Sure, you could make the argument that track records don’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s not like all of us have what it takes to even get close to the performance of a professional driver. However, these lap times continue to be important for automakers. At the end of the day, it’s about bragging rights to sell more cars. With the updated RS3 launched this week, Audi has managed to take the Nürburgring crown in the compact class.

The RS3 lapped the challenging Nordschleife in an impressive 7 minutes and 33.12 seconds. It shaved off about five and a half seconds from the M2’s lap time achieved last year. We’re now left wondering whether BMW will fight back. The 2025 M2 makes an extra 20 horsepower but that’s likely not enough to reclaim the title. However, next year’s M2 CS could have better chances of dethroning the RS3.

BMW is widely believed to take the M2 to 523 hp for the Competition Sport and remove some weight in the process. That being said, the regular M2 is already substantially more powerful than the RS3. In Audi’s flagship compact car, the smaller five-cylinder engine makes about 400 hp. Further chassis and suspension tuning could help the M2 CS get closer to the RS3’s lap time. However, we’re not so sure it’ll be able to improve it. Perhaps a hardcore M2 CSL might do the trick, provided it’ll happen one day.

For this mid-cycle update, Audi has given the RS3 a facelift with sharper-looking headlights and taillights. There’s now (finally) an option for carbon bucket front seats, which the M2 G87 has been offering from day one. The revised steering wheel has a flatter design now – a direction that BMW M seems to be taking as well.

For 2025, the RS3 also gets grippier standard tires but enthusiasts can still opt for the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks. Additional tweaks to the brake torque vectoring system diminish understeer, or so we’re being told. The adaptive dampers react even better now following a recalibration, while the torque splitter has been improved as well.

In many ways, the RS3 and M2 are not direct rivals. Aside from the obvious body style differences, the RS3 is based on a front-wheel-drive platform with standard Quattro AWD. The M2 comes strictly with RWD, although we’re hearing an xDrive variant could land as early as 2026. BMW offers its smallest M car with a stick shift whereas Audi Sport sells the RS3 exclusively with two pedals.

The price gap is also substantial. Audi wants €66,000 for an RS3 Sportback in Germany where BMW charges about €10,000 more for a base M2. The difference between the two is narrowed down to €8,000 if you opt for the RS3 Sedan. It’s safe to say the M2 CS will be far more expensive, with our sources telling us it could cost €110,000 in Deutschland.

Could there be a different compact car with a gas engine faster than these two? Well, the Renault Megane RS has been discontinued while the Honda Civic Type R lapped the Nordschleife last year in 7 minutes and 44.88 seconds. There haven’t been any rumors of a hotter CTR derivative. Deleting roughly 11 seconds to match the RS3’s lap time seems tricky, especially with a front-wheel-drive car.

Perhaps Volkswagen will give it a try with the Golf GTI Clubsport or the Golf R. However, based on previous lap times of well over 7 minutes and 40 seconds for both, the RS3’s record doesn’t seem to be in any danger from the fellow VW brand. It would be awkward anyway to have the inferior Golf beat the fancier and more expensive RS3.

Source: Audi

2025 Audi RS3 Sedan

2025 Audi RS3 Sportback