From the April 1967 issue of Car and Driver.

The Meyers Manx is all things to all men. Our first glimpse of one was from directly astern, and it looked like some kind of crazy scout car, a mixed-up command vehicle. Its maker senses in it something of the classic character of Mercer Race­abouts and Apperson Jackrabbits. No two of its 250-odd owners see it exactly the same way.

The outdoor types say it’s perfect for pack trips and hunting expedi­tions. Hot-rodders hail it as the re­incarnation of the street roadster. Kooky girls think it’s kinky, or is it vice versa? Frustrated executives can’t decide if it’s better suited as a station car or as an escape module. Surfers swear it’s the woody of the future. Sober, pragmatic men rationalize their passion for it by tell­ing themselves that it’s a sensible, low-cost, all-purpose utility run­about. Motorcyclists allow as how it’s almost as good as having two bikes. Sports-car enthusiasts say it delivers more excitement per pound than a Ferrari GTO. Pontiac GTO owners try to look the other way . . . unsuccessfully. And dune buggy rac­ers say it’s the end. The only thing they all agree on is that it’s more soul-freeing, leaping, bounding, uninhibited fun than anything else they’ve ever driven—on or off the road. We’ll buy that.

The Meyers Manx is the perfect answer for the man who’d rather roll his own. It’s a kit car. It costs $635, plus whatever you have to spend for the Volkswagen parts necessary to complete it, plus labor—unless you do it yourself. It’s not difficult to assemble; any guy with average mechanical ability could do the job over a couple of weekends. And for power: Volkswagen, Cor­vair, Porsche—you name it.

That’s one of the great things about the Meyers Manx—its only limitation is your own imagination. You can buy the basic kit (there’s an even more basic, stripped kit for $498), pay $100 for a wrecked VW, throw it together and forget it, or you can build it up with all new parts and tender loving care. It’s your choice—all the way up to a 200-hp engine, metalflake paint job, luxury interior, hard top, side curtains, mag wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, fully adjustable suspension, and racing tires.

The Meyers Manx is the car for the man who’s fed up with dealers, wheelers, factory-installed options he doesn’t want, trade-ins, discounts, high pressure, hard sell—the whole bag. About half the customers of B. F. Meyers and Company are tired businessmen who buy a Manx to put together in their spare time, a proj­ect they think will take their mind off their work. They say they’ll give it to the kids as a present when they’re finished, but like electric trains at Christmastime, they can’t let go. The kids don’t see much of the Manx that Daddy built, nor of Daddy, for that matter—he’s off blowing his mind on some winding country road.

That’s another great thing about the Meyers Manx. It’s a real car. You can license it, and insure it, and drive it anywhere, anytime. With the top and side curtains in place, it’s as snug and watertight as any little imported roadster. You can hook up the heater and make it all warm and toasty in sub-zero weather. With snow tires, it’ll go through blizzards that would stop a snowmobile in its tracks. With super­-balloons, it’ll dust dunes with the best four-wheel-drive Jeeps and Bron­cos. And with racing tires, it’ll out­handle and outbrake any sports car we’ve ever tested.

Although the Manx was originally designed as a dune buggy, it’s equal­ly at home on pavement. One of the maker’s favorite tricks to demon­strate the mountain-goat agility of the Manx is to drive it onto one of those 45-degree cobblestone slopes under a freeway bridge. The demonstrator steers the Manx straight up under the girders, racks the wheel over, and leaves it racing around in a small circle up there on the steep incline like it was gyro-stabilized, while the passenger hangs on for dear, sweet life. This act is usually followed by a leap off a precipice onto and across a field of basketball-­sized rocks, overland to the beach, a quick tour at terrifying angles over the sand dunes, then down to the water’s edge to speed along, playing tag with the waves, and finally—­mercifully—home again.

We managed to maintain our equi­librium during this phase of the test, but really got unhinged when we slipped behind the wheel for the panic stop from 80 mph. It squeaked to a halt in an unbeliev­able 204 feet, or 1.05 g—the kind of performance you only expect to find in a Chaparral. Impossible! At least with stock Volkswagen brakes, we thought, and tried again. Hmmm, 210 feet (1.02 g). Everything was checked. Again: 207 feet (1.03 g).

The Manx’s handling is difficult to describe, but in a word, it’s quick. It’s like wearing a pair of pants—you turn, it turns. It darts rather than steers, and it sticks like mad. Understeer it’s got, but after sending all our instruments off scale at well over 1.00 g, we gave up trying to make it break traction and slide.

