Spy shots of the 2022 Audi RS 3 Sportback: 400+hp hot-hatch soon to hit the market

A new generation of the Audi A3 will soon hit showrooms (the car has actually been on sale elsewhere for almost a year now), and once again the sporty S3 and high-performance RS 3 variants will be born.

A prototype of the RS 3 in sportback hatchback guise was spotted again, revealing many hints about the new performance compact; an RS 3 sedan is also being tested and, like the current generation, will likely be the only RS 3 body style offered in the US.

Rather than a true redesign, the new A3 represents a major update to the current generation, and this will be very much the case for the RS 3 variant.

A turbocharged 2.5-liter inline 5-cylinder is expected to continue to power the car, but output may exceed the current model's 400 hp, with Mercedes-AMG's latest compact car now producing as much as 416 hp. A dual-clutch transmission and rear-biased all-wheel drive system should also be part of the package.

The prototype is recognizable as being for the RS 3 because of the enlarged front intakes, flared wheel arches, huge wheel and tire combinations, and the distinctive pair of oval exhausts at the rear.

The final design resembles the RS 6 Avant launched last fall, but on a smaller scale.

The new A3 is expected to hit local showrooms later this year as a 2022 model; the RS 3 is expected to arrive around the same time.

Potential competitors to the RS 3 include AMG's new 45 Series, the BMW M2, and Cadillac's CT4-V Blackwing.