New 400bhp Audi RS Q3 Sportback hits the road in new shots

Audi's five-cylinder Q3 Sportback range flagship is spotted ahead of the regular model's reveal tonight
Mark Tisshaw
by Mark Tisshaw
23 July 2019

Audi's seventh SUV range addition - the new Q3 Sportback – is due to be revealed late tonight, and our spy photographers have caught the hot RS variant testing.

The Range Rover Evoque and BMW X2 rival will be revealed to the world in the first images and details ahead of an expected Frankfurt motor show public debut in September. 

We've seen the standard variants in disguise several times, but the RS Q3 Sportback has now been captured with less camo. Identifiable by its dual oval sports exhaust tips, Audi Sport logos on the brakes, and the air intake, grille and wheel styling, the RS Q3 Sportback is expected to use an all-new 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that produces up to 400bhp.

As with the previous spy pictures, the new shots show the style-focused, coupé-SUV design of the new machine, which is based on the latest-generation Q3. The front-end design shares much with the recently launched Q3, but it has a distinctly lower roofline and a sloping rear windscreen that meets a squarer tailgate. 

Audi exterior design boss Andreas Mindt previously said the Q3 Sportback was “a bit more than a coupé version of the Q3; to my eyes, a lot more”. He confirmed the designers had finished the styling last year, and that it had one feature in particular to really set it apart from other Audis.

Our Verdict

Audi Q3

Audi Q3 2018 review - hero front

Second-generation Q3 remains a good car but is rough around the edges when it comes to engine and gearbox

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The German firm previously confirmed the Q3 Sportback would be produced in 2019 at its plant in Győr, Hungary. It will be part of a growing line-up of style-led SUVs, spearheaded by the electric E-tron and range-topping Q8. 

The Q3 Sportback will sit on the same MQB underpinnings as the second-generation Q3. It is scheduled to arrive in showrooms towards the end of 2019 at a base price of around £28,000.

With the Q3 having grown in size in order to provide space in the range for the Q2, the Sportback looks set to be larger than its closest rivals. Audi insiders have revealed to Autocar that it will be at least 4500mm long – slightly longer than the Q3.

Plans for the Q3 Sportback were originally revealed by Audi in the form of the TT Offroad concept, which first appeared at the 2014 Beijing motor show.

Inside, the Q3 Sportback is set to benefit from a range of developments already under way at Audi and parent company Volkswagen for inclusion in the next generation of MQB-based models.

These include full-HD instrument displays, gesture control functions, a 9.2in touchscreen, wireless smartphone charging and the latest connectivity features.

Among the engines earmarked for the Q3 Sportback is a new generation of 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel units and updated versions of today’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

The new line-up will also feature a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid Sportback E-tron model with an electric-only range of up to 31 miles, as prescribed by China’s green vehicle regulations.

Read more

Audi Q8 SUV: Range Rover Sport and BMW X6 rival launched

Audi E-tron: brand's first full electric model to cost £70,805

New higher-spec Audi Q3 to cost nearly £3000 more than predecessor

Join the debate

Comments
20

fadyady

25 April 2016
Looks more like a copy of the BMW X4.

TS7

15 March 2017
...better than that. [quote=fadyady]Looks more like a copy of the BMW X4.[/quote]

geed

3 December 2018
fadyady wrote:

Looks more like a copy of the BMW X4.

Infiniti FX35/QX70...the car that started it all off but no no lpnger exists

TS7

15 March 2017
...fix the quote function.

simonali

21 February 2019
TS7 wrote:

...fix the quote function.

geed didn't seem to have any trouble using it.

Highline2.0

17 March 2017
Would prefer a TT allroad. Looks to similar to the bog standard Q range. It would need the grille from the q8 at least to give it some presence over the Q3.

Nadir Yaqoob

26 September 2018

Audi car is superb if we compare with BMW or others. not dought others car not good. but  I love audi because of its logo and pretty shape. i am busy all the day about my work bountifulbreast to dealing with customers related to breast growth or breast cancer. i will buy this car waiting for this as i feel some free.

Spanner

28 November 2018

Oh Nadir, you wag you.

Spanner

Peter Cavellini

28 November 2018

 Urus, looks a bit like it doesn’t it?

Peter Cavellini.

mpls

16 December 2018

What is it with these brands, Q4, X4  are they just copying each other...

On one corner we have

X1, X2, X3, X4, X, X6, X7, X8 ?

the other corner

Q1 ( coming soon) Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6 ( development), Q7, Q8

 

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