Audi to Unveil Hot-Rod Q3 in China Next Week

Audi will use next week's Beijing auto show to test public interest in a 355-hp variant of its Q3 small crossover vehicle.

The Volkswagen AG unit's RS Q3 concept is propelled by the same 2.5-liter, five-cylinder turbocharged engine used in RS versions of the company's A3 sedan and TT sports car. A seven-speed S tronic transmission directs power to a variable all-wheel drive system. Audi says the vehicle can zoom from zero to 62 mph in 5.2 seconds and achieve a top speed of 165 mph.

The concept rides one inch lower than a standard Q3 on 20-inch rims and 255/30 tires. Exterior modifications include a special grille, modified headlamps and more sharply sculpted bumpers. The car is painted in matte blue with black carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic spoiler, outside mirror housings and rear diffuser.

Inside, the blue-black color scheme carries over with carbon-fiber-reinforced panels laced with luminescent blue glass fibers.

Audi says it is unveiling the RS Q3 concept at the Beijing show because China is now the brand's largest national market. The company says it also will show the vehicle in other major venues before deciding whether to produce it.