The 2021 Audi RS3 LMS is an upgraded version of the company's customer race car for the TCR racing series. Based on the fourth-generation Audi A3, which went into production in 2020, the 2021 RS3 LMS is the brand's first all-new design for the racing series since the LMS debuted in 2016. On top of the updated exterior design that borrows from the road car, the 2021 RS3 LMS also features a more ergonomic cockpit with improved safety, a revised four-cylinder engine, and a new transmission. Let's find out more about it in the review below.

2021 Audi RS3 LMS

Specifications
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  • Model: 2021 Audi RS3 LMS
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Pros
Cons

Exterior

- heavily based on production model - massive front intakes - beefed-up fenders - big rear wing - race-spec diffuser - polycarbonate rear window - advanced aerodynamics

The RS3 LMS may be a race car, but it's actually closely related to the regular production model. It shares the same Singleframe grile and headlamps up front and the same layout in the rear. The roof and the glasshouse also retain the specifications of the road-legal RS3. However, the RS3 LMS stands out thanks to a wide range of race-specific modifications. For starters, the front fascia incorporates much larger air intakes at the corners of the bumper. These are also an upgrade compared to the previous LMS and they feed air into the new cooling system for the engine and the brakes.

The profile is obviously much more muscular than the road-going model, but it's not a big departure compared to the outgoing LMS model. It's the rear that further sets the RS3 LMS further apart through a big rear wing (suspended from the rear end for the first time) and a redesigned bumper with a center-mounted exhaust pipe. The LMS also sports a polycarbonate rear window as standard for the very first time.

Interior

- stripped out interior - flat-bottom steering wheel - no dashboard and door panels - more ergonomic than before - new roll cage - six-point safety belt - optional safety nets

While the exterior of the RS3 LMS remains familiar, the cockpit is an entirely different story. Stripped to the bone, it no longer bears resemblance to the road-going model. The dashboard and the door panels are gone, the center stack has been replaced with a spartan console, while the instrument cluster is just a small screen behind the steering wheel. The latter is also completely different than what you get in the regular RS3, featuring a flat bottom, an Alcantara wrap, and a series of controls on the spokes around the four rings badge.

Audi says the revised interior is more ergonomic than before, in large thanks to the new keypad that includes ignition and various light functions. It also features a new roll cage, made from about 85 feet of steel tubes. Safety is further enhanced by the six-point safety belt, but you can order seat-wrapping safety nets for additional protection. Like any race car, the RS3 LMS is obviously fitted with a fire extinguishing system.

Drivetrain

- 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine - 340 horsepower - 310 pound-feet of torque - new dual-clutch gearbox - revised suspension system - quick and nimble

As before, the RS3 LMS is fitted with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine related to the one found in the regular A3. Yes, despite the badge the RS3 LMS doesn't feature the RS3's 2.5-liter five-cylinder mill.

The race-spec engine retains may regular production parts, including the block, cylinder head, crank drive, valve train, intake manifold, fuel injection, and turbo. The valve cover breather, oil separator and exhaust systems have been upgraded for race use. Audi also added a new engine management system from Magneti Marelli.

All that oomph travels to the wheels through a new dual-clutch transmission that provides quicker shifting and better durability. The gearbox is also 1.7 pounds lighter than the previous unit.

The new-generation RS3 LMS rides on a revised suspension system that allows changes to kinematics to be faster than before. It also features stabilizers with quick-release fasteners for quicker replacement during pit stops.

Competitors

The Audi RS3 LMS goes against a big variety of cars, depending on the series. TCR is now a massive competition that includes many racing series and even classes in mixed competitions of the sprint or endurance variety. It also includes national championships on top of continental and global series.

In the World Touring Car Cup, for instance, the RS3 LMS competes against entries like the Hyundai i30 N TCR, Renault Megane R.S. TCR, Honda Civic Type R TCR, Cupra Leon TCR, Alfa Romeo Giulieta Veloce TCR, and Lynk & Co 03 TCR. In other series the RS3 LMS faces the Fiat Tipo TCR, Hyundai Veloster N TCR, and the Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, among other entries.

Conclusion

With 180 units built since 2016, the Audi RS3 LMS is one of the most successful race cars in the TCR championship. It's also Audi's most popular customer race car with more than 3,000 starts in more than 1,000 races since its introduction. The RS3 LMS has won so far 279 races, 16 drivers' championships, 38 teams' titles, and five class victories in 24-hour races so far. The redesigned model has a big pair of shoes to fill and it remains to be seen if it will be just as capable as the outgoing model.