One Corvair-powered Manx is the scourge of the gymkhana circuits, having won the Southern California autocross championship two years running—including taking 22 events in a row—against all comers: Co­bras, Lotus Super Sevens, and all. Another Manx won some kind of nutball race over rock trails in the Colorado foothills. A stock Manx could probably win the Big Bear motorcycle enduro outright, if it was eligible. In fact, one four-wheel-drive club outlawed the Manx from its dune races because the Manx has only two-wheel drive, which the out­raged club members said gave it an unfair advantage. Sour dune grapes.

But the Manx’s greatest victory­—the legend that will be passed from generation to generation—was at last year’s Pikes Peak hillclimb. Ted Trevor, owner of the Crown Manu­facturing Company, maker of kits to adapt Corvair engines to Manxes, Volkswagens, and Porsches, towed his racing Manx from California to Colorado with his street Manx. Don Wilcox, who had never seen the hill before, qualified Trevor’s Corvair­-powered Manx over the short course in 6:03.4. Running in the under-305-cubic-inch sports-car class, the Manx was faster than all the sports cars, in­cluding Ak Miller’s undefeated 427 Cobra Kit Special, and faster than all but seven of the highly special­ized Championship hillclimb cars. During the race itself, Wilcox was handily ahead of Miller’s time, and practically within sight of the finish, when a line fell off the fuel pump. Wilcox hopped out, ran to a phone, and called Trevor down at the start line, urging him to race the street car—just for kicks. Trevor jumped into the heavier, less-powerful street Manx and won the class by a 22-second margin. Shaken, USAC abol­ished the sports-car class for 1967.

Bruce F. Meyers, 40, sole propri­etor of Bruce F. Meyers and Com­pany, is the originator, designer, and builder of the Meyers Manx. Meyers is possibly the most gifted fiberglass artist ever to work in that difficult medium. He had built a 42-foot fiberglass catamaran, the “Hinano,” with his bare hands, and was looking for new designs to conquer. He had sold his old, beat-up Volkswagen to buy an old, beat-up Porsche from a guy in Texas, who had neglected to tell him that the car had been rolled and its chassis was somewhat out of alignment. Okay, said Bruce F. Meyers, I’ll build my own damn car.

Thus, the Meyers Manx was born, and suitably adorned with a fine es­cutcheon: a rampant Manx cat hoisting aloft a dull, chipped sword. The first Manx was a full fiberglass bathtub carrying Volkswagen run­ning gear, and it was as strong as a redwood stump. Contemporary dune buggies, mostly built from sheet steel and having no compound curves, were ugly as sin. Bruce F. Meyers, being an artist with fiber­glass, designed the best-looking dune buggy ever. He and his pretty, zany wife Shirley (who was at the time an advertising assistant at R— & T—-, which is why we haven’t told this story sooner), drove proudly around Newport Beach, showing off the Manx to all their friends. All their friends wanted a copy, and talked him into building more. So Bruce F. Meyers set up shop in an old garage, and began selling Manx kits at $985 each.

Bruce F. Meyers may be a great artist, but he is no great business­man, so it was some time before he discovered that he was losing money on each car he sold. At this point, he got some very big offers from pro­spective manufacturers, mostly com­petitors who had been selling infe­rior buggies until the Manx stole their sales. Bruce F. Meyers may be no great businessman, but he is a perfectionist. He wanted to build Manxes himself so that he could be sure that they were being built right. It was some time before he discov­ered just the right solution. The Mark II Manx is not a full fiberglass bathtub, although it still looks like one; it’s a fiberglass body that bolts onto a Volkswagen bellypan. This resulted in a shorter, stiffer, better riding, better handling, lighter, stronger, cheaper Manx, and Meyers the perfectionist was satisfied.

Almost. He would like to market the Manx as a completed car (as well as a kit), built to the customer’s exact specifications, but he can’t be­cause Volkswagen won’t sell him Beetles without bodies. Assembling all the pieces from the VW parts bin would run the labor costs up too high, and Bruce F. Meyers isn’t the kind of guy who would sell you a car built from parts scrounged from wrecks (not unless he checked ev­erything, right down to the last nut and bolt). Maybe a great business­man would sell you a car like that, but not Bruce F. Meyers.

