There’s a new member of the PH Fleet arriving very soon, an Ascari Blue Audi RS3 Sportback. This is eagerly anticipated by everyone in the (virtual) office, because the RS3 has come good of late, and the most recent update promises more of the same. It’s taken 7.5 seconds out of the old car’s Nurburgring lap time with no extra power, for example. So not just a slightly squarer steering wheel for this refresh. But be that as it may, it’s repeat exposure to what's under the bonnet that’s hotly anticipated. Even in a heavily filtered world, the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo remains one of the modern greats, as its slew of awards confirms. The EA855 imbues every single car it powers with an unmistakable character and personality. And boy is that something to savour in 2025.
Nevertheless, previous experience of the DSG does temper that excitement just a tad; whereas the engine is endearingly old school in feel, the seven-speed’s age frustrates. It simply isn’t as sharp as the rest of the package. While the RS3 has always been DSG - which plays to its all-weather, all-scenario vibe - it isn’t hard to imagine it with a manual, especially as Audi has paired its famous five with a six-speed elsewhere.
Because of the RS3’s ubiquity, it can sometimes be easy to forget about the TT RS. Make your jokes now; in 2025, the prospect of a car that looks as smart as the Mk2 TT, is powered by an engine as emotive as the 2.5 and offers the engagement of a manual gearbox sounds very interesting indeed. Having made its debut at the 2009 Geneva motor show (remember that?) the first RS enjoyed a successful few years on sale before the 2014 debut of the TT Mk3, popular enough for a replacement to be signed off.
By that time, however, the manual was consigned to the history books, so these early six-speeds now look quite cool. You have a bigger part to play in the experience with a manual, and who wouldn’t want a closer relationship with the five-pot? When new, the convenience of a DSG probably proved popular, which is easy to understand, though it’s surely the manual that’s more covetable as the TT flagship warbles towards modern classic status.
This 2011 car is low mileage and presents beautifully. It offers such a cool and uncluttered driving environment, here with the added benefit of CarPlay as well. The dials are a work of art, and to see a manual take pride of place in a fast Audi really is great to see. Externally, those handsome 19-inch wheels have a fresh (fitted in December) set of Michelin Pilot Sport 5s on them, and there was a service at a specialist towards the end of ‘24 as well. That the RS has been run on V-Power with this owner seems a very good sign, too.
While predicting future values of anything is an extremely risky business, it seems unlikely that the only car Audi offered in the UK with the 2.5 and a manual gearbox will become less desirable in years to come. Like a lot from this era, it looks a near-perfect blend of old-school interaction and contemporary usability. All for £16,995, too - which is rather a lot less than the new RS3 retails for…
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