How does the life-size “Hot Wheels” work to play being a driver?

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8 hours ago

How does the life-size “Hot Wheels” work to play being a driver?

It is almost impossible for anyone today who has a certain taste for automobiles not to have played with collectible cars as a child. That total and absolute control with the fingers of one hand to take the curve as quickly as possible, brake in an instant or accelerate to the levels that the extension of the arm gave us.

After having tested the Audi RS Q3 for a week, you could say that there is a Hot Wheels life-size, capable of delivering as many emotions (very different, of course) as when one played with collectible cars as a child.

The acronym RS in the four-ring brand represents the highest in terms of performance and sports performance. comes from Racing sportwhich in German could be translated into “racing sport.”

It is true that it is not the silhouette that one would expect such a sporty model to have, since the standard would be a coupe. However, it makes some sense that this crossover which derives from the Q3 Sportback receives the RS investiture. In fact, the first RS in history, the RS2, from 1994, was a rural one. And that tradition was maintained with true beasts like the RS6.

If it were not for the strident color of this unit (it is only fair that a model like this has it), green Kyalaminamed after the legendary South African circuit; It must be recognized that the sporty and aerodynamic details are distributed and applied in a subtle way; That is, it is not overloaded despite the potential of this model. A tradition also of the RS line.

What does the RS Q3 Sportback bring?

The silhouette does not change. It is the same as that of the Q3 Sportback, a compact crossover that mixes the shapes of an SUV with the lines of a coupe. Hence the drop of the roof in the rear sector and the rear window, more type fastback.

In truth, due to its size and even the architecture of its body, it is an ideal model for every day. It has a logical interior spaciousness for its size, comfortable rear space for two adults and a trunk with the necessary capacity for four passengers. But, of course, we would be ignoring the best thing about this model, which is its performance.

And the heart of that performance is its engine, which is not just any engine. It is a 2.5 liter turbocharged with the peculiarity that it is built with 5 cylinders. In this way it pays tribute to the AUdi engines of the 80s, also 5 cylinders.

Driver-oriented interior in the Audi RS Q3.

This engine delivers about 400 horsepower and 480 Nm torquewhich are delivered evenly between 2,250 and 5,850 rpm. This is part of the secret to this vehicle’s amazing acceleration power and verve.

It is accompanied by a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, adjusted for the conditions required by the engine and chassis, and four-wheel drive with automatic distribution but prioritizing sending power to the front axle.

The suspension also has a specific tuning and ground clearance is lowered 10 millimeters compared to the normal versions of the Q3 Sportback.

All this translates into astonishing dynamism and total control of the driver over the vehicle, taking into account the limits of physics, which in this case are expanded to new horizons.

The first part of the test included normal, everyday urban use. The idea was to check if all that preparation to perform on the track was not an inconvenience every day. And reality showed that can be used without great discomfort as a vehicle for everyday life.

Of course, the low-profile tires (255/35 R21) and firm suspensions are noticeable on cobblestones or uneven ground, but they are far from being a “teethbreaker.”

The agility for the city is enormous and the nerve of its engine responds faster than one imagines and tempts to go further all the time. That is why the closing of this test was the Autódromo de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

Before facing the track there is a condition that is a little uncomfortable and that is the driving position, rather high and in accordance with the architecture of the vehicle but far from the ground, which is ideal for driving a sports car. That feeling will disappear quickly.

First you hit acceleration; using the launch control It goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, a very good value if we think that this device weighs almost 1.8 tons.

But beyond the number is what it transmits. How the engine scales in revolutions, the hoarse sound of the five-cylinder that musicalizes the scene and the quick and dry blow of each step of gear.

The same thing happens when facing a curve. At first you think that the center of gravity will limit the cornering speed, but suddenly you find yourself accelerating faster and faster. It’s a spider.

And the brakes… the braking power is more impressive than the acceleration, not only because of its efficiency but also because of its resistance to fatigue.

That time at the racetrack, “playing” aboard the RS Q3 made us smile several times as a child. As if we were playing with a Hot Wheels. Of course, this “toy” is life-size and within the reach of a few.