So the Meyers Manx is only avail­able as a kit car, and destined to re­main so until Volkswagen relents­—if it ever does. (Volkswagen doesn’t sell sub-assemblies to anybody ex­cept a small company making VW-­based mail trucks for the German government.) Meanwhile, it’s prob­ably just as well; the people who have put Manx kits together have loved every minute of it. It’s a kind of occupational therapy; there’s nothing like the pride you can take in something you built yourself.

The $498 Manx kit consists of a beautifully finished, laminated fiber­glass body shell and front deck lid, and a vacuum-formed Cycolac dash­board. The $635 kit includes the above, plus windshield and frame, headlight housings, cowl frame, rear deck cover, aluminum trim, rubber weatherstripping, fender welts, and all the necessary hardware. The only work on the body consists of sanding the fender edges and drilling a few holes. The color is impregnated into the fiberglass; you can pick from Tangerine Red, Royal Blue, Yuma Yellow, Marine Green, or Off White as standard colors.

Preparing the VW chassis to re­ceive the Manx body is a little more involved, because it must be short­ened 14¼ inches. This can be done with a torch, chisel or even a hack­saw, but chances are you’ll want to have it done by the same people that will have to weld it back together for you, after all the cables and such inside the backbone tunnel are short­ened the corresponding amount.

From there on in, it’s a snap, be­cause all the VW stuff bolts right in, either to its original mounts or to mounts provided in the Manx. Even the stock VW wiring harness is used. To date, Meyers has sold 245 of these kits, plus 12 of the old cars, making B. F. Meyers and Company Amer­ica’s seventh-largest auto maker (after General Motors, Ford, Chrys­ler, American, Shelby, and Checker), and Manxes are being cranked out at the rate of three a day to meet heavily backlogged orders.

The Manx we tested had been put together by Meyers himself and is something of a rolling showcase. There are fancier Manxes around, and plenty of faster ones. A well-­known “millionaire-sportsman” is having one built with a 210-horse­power Porsche Carrera 6 engine and a five-speed gearbox. The gym­khana championship car is pow­ered by a hopped-up, turbocharged Corvair engine and can turn over 100 mph in the quarter-mile. Bruce’s personal Manx is a little overweight, being one of the early prototypes, and it’s powered by a tired old push­rod Porsche engine Bruce picked up somewhere for $650. Its running gear and transmission are stock VW, with the exception of the wheels and tires (a Porsche gearbox could be used, but isn’t in this car).

Due to the Manx’s unique styling, almost any combination of wheel and tire may be used. Bruce’s Manx has outlandishly large Goodyear Formula One tires snitched from the Honda team, and the wide-rim wheels sold as an option for the car. The paint job, a dazzling metal­flake gold, is also an option, as are the fiberglass hardtop, the side cur­tains, and the roll bar. Normally, VW seats and instruments are re­tained, but Bruce’s car has Triumph Spitfire seats and Porsche instru­ments. There are also several off­-the-road options, like dual rear handbrakes for directing the power to the wheel that has traction in the sand, air-lift shocks at the back for quick changes in camber and ground clearance, and a device for quick adjustment of the front torsion bar angle. Bruce’s Manx also sports a wood shift knob and a wood-rim steering wheel.

This Manx, in particular, was dif­ficult to get into or out of because the windshield has been cut down three inches for a more rakish ap­pearance, and the steering column lowered an inch at the cowl for a sportier driving position. The Tri­umph seats are tilted slightly aft, making them 100 percent more comfort­able than as positioned in the Spit­fire, but their angle also complicated entry and exit. It’s still easier than, say, clambering into an Excalibur SS or a Lotus Seven. Anyway, not having any doors makes for an ex­tremely rattle-free structure, which otherwise might not be the case.

The interior is surprisingly roomy, with more than ample room for two people and, on the carpeted shelf behind them, their luggage. There is a recess in the shelf for the spare tire, but none of the experienced Manx owners carries one. There is so little weight on the front end that the car can be driven to a service station without damaging a flat front tire. If a rear tire blows, it’s simply swapped for one of the fronts. Since the VW floorpan is shortened behind the front seats, legroom is at least equal to the VW’s. With the Spitfire seats, it is measurably better.

The Manx’s aerodynamics are poor, and high-gear acceleration above 70 mph is slow with the 88-hp Porsche engine. Many Manx owners use the 1500-cc engine from VW transporters and ’67 Beetles and can outdig the Porsche-engined car up to 50 mph. The best compromise seems to be a VW engine with Corvair barrels and pistons, a 1700-cc setup that gives very high torque in the low speed ranges, and enough at the top end to cruise easily at 80 mph. Even a Manx with an old 25-hp Beetle en­gine moves out pretty smartly be­cause the car weighs a third less than the Volkswagen sedan.

