Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 11 March 2026
Audi has unveiled possibly its most hardcore hot hatch yet in the form of the RS3 Competition Limited.
And the name doesn’t lie; just 750 of these RS3s will be produced, with a total of 10 cars making their way to New Zealand.
Audi New Zealand has confirmed our allocation will consist of five Sportback models, and five sedans.
Highlights around the outside of this Competition Limited include the matte carbon fibre, and the heritage Malachite Green hue.
This colour hasn’t been used on an Audi model since the short-wheelbase Sport Quattro from the 1980s. This rich green colour is contrasted by the Neodymium Gold wheels.
Despite the new name, it still uses the same formula as the standard RS3, with a turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine hooked up to a quattro all-wheel drive system.
It also gets no extra grunt, with the engine still producing a hefty 294kW and 500Nm. This is still good for a 0-100km/h time of 3.8-seconds.
It does however get a raised speed limiter, which will let it hit 290km/h for those Autobahn antics.
Another significant change is the removal of some sound deadening around the firewall, which lets more of that fantastic five-cylinder sound into the cabin.
It’s a bittersweet moment for this engine as while it has found its way into one of the most hardcore road-going Audis, it is also likely the last time we’ll see it.
Aside from the engine changes, it also rides on advanced coilover suspension, consisting of twin-tube dampers, with the front using external reservoirs.
At the rear, it gets stiffer anti-roll bars, and bigger shock absorbers with thicker pistons inside.
As is the case with most coilover suspension systems, drivers will be able to adjust the settings to their tastes, including lowering or raising the RS3’s ride height.
So while it won’t be as easy as pressing a button in the cabin, Audi notes no panels will have to be removed to adjust these, you’ll just need to take the wheels off.
On the inside it gets gold accents in the same colour as the wheels, and is contrasted by Ginger White stitching and such.
The digital cluster features a white background, which is a nod to the RS2, which also had white dials on its cluster.
You’ll also find the matte carbon fibre stuff on the back of the bucket seats, which isn’t something Audi does very often.
As mentioned, New Zealand will get 10 of the 750 RS3 Competition Limited models built, and while pricing is yet to be announced, we can imagine it will be well over the $100,000 retail price of the standard model.
