Audi RS3 Facelift Spotted Hiding Heavy Aesthetic Updates

The newAudi RS3only just arrived in the US last year, but the German marque is already ready to refresh the model. Our spies have caught the first confirmed images of the high-performance A3 derivative after shots late last year of asuspected RS3 prototypewere lacking several giveaway RS details. This time around, the RS3 (in sportback/hatchback guise) was spotted at the Nurburgring, wearing plenty of camo to hide its updates.

The front end is particularly decked out in heavy camouflage, hiding the reshaped grille and revamped mesh inside it and the corner vents. The front bumper also appears to be redesigned, and the headlights will sport new detailing, likely a new LED DRL signature in place of the current checkered-flag design. Other changes to the front end include a repositioned Audi logo, now higher up on the car's face.

The sides of the prototype are also thinly covered, hiding minor adjustments to the side skirts. All these changes will make it stateside, where the RS3 is only sold in sedan form.

However, the changes occurring at the rear will not. Still, they may influence the sedan's form, where the taillight graphics could also be updated, along with the design of the diffuser.

The spy photos don't show the cabin, but no covering is found, so the current layout will likely be carried over to the refreshed model. An update to the software, however, is expected.

Powering the RS3, Audi's venerable turbo 2.5-liter five-cylinder is expected to live on, with minor tweaks and perhaps a few extra ponies over and above the current 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.