The new, fourth-gen Audi A3 was revealed in 2020 through a Covid-induced online event with a new, sportier front end and more attractive styling for both sedan and hatchback body types. The Audi S3 arrived later on in 2020 with a more aggressive attitude, but we’ve still been waiting and itching to see the new RS3. The wait is finally over – well, kind of. The new RS3 won’t make its official debut until sometime in July, but thanks to Auditography, we get to see what the production model looks like in some cool camo.

2022 Audi RS3 Early Look – The Future In Pictures

Auditography is a “unique photo- and videography service for Audi” and, if you head over to its facebook page, website, or Imgur portal, you’ll see that it’s probably the best job in the world. They get to drive and see all the cool cars, sometimes even before they are officially revealed. Such is the case with the new 2022 Audi RS3 that you see here. Despite the obvious close relationship with Audi, Auditography still operates under the same official Embargo rules the rest of us do when it comes to new cars, so outside of these pictures of the RS3 in camo, there’s no official specs or information to go on.

The shots of the front end also confirm that the fake vents from the S3 have been opened up and will be functional, however, the rear vents will still be of the faux variety. We’ve also spotted new fender vents that are in place to help cool the upgraded brakes which are likely carbon-ceramic.

As for performance, we can only speculate at this point, but expect to see a mild improvement over the outgoing model but not much. Why not much? When Audi released the 2018 RS3, it made significant changes to the 2.5-liter inline-five. Its weight was reduced by some 57 pounds, and it featured a revised dual injection system to go with an update valvelift system for variable control of the exhaust valves. In the end, that engine saw output increase from 367 horsepower to a cool 394 ponies along with an 11 pound-foot increase in torque up to a total of 354 pound-feet. This is the same output that you get from the current RS Q3 and RS Q3 Sportback and the TT RS, so it’s possible that output may remain the same for this generational leap too.

Whether or not that is true remains to be seen, but if it is, we won’t see that car for at least a few years as it’ll come later in the new RS3’s lifecycle. As of now, the RS3 can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, but even with the same power output, the new RS3 might be a second or so faster thanks to better aerodynamics and less weight. It will be going up against the Mercedes-AMG A45 S and the CLA 45 S, so it certainly has its work cut out for it. The A45 S and CLA 45 S are good for 416 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque from a crazy 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The former can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds while the latter gets there in four-seconds flat. Needless to say, the new RS3 will have its work cut out for it, but we’re willing to bet that Audi isn’t coming to the party unprepared.

Expect the new 2022 Audi RS3 to be revealed sometime in mid-July with an on-sale date being sometime in the fall of 2021 in Europe.