If a high performance car exists, it is only a matter of time before German tuner Manhart takes it to the next level. The latest Manhart RS3 500 does exactly this by giving the Audi RS3 368 kW and typical black and gold exterior treatment.
Considering the standard, unmolested Audi RS3 is capable of some serious power and equally impressive sprint times, akin to that of purpose built supercars from not too long ago, one has to beg the question if performance improvement is necessary? We can take a flyer as to how Manhart would respond to this considering the new RS3 500, as well as all of their previous creations with BMW and Mercedes consistently push the envelope in terms of power and performance.
The power gains of the 2,5-litre 5 cylinder now capable of 500 hp (or 368 kW) are compliments of a Wagner intercooler, Eventuri carbon air intake and beefed up stainless steel exhaust system which boasts valve control. This means that the 600 N.m Quattro machine should be able to trounce the standard 100 km/h sprint time of under four seconds depending on Sportback or Sedan flavour.
This is a lot of power to come from such a small car but the good news is, Manhart also offers the MH1 350 which is based on the BMW M135i xDrive hot hatch which has been tuned to the flavour of 261 kW only
That being said, Manhart offers this upgrade to both derivatives of the model and include their trademark exterior treatment too. This includes lowering suspension with a 20-inch wheel option which also boasts the black and gold exterior aesthetic although no information or images have been provided of the interior but it can be expected that this has been tweaked too with their website stating “Individually Tuning Options Available Upon Request”. To finish the exterior is a Manhart decal set which incorporates gold racing stripes and branding across the vehicle as well as a windscreen decal.
Keyword: The Manhart RS3 500 gives the compact Audi 74 kW of extra grunt