Motoring: Audi RS 3 ‘hot hatch’ packs a hefty performance punch

Vibrant layers of driving enjoyment abound, but Audi’s newest is just as capable and pleasurable running errands as it might be on the rally track

The Audi RS 3: the car has a far more aggressive and conspicuous appearance than its predecessors with its blackened front-end made up of a larger honeycomb grille with additional air intakes for the beefed-up brakes. Picture: Roman Raetzke

The term “hot hatch” was first used in the 1980s, but the genre dates back a further two decades to its genesis, the Mini Cooper. In the intervening years, the segment has spawned some true icons of motoring that remain as celebrated today as when they first appeared.

Names including the Peugeot 205 GTi, Renault 5 Gordini, Volkswagen Golf GTI and – more recently – the Ford Fiesta ST and Honda Civic Type R have ...