HIGH on a hill in Austria, within earshot of the occasional lonely goatherd, the sound of a dozen or more engines thrummed into life beneath the bonnets of shiny new Audi RS 3 cars. It was the sound of music to these ears.

Audi had brought the UK’s motoring media to the Alps, the birthplace of its quattro four-wheel drive system.

Ahead were four hours of neck-twisting, ear-popping mountain roads, the most challenging route ever put together by Audi for a press launch and one that would test the driver as much as the car.

The RS 3 represents a company at the top of its game, one that in the past had only ever had one RS model in production at any one time, but now has the capacity and intent to have two others – the RS5 and TTRS – being put together alongside this, the first RS in the compact premium hatchback sector.

The RS 3, a modern interpretation of the original quattro, sold out in the UK before a single customer had driven it.

All 500 cars destined for the UK out of a total initial production run of 2,000 for worldwide sale are already accounted for, so unless Audi allocates some more for the UK next year, then new owners will be in a very privileged position.

One Audi executive described the RS 3 as “a bit of a ball of fire”, and indeed it takes only a gentle prod of the right foot to bring out the beast from the turbo-charged fire-cylinder engine.

But the RS 3 is also a very civilised and practical car.

It would be easy for me as a motoring journalist who has driven almost every model in the burgeoning Audi range to become blasé about the company’s impeccable standards when it comes to cabin quality.

What you get is a familiar benchmark premium class interior that has a few extra RS touches such as a flat-bottomed steering wheel, gear-shift paddles, the RS logo adornments and instrument dials, and the option of sports seats rather than the standard plush nappa leather seating.

The RS3 is a Sportback in Audi speak – in other words, a five-door – and so rear-seat passengers can slip into the comfortable rear without having to perform gymnastics for entry.

It takes only seconds to begin appreciating its power, handling and the aural delights.

Based on the existing A3 Sportback, which accounts for a third of Audi sales in the UK, the RS 3 utilises the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbocharged engine already seen in the TT RS.

This powerplant develops 335bhp, alongside 331lb.ft of torque, accessed through a S-tronic seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.

Fire up the RS 3 and a deep burble emits from the exhaust, but at his point the car behaves in a similar manner to its A 3 brother. It’s very easy to drive, comfortable, and with little hint of what’s to come.

However, select the Sport button that activates a sound flap in the exhaust and adjusts the throttle response and the experience becomes all the more aggressive. Squeeze the accelerator and the distinct deepening of the exhaust note is accompanied by rapid progress. Remember that the RS 3 is capable of matching an R 8 for acceleration.

Thankfully, there are excellent brakes to rein in this power, and the stiff suspension keeps everything on an even keel.

The steering responds quickly and accurately to inputs, but it is the traction from the quattro system that allows you to exploit all the power.

Tight bends, sweeping stretches of open roads, steep gradients and downward swoops can be approached with relish. It’s an absolute delight to be behind the wheel.

With a dozen or so RS 3s whizzing around the mountainous route, there was plenty of opportunity to pick out the subtle exterior differences between this car and the A3.

The front end has a deeper front apron that incorporates enlarged air intakes, while the side view is dominated by flared front wings, 19-inch alloys that can be specified with an eye-catching red and black detailing and a roof spoiler.

From the back, the RS 3 is quite ordinary, although two exhaust tailpipes give a hint of performance.

At £39,930 the RS 3 does not come cheap, but Audi has clearly shown that there is demand for a car of this type in this sector.

I was left marvelling at the enticing mix of potency and practicality, but also wondering at the logic of producing a car in such low numbers that it has sold out here even before the first deliveries have been made.


Fact file

Audi RS 3 Sportback

Price: £39,930

Engine: Five-cylinder turbo-charged 2.5-litre petrol generating 340PS and maximum torque of 450Nm

Transmission: Seven-speed S tronic (automatic) dual clutch

Performance: 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds; top speed 155mph

Economy: 31mpg combinedCO2

Rating: 212g/km