Bruce’s car had a surprisingly soft and supple ride, considering the stiffness of the Goodyear racing tires. Almost any combination of ride and handling is possible. In addition to the almost endless com­binations of wheels and tires, there is a variety of different-rate torsion bars from the VW parts catalog, dif­ferent anti-sway bars (or the For­mula V trick of uncoupling the up­per torsion bar peg so that it acts like an anti-sway bar), and a wide range of shock absorbers and han­dling equipment from outside sup­pliers, like Ted Trevor—he of the Pikes Peak assault—and his Crown Manufacturing Company (651 W. 17 St., Costa Mesa, Calif.). Trevor, working in close conjunction with Meyers, developed the dual rear handbrake and many special sus­pension pieces, as well as the Cor­vair conversion kits.

One item sorely missed on Bruce’s car was the rear bumper. It’s a fairly sturdy one, available as an option and strongly recommended, but was off the test car for chroming. The Manx’s only practical drawback is the fact that it’s so open. The engine hanging under the tail might be a temptation if you left it parked in a bad neighborhood, but few cars have locking engine compartments any­way. You could mount a lock on the front decklid to keep your valuables safe, but otherwise you’ll have to take them with you.

So that’s Bruce F. Meyers and his Manx. You could duplicate the one shown here for less than $2500. You could build a considerably less in­teresting one for as little as $800, or an all-out model for as much as $4000. No matter how you slice the cheese, if ever there was a better mousetrap, this has got to be it. A little scout car with the performance of a sports car. A dune duster that’s as practical as any street roadster ever built. An off-the-road vehicle that handles on pavement like a racing car. A pushrod Porsche­-powered bug with the acceleration of a 911. A VW-based kit with quality and workmanship to match the Beetle itself. A do-it-yourself proj­ect that you can get serviced any­where. Transportation that’s both practical and fun. If Rommel had had these things in the North Afri­can campaign, it might have been Monty who was pinned to the desert floor at El Alamein.

Do yourself a favor. This spring, build a Meyers and put a little Manx in your life.

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• Ford has announced a new series of special-edition Broncos with many design cues reminiscent of the classic from 1966, the year of the SUV’s original debut.
• Only 1966 units of each Heritage limited-edition model will be built, and they’re sure to meet with an enthusiastic reception.
• Bronco Sport Heritage Editions will start at $34,245, with the Bronco Heritage starting at $45,900 and the Bronco Heritage Limited starting at $68,490.

History has a funny way of repeating itself, and Ford is making sure we get that point by introducing a lineup of Bronco and Bronco Sport models with looks that commemorate the original 1966 Bronco. The Bronco Sport Heritage Edition and Heritage Limited Edition come first, with two- and four-door Bronco versions coming later this year.

Ford

Both Bronco and Bronco Sport Heritage Editions are based on the Big Bend trim level, so the Sport gets the 181-hp 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine while the larger Bronco Heritage Edition comes with the 300-hp 2.3-liter EcoBoost, paired with a seven-speed manual or optional 10-speed automatic transmission.

The more expensive Heritage Limited Edition models are based on the higher Badlands trim level, so the Bronco Sport gets a 250-hp 2.0-liter EcoBoost four and the Bronco gets a 330-hp 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6.

Comparing these special-edition models to their counterparts in the Bronco lineup makes it clear that buyers will be paying a serious premium for what’s basically an appearance package, albeit a cool one. The Bronco Sport Heritage Edition starts at $34,245 compared with $32,770 for the Bronco Sport Big Bend on which it’s based, while the Sport Heritage Limited starts at $46,250 compared with the Badlands model’s starting price of $38,830.

As for the Bronco, the Heritage model starts at $45,900 compared with the Big Bend’s starting price of $37,380, and the Bronco Heritage Limited starts at $68,490, a big step up from the $46,090 price of entry for the Badlands model.

Bronco: Good-Looking Throwback

The Bronco Heritage Edition will be available in both two- and four-door versions. Two-tone paint jobs feature Oxford White accenting including on the hardtop roof, the grille, and the aluminum 17-inch wheels. A body-side stripe completes the classic ’60s Bronco styling. There will be five paint choices for the Heritage Edition, while buyers of the Heritage Limited will be initially locked into the distinctive Robin’s-Egg Blue, which relates back to the original Bronco’s Arcadian Blue color. In late 2023, Ford says, a second paint color will be offered on the Limited: Yellowstone, channeling the 1971 Prairie Yellow shade.

