Audi of America CEO Confirms RS3 Sedan and Q8 SUV Headed To the U.S.!

Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh has finally confirmed what we’ve long suspected: The 367-hp RS3 is coming to the U.S. We’ve been optimistic about that car’s chances for the States since way back in 2012, when we had the above RS3 sedan rendering commissioned. As Keogh points out in comments to Automotive News, the sedan would be better suited to our market than the equally cool RS3 hatchback currently on sale in Europe.

Today’s U.S.-market Audi A3 landscape includes a sedan, a cabriolet, and the 292-hp S3 sedan. (The A3 e-tron plug-in-hybrid hatchback soon will join the group.) As Keogh states to AN, he thinks the RS3 is “going to be a great positioning car, a great halo car. I’m very confident we’ll see that car in the market. That’s as far as I’m going to go.”

Also included in the Automotive News interview is confirmation that Audi will sell the Q8—a spicier, “coupe” version of the next-generation Q7 similar to the sultry A7 that’s spun from the A6—here in the U.S., too. We’re not exactly dying for more BMW X6–like things (Mercedes recently joined the party with the GLE coupe), but if they sell a bunch of them, maybe we get more awesome RS3-level stuff. Look for the RS3 to arrive late this year or sometime next year as either a 2016 or 2017 model.
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GermanNut - 4/8/2015 10:31:26 AM

-4 Boost

Audi has really made smart strategic decisions for the U.S. market and its impressive sales growth streak is indicative of that. The Q5 has been successful and Audi followed up with the Q3. Now the SUV range will expand towards the top with the Q8 and the A3 Sedan has been selling well, too.

cidflekken - 4/8/2015 2:29:48 PM

+5 Boost

I never knew that a "smart decision" for a luxury brand was to rely on its downmarket products to keep its head afloat, otherwise, the brand would have been showing negative growth for a good part of the past 12 months? Or how that downmarket product (the A3) offers 4 models (1.8L, 2.0L, cabriolet, S3) and still can't best its most immediate competition (the CLA) which offer 2 models (CLA250, CLA45)?

carsnyc - 4/8/2015 11:58:10 AM

+1 Boost

I wouldn't recognize them as smart decisions. The only Audi model growing in sales is the A3 and Q5 is rather stagnant. All other models (about 12) are in the negative. I like Audi so I hope this is not contagious from sister VW

JIEACE - 4/8/2015 3:00:09 PM

+1 Boost

Sedan? really? who still drives Sedans?????? the hatchback is not only better looking but a million times more practical.