2016 Paris Motor Show: Audi RS3 Sedan unveiled

Audi is bringing back ghosts of Quattro past, with the new RS3 Sedan, which was officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show.

This pocket rocket packs an almighty punch, with the 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine producing 294kW, and 480Nm. This makes it the most powerful five-cylinder engine available right now, and brings back memories of the all-conquering Quattro.

The RS3 Sedan will sprint to 100km/h in a swift 4.1-seconds, before hitting an electronically limited top speed of 280km/h.

The potent five-cylinder engine is 26kg lighter than its predecessor as well, and an S Tronic seven-speed dual clutch transmission sends power to all four wheels.

Audi says the harder and faster you drive the RS3, the more torque will be sent to the rear wheels, meaning the sedan has “especially agile driving characteristics”.

Compared to an A3, the Audi RS3 Sedan has a 20-millimetre wider front track, with flared wheel arches and fatter tyres. The rear tyres are 14-millimetres wider.

Stopping is taken care of by 370-millimetre carbon-fibre ceramic brake discs with eight-piston calipers up front, and 310-millimetre discs at the rear. All housed behind 19-inch rims, and 235/35 tyres.

The RS3 Sedan comes with Audi’s new Virtual Cockpit system, which means you can adjust what is displayed in the instrument cluster.

It’s not all about going fast, with a slew of safety features, including traffic jam assist, which briefly takes over the steering in slow-moving traffic up to 65 km/h.

It also includes cross traffic assist, which looks out for crossing vehicles when the Audi is pulling out of parking spaces.

The RS3 Sedan will launch in the USA and China first, with no word on when the pocket rocked will arrive in Australia.