Ford

Throwback styling includes a white grille with Race Red FORD script, a white roof, and a set of white wheels. Only the Limited versions can be equipped with High-Gloss Black painted wheels with “dog dish” centers. The priciest Limited also comes with metal Bronco-script fender badging, leather-trimmed plaid seats, and Heritage Limited badges on the console. Even more interesting than those cosmetic features is the set of “1960s-era-inspired” squared fenders with fender flares to accommodate a track that is nearly two inches wider, according to Ford. The Sasquatch package with its special H.O.S.S. underpinnings (High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension) is standard on the Heritage Edition, too.

Bronco Sport: Reliving an Era It Never Lived in

There wasn’t a Bronco Sport like this one in the ’60s, but that hasn’t stopped Ford from making throwback editions anyway. The Bronco Sport Heritage models get special plaid cloth seats, which Ford says were inspired by the cloth seats in ’80s Broncos. Sport Heritage editions have seven paint options, while the more expensive Limited will be restricted to a choice of Robin’s Egg Blue, Yellowstone Metallic, or Peak Blue. Oxford White paint accents include the grille with Race Red “BRONCO” lettering, plus Oxford White 17-inch aluminum wheels, body-side stripes, and a white-painted roof.

The Heritage Limited Edition adds metal “Bronco” fender badging, 29-inch off-road-ready tires, plus leather-trimmed seats and special interior badging.

Ford

It’s also worth noting that, while anyone can order a Bronco Sport in one of the two Heritage Edition packages, the Bronco will only be attainable at first to buyers who already have an order open for a Bronco. Next year, Ford promises, it will be available to anyone who wants to order one. It’s a Bronco-mad world and there will undoubtedly be plenty of interest.

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• Luxury RV brand Bowlus announced a new, all-electric addition to its lineup, the Volterra, which claims to be the world’s first production EV RV.
• With satellite internet, 480W solar panels, a 50-gallon fresh water tank, and a 17 kWh battery system, the Volterra is ready to take you on a lengthy, allegedly indefinite, journey.
• The Volterra, which sleeps four and is just over 27 feet long, starts at a whopping $310,000, making it Bowlus’s most expensive RV by a large margin.

When the apocalypse comes, why shouldn’t you hunker down in the height of American-engineered, minimalist luxury? After a long day of fighting zombies and maniacal Guzzoline-obsessed warlords, you deserve to enjoy satellite internet from a memory foam king bed cloaked in sustainable linen after padding around on heated floors. Really, it’s the bare minimum you should ask for when society crumbles and you have to haul your travel trailer into the depths of the wilderness, never to return to the comforts of Suburbia again.



Bowlus

That’s why luxury RV company Bowlus designed their newest model: The Volterra. Bowlus claims the Volterra is the first production all-electric RV in the world, and with its solar panel–battery setup, Bowlus CEO Geneva Long says the Volterra lets you “live off-grid indefinitely.”

Now, that’s a bold claim, and it comes courtesy of two built-in 240W solar panels and two optional 240W solar panels, totaling 480W of AeroSolar power, along with an MPPT solar controller (the most efficient type of controller). This directly charges a 17-kWh battery, the largest in the Bowlus family. Using some quick math and a handful of assumptions, that means that the solar panels would take around 46 peak-sun hours to charge the battery from 0% to 100%.



Bowlus

While this doesn’t account for passive charging while in use, nighttime, or pesky acid rain clouds blowing in, it does give the sense that to live off-grid indefinitely, you would need to limit your power consumption—especially the A/C—which Bowlus concedes. A small price to pay for microwave privileges as the world ends.

So maybe the Volterra isn’t quite up for the trials and tribulations of an apocalypse. I mean, who among us? However, the Volterra does offer the opportunity for the luxe off-grid living of many people’s vanlife fantasies and, at its core, a compelling zero-emissions adventure.



Bowlus



Bowlus

Though there is an optional propane backup, the Volterra is meant to be experienced electrically. Not only is the RV itself a contained ecosystem, but it can be recharged by an EV while you drive, and it can give your electric car up to 60 miles of emergency recharge using a 20A outlet.

It also takes advantage of Starlink, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, to give owners 250 mbps of remote download speeds anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, with an LTE SIM card available as a backup. Meanwhile, the Volterra’s kitchen features an induction cooktop, an electric stove that, in addition to being safer than normal stovetops, also creates significantly less ambient heat, reducing your need to crank the A/C in a tight space.



