More power and a trick differential enliven the last of a special five-cylinder breed.

KNOWING that it will be the last of its mighty mite breed to be fully reliant on fossil fuel will likely further leverage the special status of the new RS3 arriving early next year.

That’s the view suggested by the brand’s national distributor, which says it expects the now almost 300kW car to achieve brisk business, despite being an obviously select choice.

New Zealand is the No.1 market in the world for Audi RS product on a per-head-of-capita basis, reminds Audi NZ general manager Dean Sheed.

“Kiwis (have) shown a great fondness for its useable, outstanding performance.

“The third-generation RS 3 Sportback will be our most accomplished version of this model – I’m sure Kiwi performance fans are looking forward to it.”

The fanbase has had to be patient, too, as the previous RS3 departed the scene last year, with an engine shortage issue affecting supply.

This comment about a model whose local price – the previous was around $108,000 - and specification has yet to be divulged comes as the make’s domestic representative also locally launches some lesser versions from the same family, the A3 and S3.

Those editions are also set – like the RS3 – to by decade’s-end to become electrified to some degree, either with a hybrid system or even in fully committed electric.

Exact plans are yet to be divulged – but Audi has made clear it is now wrapping up ongoing development of petrol and diesel powertrains in orthodox state and is also committed to driving with increasing battery-assistance.

The firm will launch its last combustion-engined car within four years and by 2032 will have built its very last. From here on out, we can expect most of its model introductions to be intensively electric-flavoured.

This being a period of historic transition reflects in how the RS3 has been developed – as a parting shot to pure internal combustion, it fires with all barrels and then some.

As to be expected, it’s mainly about pure firepower but not only; this car also offers extra flavour with other enhancements, not least a pukka drift mode. Yeah, from a quattro. That takes some talent.

First and foremost, though, it’s about raw grunt. This is a swansong for the much-admired and wholly brand-appropriate turbocharged 2.5-litre five-cylinder that has served since 2011 and embedded into two previous versions of this hatchback – yes, there’s also a sedan, but that’s being ignored now by Audi NZ - plus other hotshot Audis.

Compared to the last RS3, the new version develops 294W from 5600 to 7000rpm. Torque is upped by 20Nm to 500Nm. So, the most powerful version of this unit yet fitted to an Audi production model.

With zero to 100kmh coming up in 3.8 seconds, another supercar slayer is born. Top speed is limited to 250kmh unless the optional RS Dynamic package is included, whereupon it climbs to 290kmh.

Power channels via a seven-speed direct shift transmission with various modes, including full manual, and there are as many driving modes as there are forward gears: Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, Efficiency, RS Individual, RS Performance, and RS Torque Rear.

The fun starts with RS Individual, where personal preferences for the adaptive dampers, steering effort, transmission programming, engine sound, and the amount of aggressiveness of the torque-vectoring rear differential can be stored. RS modes dial back stability control too, but it can also be fully defeated.

How so? Glad you asked. As in the latest and still-to-hit-New Zealand Volkswagen Golf R, the RS3 has an active rear differential in place of the regular A3's Haldex clutch pack.

Management of torque distribution is not only to the front and rear axles; the multiplate clutches vary torque applied to the left- and right-rear wheels. Depending on the driving dynamics mode, up to 50 percent of the engines torque can be applied separately to each rear wheel.

As Audi describes it, instead of braking the inside wheel in a corner to create yaw to help the car around a corner, the differential directs power to the outer wheel to help the rear end rotate. This fundamentally changes the driving characteristics. All-wheel-drive cars, of course, normally understeer at the limit. In its most aggressive settings, the RS3 actions like a tail-happy rear-wheel-drive car, the brand suggests. Yes, we’re eager to try this …

The refit is, of course, is a bit of a restyle. The whole car is wider and more haunched than the donor of course and the front end is the most menacing within this family; in part through the nose having been widened and meted a special honeycomb grille.

Matrix LED headlights also feature and the LED segments on each deliver a vaguely cheesy party trick by displaying a chequered flag motif when the car is on the move. Unlocking or locking the car, one side cycles through the letters of the car; spelling out ‘R S 3’.

The Sporthatch achieves a relatively modest roof spoiler, and both cars get new rear bumpers with a large oval exhaust outlet on each side.

The usual RS makeover has been applied to the interior, including leather-trimmed sports seats, a flat-bottomed steering wheel and gearchange paddles.

The design and layout of the 'virtual cockpit' digital instrumentation has been revamped especially for the type. Along with readouts more suited to driving on a racetrack, there's a few different ways to visualise the rising revs - including a new 'RS Runway' style. An optional RS Design package brings eye-catching red or green accents throughout.

The digital rev counter changes colour and flashes when approaching the rev limiter to signal to the driver that it's time to change up.