Audi 8V RS 3 Wheels

Audi 8V RS3 Wheel Performance

In stock form, the Audi 8V RS3 utilizes a reverse staggered wheel and tire setup. The main reason for this is to help alleviate some of the understeer characteristics common on a front-engined AWD chassis such as the RS3. While installing a wider square setup will neutralize the handling characteristics, making the car push a bit more at the limit, overall grip and cornering speed will be greatly improved at the same time. Plus, the ability to rotate your wheels and tires will allow you to maximize your tread life. If you want to fully take advantage of your 8V RS3’s chassis and drivetrain, a set of Apex 8V RS3 wheels in a wide and aggressive fitment will allow you to do just that. You can check out all of our 8V RS3 wheel offerings available in our Forged VS-5RS and SM-10RS designs, as well as our Flow Formed SM-10, via our chassis specific 8V Audi RS3 Wheel & Tire Fitment Guide.

History of the 8V RS3

Before you finalize your selection for a set of 8V RS3 wheels, let’s first take a dive into the history of the 8V RS3, and what has made it such a special car in the eyes of enthusiasts over the years.

The 8V RS3 made its first debut in late 2014 and hit dealership showroom floors the following year. The 8V RS3 is based on the third-generation of Audi’s A3/S3/RS3 chassis and sold through the model years of 2015-2020, with a mid-cycle refresh in late 2017. While the 8V RS3 was offered with two distinct body styles, a hatchback and a sedan, North American markets only received the latter. Regardless of body style, all 8V RS3s were equipped with a potent 2.5l 5-cylinder turbo charged motor, paired with a lightning-quick 7-speed DSG transmission. Power was sent to all four wheels via Audi’s legendary Quattro AWD system, making for incredible traction off the line and in limited grip situations.

8V RS3 Chassis Dynamics

The 8V Audi RS3 is factory-equipped with massive 8-piston 370mm front brakes and a 19" wheel and tire setup in a reverse-staggered configuration. While the standard reverse-staggered setup provides the car with fewer understeer characteristics out of the box, the lack of being able to rotate the wheels and tires makes it less than ideal 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.

While 8V RS3 wheels are an important consideration once you already own one of these cars, there are quite a few other things to consider before purchasing an 8V RS3. Piston Heads wrote up a great used buyers guide for the 8V RS3, which highlights a lot of things to look out for while on the search for your ideal example.