Bowlus



Bowlus

Other features of the Volterra include a backup camera, over-air software updates, built-in pet features, and increased water capacity, amounting to 50 gallons of fresh water and 31 gallons of grey water.

Otherwise, the rest of the Volterra is pure Bowlus. The aluminum monocoque body is nearly indistinguishable from the brand’s Endless Highways and Terra Firma models, and the interior follows the same floorplan, including a convertible king bed, a large bathroom, a galley, and generous seating. The Volterra, though, comes with a new, lush finish dubbed La Cumbre, which brings linen duvets (plus throw pillows, drapes, you name it), vegan upholstery, and a California sunset-inspired color palette to the table.



Bowlus

So how much will a pampered trip into the great outdoors cost you? Well, the Volterra starts at $310,000, making it the most expensive Bowlus by $25,000, and putting it on the pricer end of travel trailers as a whole. However, it represents the ways that RVing can be improved by EV technology and shows some of the innovations making off-grid life more comfortable, fun, and sustainable. While it will hopefully be a long time before we all retreat into the wilderness to escape evil robot overlords, in the meantime, as Bowlus’s CEO says, the Volterra is a great way to “preserve the great outdoors while you enjoy its splendor.”

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UPDATED 8/10/22: This review has been updated with test results.

Yes, the Audi RS3 has a drift mode. And yes, it allows even the most ham-fisted among us to participate in the sort of cackle-inducing hooliganism that was once exclusive to rear-wheel-drive cars. But really, the trick rear differential that the RS3 shares with the Volkswagen Golf R is of most benefit on the track, as the stocky sedan’s Nürburgring time of 7:40.8 convincingly suggests.

Though the genetics are undeniably obvious, the RS3 has been honed into an altogether different thing this time around, and it’s a lot more serious about extracting lap times. Its brutish looks send the message even before you drive it. Those uniquely flared fenders house 265-mm-section-width tires in the front and 245s in the back, up from the previous-generation RS3’s optional 255s and 235s, respectively. The people at Audi Sport put a lot of thought into making this thing turn. What you can’t see are the RS3’s specific spindles and hubs, front subframe, control arms, or anti-roll bars. Compared to the S3, the front track is two inches wider, and there’s an additional degree of front negative camber (along with an additional half degree of negative camber out back). So, if you were thinking you’d buy an S3 or a Golf R and do some mods here and there to make up the difference, you won’t.

Even if you got close, you’d still be down a cylinder and its half-liter of displacement—not to mention the 2.5-liter’s wonderful character. That Audi builds a five-cylinder at all probably should be celebrated, and this one’s good. Boasting a unique soundtrack and layout in defiance of this era of sameness, the weird and award-winning engine is turbocharged to 401 horsepower and 369 pound-feet—seven ponies more than in the previous model but 15 additional pound-feet. There’s a little turbo lag at low rpm—it’s nothing egregious, just not the tons-of-torque-right-now tune you’re familiar with from the brand’s boosted four-cylinder engines. In any case, the slight lull is more than made up for in the run to redline, where the RS3 pulls and pulls . . . and pulls . . . and pulls . . . until the upshift.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the only transmission offered. It’s beefier than the unit in the S3 and shares not a single gear ratio. We caught it a little behind the ball on downshifts more than a few times—it’s best to use the Manual mode if you’re chasing lap times. From there, an open differential sends torque to the front wheels as before, while at the other end of the prop shaft, two independent clutch packs replace the previous single Haldex clutch. By de-clutching the inside rear wheel, the system can effectively direct the rearward torque to the outside wheel, helping to mitigate understeer or instigate the aforementioned drifting antics in the RS Performance drive mode. As before, the front wheels are driven all the while.

With launch control engaged, our 3639-pound test car shot to 60 in 3.3 seconds, beating the 2017 RS3 we last tested by a tenth of second, despite the new version weighing 92 pounds more. Stay in it, and the quarter-mile flies by in 11.8 seconds at 117 mph. However, the magic of the dual-clutch’s launch-control programming combined with the engine’s higher torque peak—3500 rpm versus the old RS3’s 1700 revs—are evident in the run from 5 to 60 mph, which at 4.7 seconds is actually o.4 second slower than before.

