The new Audi RS3 ‘competition limited’ is a *very* expensive hot hatch with fancy coilovers

This is the Audi RS3 competition limited. To no great surprise, it is a limited edition of the RS3 competition that’s been built to celebrate 50 years since Audi first slotted a five-cylinder engine into the slender nose of the 1976 100. To great surprise, it is supremely expensive. More on that later.

How then, you might wonder, does an Audi famous for its five-cylinder engine celebrate 50 years of Audi making famous five-cylinders? Nope, not like that. Audi has instead bolted in a set of coilovers and bolted on a set of carbon accoutrements to its rampaging little hatch, and left that famous five-cylinder well alone.

As such, there’s the same 395bhp and 369lb ft you get in a so-called ‘regular’ Audi RS3, and the same 0-62mph time of 3.8s. Though for the RS3 competition limited, the speed limit’s been raised right up to 180mph out the box.

To be fair, this is a bit of a masterstroke of an engine; one that’s won multiple Engine of the Year awards. Doesn’t really need anything. So for this installation, Audi’s decided to fit a variable RS sports exhaust system, said to “broaden the spectrum of the exhaust note”.

There’s less insulation around the firewall, so more noise will infiltrate that impeccably appointed cabin. Essentially: you'll hear more of that five-cylinder.

The main thrust as mentioned is that suspension upgrade. In comes a set of very fancy adjustable coilovers that are better cooled than before, and thicker, too. The low speed compression is adjustable in 12 steps, high-speed by 15 steps, and rebound adjustable in 16 steps. That's a lot of steps, and a lot of customisation.

At the back, there’s a new stabiliser that’s thicker and stiffer than before, and because of the new suspension, Audi’s stiffened up the spring rates at the rear too. All in, it’s way, way more adjustable than before. So adjustable, there’s a setup manual and even some tools on board the new car.

Elsewhere on board you’ll find the RS3’s torque splitter, new aero elements at the front, a new roof spoiler, a special colourway exclusive to this car, some badges, RS bucket seats, contrast stitching, and RS-specific elements in the 10.1in display. It even gets white dials, just like ye olde RS2 Avant. That also got a five-pot, remember.

In the UK, prices for the RS3 Sportback competition limited kick off at... £92,855. That's a heck of a lot of dough for a small, fast Audi. Rarity will talk to that because as mentioned, it’s a limited edition: Audi’s only building 750 of them, with just 11 heading to these shores. Worth it?