2022 Audi RS 3 Sportback Spy Shots and Video

A new generation of the Audi A3 will hit showrooms soon, with another sporty S3 and a high-performance RS 3 variant.

A prototype of the RS 3 sportback hatchback has been spotted again, revealing many hints about the new performance compact; the RS 3 sedan is also being tested and, like the current generation, will likely be the only RS 3 body style offered in the US.

Rather than a true redesign, the new A3 represents a major update to the current generation, and this will be very much the case for the RS 3 variant.

A turbocharged 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder is expected to continue to power the car, but output may exceed the current model's 400 hp, now that Mercedes-AMG's latest compact car is producing 416 hp. A dual-clutch transmission and rear-biased all-wheel drive system should also be part of the package.

You can tell this prototype is for the RS 3 because of the enlarged intakes in the front, flared wheel arches, huge wheel and tire combinations, and the distinctive pair of oval exhausts in the rear.

The final design is similar to the recently unveiled and released RS 6 Avant in the U.S., but on a smaller scale.

The new A3 is expected to hit showrooms later this year as a 2021 model; the RS 3 will be delayed by about a year.

Potential competitors to the RS 3 include AMG's new 45 Series, the BMW M2, and Cadillac's CT4-V Blackwing.