Audi RS 3
The record set three years ago at the Nürburgring was improved by seven seconds
The Audi RS 3 set the then-compact class lap record at the Nürburgring Nordschleife in 2021. The updated model improved that record by more than seven seconds, clocking a time of 7 minutes 33.123 seconds.
The heart of the Audi RS 3 is a 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder TFSI direct injection turbo engine developed by Audi Sport. It produces a maximum output of 400 PS (294 kW) and a maximum torque of 500 Nm, boasting specifications of 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h. The chassis setup has been optimized with this facelift, resulting in significantly improved cornering performance.
In 2021, Audi introduced the “torque splitter” for the first time in the RS 3. Combined with the highly drivable inline five-cylinder turbo engine, it improved performance on the circuit. Frank Stippler, Audi Sport’s works driver and development driver, conducted a time attack on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, setting a lap record at the time in the compact class.
Over the next three years, Audi Sport continued to develop the technology, and with Stippler once again at the wheel, the car, with the same engine specifications, achieved an astounding lap time of 7 minutes 33.123 seconds on the Nürburgring Nordschleife, beating the previous record from three years earlier by more than seven seconds and the previous class record by more than five seconds.
Actively adjusts rear torque distribution
The torque splitter not only distributes torque to the front and rear axles, but also actively controls torque distribution between the left and right rear wheels. Improvements to the system have been made to the new model, significantly improving cornering performance.
The RS 3’s “torque splitter” system actively controls torque distribution between the left and right rear axles using two electronically controlled wet multi-plate clutches. By distributing more torque to the outer rear wheels in curves, it reduces understeer and enables agile cornering.
On straights, torque is distributed evenly to the left and right rear wheels. When cruising, the rear clutch is released, transmitting torque only to the front axle, reducing fuel consumption. Marvin Schwatter, Technical Project Manager for the RS 3, explains the improvements to the torque splitter as follows:
“The torque splitter completely controls the distribution of torque between the rear wheels, thereby bringing lateral dynamics to a new level. It’s a truly revolutionary system. However, we saw room for improvement and made detailed adjustments to the system. As a result, the RS 3 is even more agile and its performance, especially when cornering, is significantly improved.”
Allows for quicker cornering
The improved model features a torque splitter with torque vectoring and minor adjustments to the brakes, reducing understeer and significantly improving cornering speeds.
The new RS 3 features torque vectoring from the torque splitter and fine-tuned braking to reduce understeer when entering corners, resulting in more aggressive cornering control.
When cornering, the torque splitter distributes torque to the outside rear wheel while slightly braking the inside rear wheel. This subtle braking intervention allows the RS 3 to trace the curvature of the curve more precisely. This allows the car to quickly establish its position at the apex of the corner, allowing the driver to accelerate more quickly towards the exit of the corner.
During development testing, the car’s settings were fine-tuned on the winding roads of Spain’s Montserrat Mountains and the Parc Motul Castellori circuit northwest of Barcelona. The approximately 4km circuit features a varied layout, including many tight corners with varying elevations, and the improved torque splitter was said to have been extremely effective.