In practice, the RS3’s mechanical trickery provides the best of both worlds. If you dive into a corner with too much speed, trusty understeer allows an easy save. Alternately, approximate the right entry speed (which for this car is a little hot), punch the gas sooner than you think you should, and let the electronics shuffle torque and pull you out. It pays to drive the RS3 with ham-fisted aggression.

The steering wheel is just the right thickness and offers precise control. The sheer width of the front tires is easy to discern even through the damping of the electric steering rack, translating to your palms as “brute steamroller,” not “nimble little sedan.” Your job is to confidently yank the wheel, mash the gas, and move on to the next corner. Unfortunately, grip levels have dropped slightly compared to the old RS3, at least on the standard Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer tires that our test car wore. Around the skidpad, the new RS3 stuck to the pavement at 0.94 g versus the 0.98 g that the 2017 model generated on similar Pirelli tires. Likewise, its 167-foot stop from 70 mph on the standard iron rotors is 10 feet longer than we previously saw from the optional carbon-ceramic setup. To combat this, Audi now offers track-oriented Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R rubber as a $450 option.

If you’re going to take your RS3 to the track—and you should—you’ll probably find its setup to be a fair compromise. The suspension seems perfectly damped for road driving, which is a feat given its competence on the track. In Comfort mode, the rebound feels exactly in sync with undulations and depressions, particularly at high speeds; in the most aggressive Dynamic setting, we found the dampers to be overly stiff for use on ragged Midwestern roads. Configure the car’s RS Individual mode accordingly.

The RS3 starts at $59,995. It’s well-equipped as it sits, but there are several temptations, from the $5500 Dynamic Plus package (lighter carbon-ceramic front brakes, elevated 180-mph top speed) to the $2750 Tech package (better navigation, traffic-sign recognition, Bang & Olufsen audio, and a head-up display). We do recommend the $1000 RS Sport exhaust—the better to hear the 88-decibel warble of the turbo five-banger—and if you wanted to, you could price your RS3 into $70K-plus territory. But we hardly think that’s necessary to enjoy what this rowdy little car brings.

Is the RS3 worth it? There’s no question this car has been painstakingly optimized for track duty, and the level of attention is rare at this price point. Set up an S3 as close as you can and you’re still spending $50,000. BMW’s redesigned M2 has yet to appear, and the Mercedes-AMG CLA45, while very similar in price, has one less cylinder and isn’t quite as serious about turning laps at the track. For the right person, the RS3 might be a value. And even if you’re not down with cutting loose on the racetrack, you’re still buying five-cylinder exclusivity.

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Overview

With a potent 401-hp turbocharged five-cylinder engine, the 2022 Audi RS3 is the raciest version of the company’s small luxury sedan. Based on the four-door Audi A3 and the sportier S3–but blessed with even more power and enhanced chassis tuning–the new RS variant challenges hi-po rivals such as the BMW M2 coupe and Mercedes-AMG CLA45 sedan. However, the RS3’s unusual engine gives it one of the most distinct soundtracks in its class. The Audi’s sharply creased sheetmetal as well as its stylish, nicely appointed interior help it appeal to audiences who appreciate sportiness as much as luxuriousness.

What’s New for 2022?

After a hiatus for the 2021 model year, the sportiest variant of Audi’s smallest sedan returns for 2022. The RS3 enters its second generation in the U.S. and draws largely from the totally redesigned A3 and S3. While the three share a platform, interior dimensions, and many similar features, the A3 is powered by a 201-hp turbo four and the S3 has a 306-hp version of the same mill.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The 2022 RS3 starts at just under $60,000 and few options are offered. We would recommend going with the optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R summer tires, but we’d skip the other packages as they’re mainly cosmetic.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

One of the most distinct elements of the RS3 is its unusual five-cylinder engine. Its odd number of cylinders gives it a unique thrumming soundtrack that was particularly pleasing on the outgoing model. The latest iteration is again a turbocharged 2.5-liter, but it now makes 401 horsepower­. The engine pairs with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that deliberately downshifts with slight throttle inputs, but it behaves less aggressively during hard braking. Its standard all-wheel-drive system includes a torque-vectoring rear differential with a drift mode. Unfortunately, getting the RS3’s tail to kick out requires dedication and can be difficult to maintain. Compared with the lesser A3 and S3, the sportiest 3 has upgraded brakes, a stiffer suspension setup, and a unique set of wheels on stickier performance tires. The RS3 we drove produced exhilarating sounds, and the car’s feisty nature was evident at the racetrack. Plus, it was composed and comfortable when driven sedately on regular roads. At our test track, we recorded a blisteringly-quick 3.3-second run to 60 mph and the RS3 eclipsed the quarter-mile mark in just 11.8 seconds at 117 mph.

