2022 Audi RS 3 Priced at $59,995; We Configure One

• The redesigned RS 3 comes out this summer.
• 401-hp inline five-cylinder engine sounds great.
• Audi USA's consumer configurator for the RS 3 is now live.

The rousing trumpet of five cylinders

The redesigned 2022 Audi RS 3 is carrying on the car's tradition of having a turbocharged inline five-cylinder engine that powers all four wheels. The all-wheel-drive system for this year's RS 3 also has a new torque-vectoring rear differential that imbues the car with greater agility when powering out of turns. There's also a Torque Rear mode, which can shunt all torque through one rear wheel — perfect for inducing tail-happy oversteer drifts on a racetrack. That's pretty neat for an AWD car.

Other than the Audi TT RS, which heads out to pasture after 2022, this is the only car you buy in the U.S. with a five-cylinder engine. It makes a robust 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

An output of 401 hp isn't all that special these days, but it does help the RS 3 sprint from 0 to 60 mph in an advertised 3.8 seconds. So, yeah, it's quick. And, it sounds super cool. It's got a kind of mini V10-like warble that's unlike anything else.

Go configure one now on Audiusa.com

Pleasingly, Audi will now let you configure an RS 3 for the U.S. market. Audi has also seemed to have given the car more standard features than the European models. Adaptive suspension dampers, adaptive cruise control and a blacked-out grille, for example, are standard for the U.S. but are optional if you build one on the Audi UK site. Anyway, here's what I came up with:

Paint: Daytona Gray pearl ($595)

Packages:

• Black Optic Plus (black-painted wheels, badges and roof; $750)
• Audi Side Assist (blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert; $350)
• RS sport exhaust ($1,000)

Final price: $62,690

Black wheels (the only wheel color offered) often look goofy to me on brightly painted cars, so that's why I went with the gray. It's a stealthy look that's not overdone.

There were options I left off, such as the $2,750 RS Technology package (tech stuff and premium audio) and the $5,500 Dynamic Plus package (carbon-ceramic front brakes, primarily), but I was aiming to keep it reasonably priced. There could be a bargain grab in ordering the optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slick tires, however. Only $450! Let me know how long they last on your car after liberally using the Torque Rear mode.

Edmunds says

We've had info on the 2022 RS 3 since late in 2021, but there were questions on what the U.S. version would be like. Now we know, and it's looking like the RS 3 is going to be an intriguing pick for a performance sedan.