Launched in 2011 as a beefed-up version of the five-door A3 Sportback, the RS3 has been forbidden fruit for performance enthusiasts in the U.S. That's because Audi thought it made no sense to bring it to North America, where sedans simply sell better. And while the A3->ke1086 and S3->ke1303 received sedan versions specifically designed for the U.S., the RS3 has yet to go that route. That may soon change, according to Fourtitude, which claims the RS3 Sedan may have been approved at the Audi->ke14 of America all-employee meeting in Maryland earlier this week.

The publication goes on to add that "a contact who was at the presentation" confirmed the RS3 that's headed to the U.S. is a sedan and that Audi was still pondering whether to make it available with a manual transmission on top of the S tronic DSG. No other details are provided, but it's expected that the RS3 Sedan will share the same 2.5-liter, five-cylinder engine with the Euro-only Sportback model. The turbocharged powerplant cranks out 367 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque and pushes the five-door hatch from 0 to 62 mph in only 4.3 seconds. The engine mates to revised a seven-speed S tronic transmission that shifts faster than its predecessor, and Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system.

If the RS3 Sedan does happen, likely sometime in 2016, expect it to cost in excess of $55,000 on these shores.

Continue reading to learn more about the future Audi RS3 sedan.

Why it matters

There are very few Audi models the U.S. market doesn't get, and the RS3 Sportback is arguably the most important of them. But while the high-performance five-door hatch might not make sense here, an RS3 Sedan is a must, especially with the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG around. The S3 is simply not powerful enough for the Merc, leaving Stuttgart's four-door coupe unchallenged. An RS3 Sedan would give the CLA45 AMG a run for its money and add a bit of fun to this small niche.

Audi RS3

Learn more about the Audi RS3 Sedan in our speculative review here.