Audi 8Y RS 3 Wheel & Tire Fitment Guide

Models Covered in This Guide

2022+ Audi RS3 (8Y)

The newest generation 8Y Audi RS3 offers significant performance improvements across the board when compared to the outgoing 8V RS3. The 8Y RS3 carries on the tradition of what has made these cars so special in the eyes of enthusiasts over the years, maintaining the rally-esque 2.5l 5-cylinder turbocharged motor, paired with a lighting-fast DSG transmission and Quattro AWD. This potent drivetrain configuration offers plenty of performance both on the street and at the track.

Much like the previous generation, the 8Y RS3 utilizes a reverse staggered 19" wheel and tire setup from the factory, which helps alleviate some of the understeer characteristics common on this chassis. However, the lack of being able to rotate the wheels and tires makes it a less than ideal setup for track use. Taking into consideration the Quattro AWD system and front-biased weight distribution of the RS3, a rotatable square setup is a must to ensure even tire wear at all four corners. Shedding unsprung weight by downsizing to an 18" wheel will also improve upon the overall handling, braking, and acceleration characteristics of the car.

Compared to the 8V RS3, which utilizes similar offset wheels both front and rear, the 8Y RS3 has a more unique factory fitment with significantly lower offset 19x9" ET25 front wheels, and higher offset 19x8" ET46 rear wheels. This configuration makes things a bit tricky when trying to run a true rotatable square setup, as large 20mm front spacers are required for a flush fit with the fenders and to match the track width of the rear wheels and tires.

Our 18x9" ET42 Flow Formed SM-10, Forged VS-5RS, and Forged ML-10RT compliments the 8Y Audi RS3 perfectly for both street and light HPDE use, while our 18x9.5" ET41 Forged SM-10RS is the best fit for enthusiasts wanting a dedicated track setup without any compromises. With a 5x112 bolt pattern and a 57.1mm center bore, our VW/Audi-specific wheels provide an almost complete bolt-on fitment without the need for centering rings or hub adapters. In most cases, 20mm front spacers will be the only additional hardware required to run the 18x9" ET42 in a square configuration on the 8Y RS3.

These fitments are ready-to-bolt-on, typically without any modifications, and provide a meaningful increase in wheel width over stock. The 18" fitments listed in this section are an ideal choice for the enthusiast who regularly drives their Audi on the street but still wants to participate in a few HPDE's as well. These fitments are a great match for a completely stock or lightly modified RS3. With a focus on brake clearance, our 18" fitments are able to clear the standard steel 6-piston factory RS3 brakes with ease, as well as a variety of aftermarket BBKs. 

Front & Rear: 18x9” ET42 with 255/35-18 tires

• Available in Flow Formed SM-10, Flow Formed VS-5, Forged VS-5RS, and Forged ML-10RT designs
• 18mm-22mm front spacers required, along with matching extended lug bolts or studs.
• 265/35-18 tires can also be used but may require some additional negative camber when using more aggressive compounds.

Front & Rear: 19x9” ET42 with 255/30-19 tires

• Available in Flow Formed VS-5 & Forged ML-10RT designs
• 18mm-22mm front spacers required, along with matching extended lug bolts or studs.
• 265/30-19 tires can also be used but may require some additional negative camber when using more aggressive compounds.

These fitments are the perfect match for weekend track warriors and hardcore racers seeking to maximize the wheel and tire size that they can fit on their Audi RS3. These aggressive wheel specs will occasionally require supportive modifications commonly found on track cars, such as increased negative camber. While certain configurations can provide a complete direct fit on a stock car, additional modifications may be required for a rub-free fitment depending on your suspension setup and specific tire selection. With a focus on brake clearance, our 18" fitments are able to clear the standard steel 6-piston factory RS3 brakes with ease, as well as a variety of aftermarket BBKs. 

Reverse Staggered Setups:

The 8Y RS3 comes from the factory with a reverse staggered setup, which uses a wider front wheel and tire compared to the rear. The main benefit of a reverse staggered setup is to alleviate some of the understeer characteristics common at the limit of grip on front-engined AWD vehicles, such as the RS3. Our 8Y RS3 specific reverse staggered setup is designed to maximize wheel and tire size front and rear without needing massive front spacers or other misc. hardware.

Front: 18x9.5" ET20 with 275/35-18 tires // Rear: 18x9" ET42 with 255/35-18 tires

• Available in Forged VS-5RS design only.
• Popular fitment.
• Direct fit with street-focused tire compounds.
• Clears Steel Brakes. Carbon Ceramic Brakes require 3mm-5mm front spacers.
• More aggressive track-focused tires may require a touch of additional negative camber.
• 265/35-18 front and 245/40-18 rear tires can also be used to mimic the factory tire widths.

APEX Staff tire recommendations:

• All-Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18
• Performance Summer: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18
• Extreme Performance Summer: Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18 Hankook RS-4: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18 Falken Azenis RT660: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18
• R-Compound: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18 Toyo Proxes R888R: 265/35-18, 275/35-18, 245/40-18, 255/35-18

Front: 19x9.5" ET20 with 265/30-19 tires // Rear: 19x9" ET42 with 245/35-19 tires

• Available in Forged ML-10RT design only.
• Popular fitment.
• 3mm front spacers are required to clear Steel Brakes. Carbon Ceramic Brakes require 5mm front spacers.
• More aggressive track-focused tires may require a touch of additional negative camber F&R.
• Wider 275/30-19 front and 255/30-19 rear tires can also be used but may require additional negative camber F&R.

Square Setups:

Square setups utilize the same size wheels and tires both front and rear. A square setup will allow you to rotate your wheels and tires to maximize tread life, while also gaining a more neutral handling balance at the limit compared to a staggered setup. However, due to the offset difference between front and rear on the 8Y RS3, large front spacers will be required for practically any square setup to work on this chassis.

Front & Rear: 18x9.5” ET41 with 265/35-18 tires

• Available in Forged SM-10RS design only.
• 18mm-22mm front spacers required, along with matching extended lug bolts or studs.
• Additional front and/or rear negative camber may be required when using more aggressive tire compounds.
• 255/35-18 tires can also be used for an easier fit with less negative camber required.

APEX Staff tire recommendations:

• All-Season: Michelin Pilot Sport AS4: 255/35-18, 265/35-18
• Performance Summer: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S: 255/35-18, 265/35-18
• Extreme Performance Summer: Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R: 255/35-18, 265/35-18 Hankook RS-4: 265/35-18 Falken Azenis RT660: 265/35-18
• R-Compound: Nitto NT01: 255/35-18, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2: 255/35-18, 265/35-18 Toyo Proxes R888R: 255/35-18, 265/35-18

Whether you are a casual weekend track warrior that still enjoys your car on the street, or a hard core racer competing for a spot on the podium, negative camber is a vital part of chassis setup that has many benefits. Not only will adding negative camber create more room for wider wheel and tire configurations, it more importantly improves handling, turn-in and tire longevity. Learn more in our blog article, The Positives of Negative Camber.

Still have questions?

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