2018 Audi RS3 is why compact sport sedans are where it's at

Strip away this special-order Viper Green paint and you're left with an athletic, somewhat reserved design.

This car features optional "black optics," including gloss-black lower fascia details, mirror caps and a subtle lip spoiler.

Dual oval exhaust outlets add a degree of menace to the RS3's otherwise clean rear end.

Like its less-costly A3 and S3 siblings, the RS3 is available with a full cache of advanced safety assistants, including adaptive cruise with stop and go, auto-brake, blind-spot and active-lane assist, and so on.

This new sedan bodystyle is expected to help the RS3 make big inroads into countries like the United States and China, which historically don't go for hatchbacks.

Lights are LED all the way 'round.

Chief competitors to the RS3 figure to be the Mercedes-AMG CLA45 and BMW's M2.

Note how the hood shut seam aligns nicely with the headlamps' inward cut.

Audi will also offer a full-blown, non-street-legal RS3 LMS race car for privateer racers.

RS3 badges help distinguish this from lesser S3 and A3 models.

The thin lip spoiler is also available in body color if you don't opt for the blacked-out trim pack.

While the 2.5-liter I5 does a vocal throat-clearing exercise when firing up, there are not a lot of theatrical pops and bangs on overrun.