respectable. The RS3 Competition Limited hits 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Keep on running, and you’ll eventually hit a top speed of 180 mph. That has to be intense.
Importantly for driving dynamics, this new Audi gets a stiffer rear stabilizer bar and adjustable coilover suspension. The latter deserves a good amount of ink, given that you can tweak low-speed compression with 12 different settings, high-speed compression with 15 clicks, and rebound with 16. Stainless steel is used in the front shock absorbers, while the rears are aluminum; those materials were chosen for their stiffness. Cooling was a key concern as well, and the fronts have external reservoirs.
Audi is building the RS3 Competition Limited in two forms: sportback and sedan. (You can have your opinion about which looks best, as long as it’s the hatch.) Each body style gets its own respective aero upgrades, with the sportback getting a sick roof spoiler and the sedan getting a new split chin spoiler.
Brake torque vectoring helps the car turn sharply by delivering torque to the outside wheel while simultaneously braking the inside wheel ever so slightly. Corner carving is a cinch thanks to that and the optional Pirelli PZero Trofeo R semi-slick tires. Braking is handled by standard ceramic units with—what else—red calipers.
The interior on these RS3 Competition Limited models is made special by Neodymium gold upholstery with Ginger white accent work. Just look at those thrones. To top it off, the contoured buckets have carbon fiber shells on the back. It all works nicely with Audi’s Virtual Cockpit display, which still looks modern today, and a Sonos sound system ties it all together.
Audi is so proud of the RS3 Competition Limited that it’s charging 108,365 euros (equivalent to $126,082.68 USD) for the hatch and 110,005 euros ($127,990.82 USD) for the sedan. Unfortunately, the manufacturer didn’t make any mention of selling either one in the United States. If you happen to have a residence across the Atlantic, then hey, you’d better hurry and make arrangements. Those 750 units are going to go quickly.
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