A Pointless Performance Car, or Perfect?

Most petrolheads will have discovered this morning from various sources the arrival of a brand new, pedigree hot hatchback on the scene, with the unveiling of the 2011 Audi RS3. After reading about the new arrival for a short while, drinking in its appearance, quantifying its vital stats, I've changed my mind on my opinion of it at least 3 times.

Styling wise, I reckon the RS3 is a job well done. It looks aggessive, and suitably different from the cooking A3 and S3 models, with the modern Audi top-of-the-line trademarks all present, big wheels, big grille, daytime running lights, larger, angular griles picked out in contrasting trim. The alterations are 'there' enough to appeal to those in the know about cars, and inoffensive to those who aren't. There's a bit of BMW M-car there in the way the body is hunkered down onto the wheels, some classic Quattro in the body surfacing especially around the blistered wheel arches, and a general look of hot-rod esque purpose. Sure, the 'diffuser' rear bumper is a bit pretentious, and its downforce isn't going to stick you into the road on the way to pick up the kids from school, but at least it's evidence the Germans have a sense of humour.

Meanwhile, the RS3's practicality makes it very cool. Like any hot hatch, its performance credentials haven't impeded on its usability, so you get 5 dooirs, a big boot, plenty of fun ways to fold your seats and all the usual optional luxuries Audi can rip you off with. The ride will no doubt be pretty firm as with any Audi but the car's still going to be able to pick up those kids.

The thing that started to get me as a read about the RS3 was the clichéd question: 'Does the world really need a 335bhp, four wheel drive, DSG transmission hot hatch?' Like I said in my last post, the automotive industry's ego is pushing engine output figures through the roof to get one over on each other. But it's not just in supercars, in the last 12 months we've seen the 345bhp Ford Focus RS500, the 395bhp Subaru Impreza Cosworth, test hacks of Renaultsport and Vauxhall VXR's new offerings each with substantially more than 300bhp promised, and now an Audi with power on a par with a 1990's Ferrari. This could have been justified a while back, when all of these sorts of cars were seen pounding round rally stages and touring car circuits in different championships. But now, with even Mitsubishi no longer sending the Evo rallying, these are just halo cars, a finishing touch the the model range. If proof were needed, just peruse Audi's press release for the RS3. It states that the car will only be sold as a 5 door Sportback model. Don't be fooled for one moment into believing this is because it's a low volume, limited edition special, or because of complicated manufacturing processes. It's simply down to the fact that Audi put the same 2.5 litre turbo 5 cylinder motor in the (125 kg lighter!) TTRS, the more stylish, less practical, 2 door coupé. A racier 3 door RS3 would nick sales from the £50+ TTRS, so it will never exist. Not because it's a car Audi can't make, but because it's one that can't make Audi more money. And anyway, the Volkswagen group will sell you a three door, four wheel drive, 2 litre turbo hot hatch in the form of the Golf R, so the RS3 three door never stood a chance.



Would Sir prefer a Q-Car stealth bomber...



And yet, after deciding that this car is a cynical ploy by the marketing dept, to sell Audi's RS heritage down the river by topping every range with a bodykitted, souped up badgefest, I've yet again changed my mind, and decided that in fact, cars like the RS3 are actually a very savvy bit of kit.

Like it or not, environmentalism is catching up with the performance car. Aston Martin will sell you a rehashed Toyota iQ now to bring its average CO2 emissions down. BMW, makers of 'The Ultimate Driving Machine', base their annoying recent 'Joy' campaign around their EfficientDynamics policy. Ferrari are copyrighting hybrids.



..or a badge-engineered whitegood?

Obvious sports cars are going to have to bend

over backwards in the coming decades to comply with everyone's emission and consumption regulations, while in the meantime, hot hatchbacks are starting to occupy the sort of performance benchmarks which were monopolised just a few short years ago by the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, and the M division.

A far more practically packaged bodystyle, impeccable safety, inherent mass-produced reliability, plus more change in your wallet. And you'll still get from 0-60 in 5 seconds or less.