Audi RS Q3 concept

• Interpretation of a high-performance athlete with 265 kW (360 hp)
• Powerful 5-cylinder unit combines gasoline direct injection with turbocharging
• Acceleration to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.2 seconds and top speed of 265 km/h (164.66 mph)

Blue and black: the interior

In the interior of the Audi RS Q3 concept, which gets plenty of light through a glass sunroof, cool black is the dominant color - on the roofliner, floor carpet, floor mats, leather-upholstered instrument panel and on large areas of the seat upholstery, which consists of Fine Nappa leather. Dark blue Alcantara is used as a contrasting element on the seat covers.

The contrasting blue color is used in an inventive way in the CFRP decorative panels - the panel material was produced by weaving brilliant blue luminescent glass fibers into it. The steering wheel has large control stalks made of CFRP, which are framed by aluminum accents. Most of the wheel is covered with black Velvet leather - a leather that gives the hands a secure grip and repels dirt very well. In the door trim panels, there are surfaces in blue Alcantara.

The inside door handle has a perforated lightweight construction look as in every RS model. In the tachometer, Chinese characters replace the usual Arabic numerals. RS Q3 badges adorn the instrument cluster, the seatbacks, door sill plates and floor mats.

The styling of the engine compartment is also extremely sporty in appearance. A layered-carbon trim panel covers the area around the five-cylinder engine that sports a red valve cover, and two laterally arranged ventilation screens feed air to the engine. As is the practice in car racing, the cylinder numbers are marked on their spark plug covers. An aluminum housing holds the open sports air filter, and the filtered air tube is made of stainless steel.

Powerful: the drivetrain

The extremely powerful 2.5 TFSI in the RS Q3 concept combines two classic Audi technologies – gasoline direct injection and turbocharging. From 2,480 cc of engine displacement, it generates 265 kW (360 hp) of power. The car catapults itself from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.2 seconds, and its propulsive force takes it to a top speed of 265 km/h (164.66 mph).

A seven-speed S tronic transfers the forces of the sonorous 2.5 TFSI to the quattro permanent all-wheel drive. Generally, it directs these forces almost exclusively to the front wheels. When slip is detected there, it can redistribute forces to the rear axle via a hydraulic multi-plate clutch with electronic control - instantaneously and variably.

The alloy wheels of the Audi RS Q3 concept continue the dynamic RS Q styling and have the dimensions 8.5 J x 20. The front surfaces are high-gloss, while the sides are sandblasted. The tire size of 255/30 is not exactly typical for an SUV, but certainly for an RS model.