Fuel Economy and Real World MPG

The 2022 RS3 is rated at 20 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. On our 75-mph fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, the RS3 outperformed its EPA estimate with a 33 mpg result. For more information about the RS3’s fuel economy, visit the EPA website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Inside, the RS3’s passenger space is identical to the A3 and S3, but it has a set of more aggressively bolstered front seats. Audi endows all versions with a dashboard that looks anything but bland. A pair of high-mounted air vents face the driver and flank the instrument panel binnacle that houses a set of digital gauges. The RS3 is also available with a heads-up display. Below the center touchscreen are climate controls with physical buttons, and there’s a bin below them that’s integrated into the center console. Unfortunately, drivers have to select gears via a weird, stubby shifter; paddles on the steering wheel are an alternative once the RS3 is in motion.

Infotainment and Connectivity

Based on the infotainment system employed by the A3 and S3, the RS3 has a 10.1-inch touchscreen mounted in the middle of the dash. It can be controlled through touch inputs, buttons on the steering wheel, and voice commands. It also includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Built-in navigation, a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless phone charging are on the roster, too.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The RS3 offers a mix of standard driver-assistance technology as well as options such as adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlights. For more information about the Audi’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Available blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Audi’s limited and powertrain warranty are competitive with other German automakers.

• Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

Specifications

Specifications

2022 Audi RS3

Vehicle Type: front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE

Base/As Tested: $59,995/$65,440

Options: RS Technology package (Audi Navigation Plus, Bang & Olufsen sound system, head-up display), $2750; RS sport exhaust, $1000; Black Optic Plus package (19-inch matte black wheels, summer tires, black Audi badges and roof), $750; Kemora Gray metallic paint, $595; side and rear cross traffic assist, $350

ENGINE

turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection

Displacement: 151 in³, 2480 cm³

Power: 401 hp @ 6500 rpm

Torque: 369 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

TRANSMISSION

7-speed dual-clutch automatic

CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: struts/multilink

Brakes, F/R: 14.8-in vented, cross-drilled disc/12.2-in vented disc

Tires: Pirelli P Zero PZ4

F: 265/30ZR-19 (93Y) AO

R: 245/35ZR-19 (93Y) AO

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 103.6 in

Length: 178.8 in

Width: 72.9 in

Height: 55.6 in

Passenger Volume: 87 ft³

Trunk Volume: 8 ft³

Curb Weight: 3639 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 3.3 sec

100 mph: 8.4 sec

1/4-Mile: 11.8 sec @ 117 mph

130 mph: 15.0 sec

150 mph: 22.1 sec

Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.7 sec

Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.4 sec

Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.9 sec

Top Speed (gov ltd): 159 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 167 ft

Braking, 100–0 mph: 336 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.94 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 22 mpg

75-mph Highway Driving: 33 mpg

75-mph Highway Range: 470 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/City/Highway: 23/20/29 mpg

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

More Features and Specs

With Labor Day just around the corner, this year’s camping season is drawing to a close for most of us. Whether you’ve got one or more trips planned or are calling it a year, now’s a good time to stock up on some fresh gear for the great outdoors. That’s exactly why this deal on a pair of camper wheel chocks caught our eye.

Listed on Amazon for nearly 50 percent off, the chocks feature a scissor-locking X-shape design that prevents your trailer’s wheels from moving around when you don’t want them to. Simply put them between two wheels and extend, forcing each side out until it’s tight against the tire. The company defines a range of three to 12 inches between each tire, which should be plenty for most camper and trailer applications.

To extend the sides, you can either use a crank handle or attach the included socket adapter for power-tool speed. Using a power tool might be the way to go, as the brand claims the chock fully extends in three minutes—which seems like a good chunk of time.

Discounted down to just 48 bucks, this looks like a win-win deal. Locking up your camper’s wheels throughout your stay provides peace of mind and better sleep—two very important things while you’re out on the back 40.

In short, every camper or trailer should be as secured if possible whenever parked, and these wheel chocks do the trick. And for about $50, it’s a deal that’s tough to pass up. We all know how fickle Amazon’s sales can be, so it might be a good idea to check this one out while you can, even if you don’t use them until next year. Remember, if you wanted to feel your vacation bed move with the breeze, you would’ve gone on a cruise.

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