Audi Sport has unveiled the RS 3 competition limited, a special-edition version of its performance hatch created to celebrate 50 years of the brand’s iconic five-cylinder engine.
Just 750 examples will be produced worldwide, with only 11 cars allocated to the UK, making it one of the rarest modern RS models buyers here will be able to get their hands on. UK pricing starts from £92,855 OTR, with first deliveries expected in Q4 2026.
At the heart of the RS 3 competition limited is Audi’s familiar 2.5-litre five-cylinder TFSI, producing 400PS and 500Nm. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 180mph, but this car’s appeal goes beyond outright pace. The real story is how Audi has used this edition to celebrate one of its most characterful engines with a more focused chassis setup, bespoke detailing and genuine collector appeal.
Audi RS 3 Competition Limited
- Production: 750 worldwide
- UK allocation: 11 cars
- Engine: 2.5-litre five-cylinder TFSI
- Power: 400 PS
- Torque: 500 Nm
- 0–62 mph: 3.8 seconds
- Top speed: 180 mph
- Price: £92,855 OTR
- UK deliveries: Q4 2026
A celebration of Audi’s five-cylinder legacy
Audi is positioning the RS 3 competition limited as a tribute to a five-cylinder story that began in 1976 with the second-generation Audi 100. Since then, the layout has become one of the brand’s defining engineering signatures, from rally icons through to the original RS2 Avant and today’s RS models.
That legacy is central to this special edition. Audi hasn’t increased output over the standard RS 3, but it has leaned into the things enthusiasts actually care about: the sound, the rarity, the setup and the details.
The 1-2-4-5-3 firing order remains a big part of the appeal, giving the 2.5 TFSI its unmistakable offbeat soundtrack. Audi says reduced insulation around the firewall allows more of that sound into the cabin, while the RS sports exhaust and earlier valve opening in dynamic, RS Performance and RS Torque Rear modes should make the competition limited feel even more intense than the regular car.
Chassis upgrades that matter
The biggest mechanical talking point is the introduction of adjustable coilover suspension. According to Audi, this is the first time the RS 3 has been fitted with a coilover setup from the factory, and it’s paired with a new stiffer rear stabilizer.
This is where the RS 3 competition limited starts to feel more like a proper enthusiast special than a cosmetic limited edition.
Audi says the suspension allows adjustment of:
- low-speed compression in 12 steps
- high-speed compression in 15 steps
- rebound in 16 steps
That gives owners significant scope to alter how the car responds in corners, over bumps and during rapid direction changes. Combined with a rear stabilizer stiffness of 85 N/mm, uprated rear spring rates, the torque splitter, and standard ceramic brakes, the competition limited looks like a more serious driver’s car than the already capable standard RS 3.
Audi has also added aerodynamic changes developed specifically for the limited model. New front carbon canards, a revised split front lip and a specific roof spoiler are all said to reduce lift and support stability at speed.
Carbon, gold wheels and Malachite green for the UK
Visually, Audi has gone all in.
The RS 3 competition limited gets a long list of matte carbon exterior parts, including:
- front canards
- front lip elements
- mirror caps
- side skirts
- rear spoiler
- diffuser trim
It also rides on 19-inch wheels finished in Neodymium gold matte, which will almost certainly divide opinion but suit the celebratory brief.
For UK buyers, all 11 examples will be finished in Malachite green, a colour Audi says references the Audi Sport quattro and the brand’s golden era of five-cylinder rally success. That alone gives the UK allocation a more distinctive identity than many limited-run cars ever get.
Another neat touch is in the darkened matrix LED headlights, which perform a 1-2-4-5-3 light signature when locking or unlocking the car, referencing the five-cylinder firing order.
A cabin built to underline the exclusivity
Inside, Audi has given the car a much more bespoke feel than a standard trim-and-badge special edition.
The cabin combines black, Neodymium gold and Ginger white, with:
- RS bucket seats
- Neodymium gold Dinamica microfiber
- Ginger white contrast stitching
- matte carbon seat backs
- special “RS 3 competition limited” projections and branding
- individual serial numbering on the centre console
Audi has also created a unique display theme for the virtual cockpit plus, with white instrument backgrounds as a nod to the original RS2 Avant.
It is the sort of detail-heavy interior treatment you’d want from a limited-run halo version like this, especially at nearly £93,000
Price and UK availability
The Audi RS 3 Sportback competition limited will cost £92,855 OTR in the UK.
Only 11 cars are coming here from a global production run of 750 units, with UK deliveries expected in Q4 2026.
That price puts it deep into premium performance territory, and well above the standard RS 3, but Audi is clearly betting that rarity, anniversary significance and the five-cylinder engine’s cult status will do the rest.
This is exactly how a limited edition should be done. Audi hasn’t just added decals, a plaque and a paint option. The RS 3 competition limited gets meaningful chassis changes, a stronger visual identity, proper scarcity and a clear connection to one of the brand’s most celebrated engines.
The biggest question is whether buyers will see it as a collectible first or a driver’s car first. On paper, it looks like it deserves to be both.
With only 11 UK cars, though, most enthusiasts will probably never see one on the road — and that’s part of the appeal.
