The 2015 Audi RS3 Sportback is one of the most potent hot-hatches->ke304 in the world right now. With 367 horsepower, it’s approaching late-90s Ferrari->ke252 levels of power. The Angelsey Circuit is a secluded, seaside track in Wales and has got to be one of the most picturesque in the World. Combine to the two and you have the makings of a pretty good day. British car outlets Autocar and Piston Heads did just that for an Audi promotional video, with professional test driver Mauro Calo and Audi RS3->ke3198 designer Stephan Fahr-Becker riding shotgun.

The video->ke278 is worth a view, if only to watch Mauro do his best to vaporize the rear tires and see Stephan get his first ride in a car he designed! And it's a good one.

Most car enthusiasts will tell you that even performance Audis->ke14 tend to understeer. Apparently, someone forgot to tell that to Mauro and the Audi, because The RS3 adopts some seriously sideways slip angles. Cars tend to do that when they have wider tires in front than in the rear. It’s an unusual step to take for Audi, but the RS3’s 255-section fronts combined with 235-section rears improve front grip dramatically over the old RS3. Even so, it’s still incredibly stable when you want it to be thanks to its quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The RS3’s 2.5-liter, turbocharged five-cylinder might not be the most powerful engine Audi builds, but it’s definitely the coolest and makes a great noise. In addition to the previously mentioned 367 horsepower, it produces 343 pound-feet of torque at just 1,625 rpm. Power is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed S tronic transmission. It will do 0-60 in just 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 174 mph, which is slightly insane for a five-door hatchback.

2015 Audi RS3

Read our full review here.