Audi is celebrating 10 years of high-performance five-cylinder Q3 small SUVs with a new special edition, limited to 555 cars worldwide.
0The 2023 Audi RS Q3 Edition 10 Years has been revealed to mark a decade of RS-badged small SUVs – but Australian launch timing is yet to be confirmed.
Offered in RS Q3 ‘wagon’ and Sportback body styles, the Edition 10 Years celebrates 10 years since Audi’s original hot RS Q3 SUV went on sale in 2013, with a host of exterior and interior aesthetic tweaks, but no additional performance.
Only 555 will be built globally – but it’s unclear if any will come to Australia; Drive has contacted Audi Australia for comment. Pricing will be announced closer to launch; the standard RS Q3 range costs from $96,100 to $99,100 plus on-road costs locally.
Exterior touches include black exterior trim across the mirror caps, window surrounds, bumper inserts, grille and badges, darkened matrix LED headlight inserts, and unique 21-inch black alloy wheels (with 225/35 tyres).
Anthracite Grey brake calipers are standard – with red or blue optional – while buyers can option carbon-ceramic brake discs to replace the standard steel units.
Two exterior colours are available: Dew Silver matte, which is new for all RS Q3 models for 2023, and Chronos Grey metallic, which is exclusive to the special edition.
Inside, there’s a new set of RS front bucket seats with matte carbon-fibre shells and RS badges, leather and partly-recycled Dinamica microfibre upholstery, floor mats with copper-embroidered RS Q3 badging, and copper-coloured contrast stitching throughout the cabin.
There are also carbon-fibre trim inlays, new graphics for the 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen – with carbon-fibre-look wallpapers, and a ‘1 of 555’ logo on the home screen – and illuminated door sill plates which “project a red 3D diamond onto the ground when the doors are opened.”
There are no changes under the bonnet, where a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine with 294kW/480Nm remains, connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel drive.
Audi claims a carry-over 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.5 seconds, towards a top speed of 250km/h in the car’s base configuration, or up to 280km/h with the right option boxes ticked. A sports exhaust system is optional in Europe, but standard in Australia.
Orders for the 2023 Audi RS Q3 Edition 10 Years will open in Germany at the end of October, priced from €5990 ($AU8900) above the base price of €69,000 ($AU105,700) for the standard RS Q3, or €70,500 ($AU108,000) for the RS Q3 Sportback.
Drive is awaiting confirmation of Australian deliveries and launch timing.
