BEST BUYS AUDI RS

THERE'S NO GETTING AROUND IT: AUDI RS PRODUCTS haven't taken home nearly as many group-test trophies as BMW M cars have over the years.

Performance models from Ingolstadt have a reputation for being big on performance but a little short on fun and personality, and while that judgement is fair to an extent, there have been some truly stellar - and barking mad - moments in Audi Sport's history. After all, it takes a sense of humour to stuff a twin-turbo V10 under the bonnet of an estate car.

In 2024, you can bag a slice of that history for very sensible money if you venture into the classifieds. That C6 RS6 can be bought for as little as £14,000, while the company's very first RS model, the rare RS2, can be found for less than half the price of its present-day RS4 equivalent. Or if you're after something more modern, there are significant savings to be had with early examples of the latest-gen RS5 coupe or RS3 - both formidably fast machines with their own unique appeal. Here's what to look for.

AUDI RS3 (8Y)
A nearly new five-cylinder RS for less than the price of the latest S3

STEP OUT OF A VOLKSWAGEN GOLF R OR MERCEDESAMG A45 S and into an Audi RS3, and you'll realise what a profound difference an extra cylinder can make. The RS3 is where Audi's five-pot motor will see out its days - there will be one final RS3 iteration to replace the version shown here, which has just gone off sale - and that engine means it can trace its DNA back to the 100 of the 1970s, and later the mighty Quattro. Time will tell whether the RS3 will cement itself in history along with other Audi greats, but right now, it offers a unique and enticing hot hatch - or compact saloon - experience.