Positive, you may make the argument that monitor data don’t actually matter within the grand scheme of issues. It’s not like all of us have what it takes to even get near the efficiency of knowledgeable driver. Nonetheless, these lap instances proceed to be essential for automakers. On the finish of the day, it’s about bragging rights to promote extra vehicles. With the up to date RS3 launched this week, Audi has managed to take the Nürburgring crown within the compact class.
The RS3 lapped the difficult Nordschleife in a powerful 7 minutes and 33.12 seconds. It shaved off about 5 and a half seconds from the M2’s lap time achieved final 12 months. We’re now left questioning whether or not BMW will combat again. The 2025 M2 makes an additional 20 horsepower however that’s doubtless not sufficient to reclaim the title. Nonetheless, subsequent 12 months’s M2 CS may have higher probabilities of dethroning the RS3.
BMW is extensively believed to take the M2 to 523 hp for the Competitors Sport and take away some weight within the course of. That being mentioned, the common M2 is already considerably extra highly effective than the RS3. In Audi’s flagship compact automotive, the smaller five-cylinder engine makes about 400 hp. Additional chassis and suspension tuning may assist the M2 CS get nearer to the RS3’s lap time. Nonetheless, we’re not so certain it’ll be capable of enhance it. Maybe a hardcore M2 CSL may do the trick, offered it’ll occur at some point.
For this mid-cycle replace, Audi has given the RS3 a facelift with sharper-looking headlights and taillights. There’s now (lastly) an possibility for carbon bucket entrance seats, which the M2 G87 has been providing from day one. The revised steering wheel has a flatter design now – a path that BMW M appears to be taking as nicely.
For 2025, the RS3 additionally will get grippier customary tires however lovers can nonetheless go for the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks. Further tweaks to the brake torque vectoring system diminish understeer, or so we’re being advised. The adaptive dampers react even higher now following a recalibration, whereas the torque splitter has been improved as nicely.
In some ways, the RS3 and M2 usually are not direct rivals. Except for the apparent physique type variations, the RS3 is predicated on a front-wheel-drive platform with customary Quattro AWD. The M2 comes strictly with RWD, though we’re listening to an xDrive variant may land as early as 2026. BMW affords its smallest M automotive with a stick shift whereas Audi Sport sells the RS3 completely with two pedals.
The value hole can also be substantial. Audi needs €66,000 for an RS3 Sportback in Germany the place BMW costs about €10,000 extra for a base M2. The distinction between the 2 is narrowed all the way down to €8,000 for those who go for the RS3 Sedan. It’s secure to say the M2 CS will probably be far costlier, with our sources telling us it may value €110,000 in Deutschland.
Might there be a special compact automotive with a fuel engine quicker than these two? Properly, the Renault Megane RS has been discontinued whereas the Honda Civic Sort R lapped the Nordschleife final 12 months in 7 minutes and 44.88 seconds. There haven’t been any rumors of a warmer CTR spinoff. Deleting roughly 11 seconds to match the RS3’s lap time appears difficult, particularly with a front-wheel-drive automotive.
Maybe Volkswagen will give it a strive with the Golf GTI Clubsport or the Golf R. Nonetheless, based mostly on earlier lap instances of nicely over 7 minutes and 40 seconds for each, the RS3’s document doesn’t appear to be in any hazard from the man VW model. It might be awkward anyway to have the inferior Golf beat the fancier and costlier RS3.
Supply: Audi
2025 Audi RS3 Sedan
2025 Audi RS3 Sportback
