In a market teeming with notable hot hatchbacks, the Audi RS3 stands as one of the most powerful in the segment. But, even with that kind of status, a car like the RS3 is more than capable of accommodating more power. That’s one of the reasons why aftermarket tuners like B&B Automobiltechnik are around. The German tuner has presented a new tuning program for the Audi RS3, one that includes a whopping four-stage engine kit that helps bring the output of the hot hatch’s 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine to a mouth-watering 550 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque.

Needless to say, that kind of power from a car with the stature of the RS3 is impressive. B&B even added a series of upgrades to other parts of the hot hatchback to complement the work it put into the turbocharged five-banger. The full kit also includes modifications to the suspension, brakes, and a new set of wheels that provide a nice visual upgrade and complements all the performance improvements made to the hatchback.

There have been a lot of tuners that have built tuning programs for the RS3 in recent months, but I don’t think any of these tuners have anything approaching the versatility and variety of what B&B Automobiltechnik has to offer. Think those three-stage engine kits are plentiful enough? Apparently, there not even enough for B&B.

Continue after the jump to read the full review.

Exterior

The full extent of B&B Automobiltechnik’s upgrades on the Audi RS3’s exterior is its new set of 20-inch A10 alloy wheels that are wrapped in 235/30-series tires. Just behind the wheels is an equally new, high-performance brake system that provides improved stopping performance for the tuned-up hot hatch. Considering how much extra power the RS3 has with the B&B four-stage engine kit, upgraded brakes are an important addition to the entire tuning equation.

Interior

There are no interior upgrades available from B&B's RS3 8V tuning kit, so expect to see the same interior appointments found in the standard RS3.

Drivetrain

This is where B&B’s full tuning prowess shows itself, with the German tuner presenting a total of four different engine programs for the Audi RS3. The Stage 1 kit is the simplest and cheapest upgrade. It’s only made up of an increase in boost pressure to the tune of 0.2 bar and a remap of the hot hatchback’s ECU unit, but even then, B&B is promising to increase output to 430 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque.

If that’s not enough, customers can opt to get the Stage 2 kit, which adds modifications to the air intake system and another increase in boost pressure to about 0.25 bar. This kit is capable of bringing out 450 ponies and 483 pound-feet of torque, 83 horses and 140 pound-feet of torque more than the standard RS3. And we haven’t even gotten to the Stage 3 kit yet.

The Stage 3 kit is good for 485 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That power increase is accomplished by adding air intake mods, a free-flow sports exhaust system, and a new, in-house, high-performance intercooler. Add the customary remap of the ECU and you get that output, which itself is impressive enough if not for the fact that there’s another tuning stage available.

The Stage 4 kit is where it really gets absurd — in a good way. With all the modifications already in tow from the three “lower” stages, B&B saw fit to take out Audi’s turbocharger and replace it with a bigger and more bespoke version. Once that’s in place, the tuner matched it with a race exhaust system with free flow metal catalysts, a high-pressure fuel pump, and an upgraded oil cooler system to go along with the optimized ECU unit and improve forced air induction paths. The sum total of this upgrade is a whopping 550 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, good enough to propel the RS3 from a standstill position to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds, a full second quicker than the standard model. The tuner also removed the car’s top speed limiter, helping the RS3 stretch its top speed to 186 mph.

Moreover, B&B’s four-stage engine upgrade also include specific adaptations of the dual-clutch transmission for the appropriate performance level. The tuner is also offering a bespoke downpipe and sport catalyst that helps improve air flow, adding another 15 horsepower into the equation. A race exhaust system with metal catalytic converter is also available that helps drop the thermal load on the engine and turbocharger and adds another 20 ponies.

Chassis and Suspension

To accommodate the modifications on the RS3’s 2.5-liter, turbocharged, five-cylinder engine, B&B is also offering a sport spring set that helps lower the RS3’s ride height by 1.18 inches in the front and 0.79 inches in the rear. If that’s not enough, the tuner is also offering the B&B/KW V3 fully adjustable coilover suspension that comes with a user-adjustable ride height, as well as bounce and rebound controls for the dampers.

Pricing

A full breakdown of B&B Automobiltechnik's price list can be seen below.

Competition

Audi RS3 by Oettinger

As powerful as B&B’s tuning program for the RS3 is, there is another program that boasts bigger gains for the hot hatch. Just last month, Oettinger presented its own version of a four-stage tuning kit, one that builds the output until it tops out at an incredible 750 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. It’s unlikely that a customer will be able to use that upgrade on the road, so the most suitable upgrade meant for road use is the tuner’s Stage 2 kit, which pumps out 520 horsepower and 501 pound-feet of torque. Not only is this just as powerful as B&B’s Stage 4 kit, it’s also capable of sprinting to 62 mph in just 3.3 seconds to go with a top speed of 193 mph, higher than what B&B was able to get out of the RS3.

Read our full review here.

Audi RS3 by MR Racing

MR Racing’s own kit features a string of performance upgrades meant to give customers the opportunity to choose which stage kit suits them best. The first of these engine kits come with an ECU remap and a custom-made stainless steel sport exhaust system that the tuner received from Friedrich Motorsport. These upgrades push the output to 448 horsepower and 482 pound-feet of torque, slightly higher than B&B’s own Stage 1 kit for the RS3. MR Racing’s Stage 2 kit is just as impressive as it takes all the upgrades from the Stage 1 kit and adds a new TTE 500 turbocharger, high-pressure fuel pump, and a more efficient intercooler. The result is an output of 535 horsepower and 517 pound-feet of torque, putting it close to what B&B was able to accomplish with its Stage 4 kit.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

If the objective is turning the Audi RS3 into a certified rocket on four wheels, the obvious choice would be Oettinger. B&B Automobiltechnik offers something similar, but it does in a way that the power increases gradually to accommodate a lot more customers who may prefer one stage kit over another. Let's face it. Not everyone wants to turn their RS3 into a 750-horsepower monster. For these people, it's more than enough to add anywhere from 100 to almost 200 horsepower to the hot hatch. If that's the objective, B&B has more options to choose from.