While Audi could never apply the ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ reasoning to the RS3, they’ve leaned heavily on the rally heritage of the turbocharged inline-five from the off. Yet despite never having competed on a rally stage, it didn’t quell my excitement when time came to drive RJ12 HRF up to north Wales for the Cambrian Rally.
It had been far too long since I’d stood in a forest for hours with a flask of tea sporting my 555 beanie (no jacket, sadly) and despite having no Wales Rally GB anymore, the Cambrian didn’t disappoint. The RS3 even got some attention from fellow rally fans at the stage, which given the rarity of the 8P, I wasn’t really expecting. It’s a car that flies under the radar on the daily commute but those who know, know.
Not only did the trip give me an opportunity to watch some of the best motorsport we have to offer in the UK, but it also gave me plenty of time to put my new suspension setup through its paces. A fast Audi is never going to be the most rewarding hot hatch to drive, granted - but there’s always room for improvement and the need to dial out understeer.
While I love to work on my cars when I have the time, I rarely seem to get the chance these days so I paid a trip to our friends at Charles Gates Racing to get everything fitted. I opted for Bilstein’s B16 coilovers, which are adjustable for both ride height and damping. At the back I’ve added a 034 Motorsport rear anti-roll bar to help dial out understeer and up front the wishbones are now fully polybushed with Whiteline’s lower control arm bushes and anti-lift kit. Along with a mild fast road geometry setup (and me being very fussy over ride height), I was in and out in a day.
The result? Mega. Being coilovers, of course the ride is still firm. But where the OEM dampers would feel brittle, crashing and rattling over bumps and uneven surfaces, the B16s are far superior at smoothing out imperfections. Moreover, at 70k OEM dampers are generally going to be knackered and in need of replacement, so upgrading felt like a no-brainer. I’ve kept them in their softest setting for the road, but will dial up the rebound when I get it back out on track. The Whiteline bits up front along with the geo have made the front end sharper, the car turning in more keenly, and generating the confidence to push harder as a result.
Overall the balance is still very neutral on the road, and I’ll have to wait until I get it back on track to see how well the setup has dialled out the understeer that shone through in abundance at Curborough earlier in the year.
I always used to chase more power as soon as I bought a car but if our project car Mk5 Golf GTI project taught me anything last year, it’s that getting the fundamentals right with suspension, brakes and tyres are far more important and offered the biggest lap time gains on track, too. With 340hp the RS3 doesn’t feel it's wanting for more power so while it’s tempting, I think I’ll leave it as it is for now.
It really does feel like I’ve got the complete do-it-all package now with the RS3. It felt at home charging across Wales on a Friday night in the dark, lapping up miles with ease and driving better than ever. We’ll see what next year brings but in the meantime, I’ll enjoy the best season of the year for an all-wheel-drive hot hatch.
FACT SHEET
Car: 2012 Audi RS3
Run by: Ben Lowden
On fleet since: September 2023
Mileage: 71,006
Modifications: Milltek non-resonated exhaust system, Bilstein B16 coilovers, 034 Motorsport rear anti-roll bar, Whiteline anti-lift kit and lower control arm bushes, EBC Yellow Stuff brake pads, K&N panel filter
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