Category: Exhaust

Lightweight AWE Exhaust Suite for Audi RS 3 Unlocks Plenty of Power and Sound

Audi RS 3 8Y AWE Exhaust Suite

AWE now offers 8Y Audi RS 3 owners two compelling exhaust options that provide a big upgrade over OEM in more ways than one.

Exhaust systems have long been one of the more popular upgrades among automotive enthusiasts, and for good reason – they typically provide a huge upgrade over stock pipes in terms of sound, and often unlock a bit of extra power, too. In certain cases, aftermarket exhaust systems are also lighter than OEM units, which is very appealing for those actually concerned with making their cars faster, whether that be in a straight line of around the bends. Luckily for 8Y Audi RS 3 owners, AWE now offers a full suite of exhaust system upgrades that accomplish all three.

Audi RS 3 owners have a couple of compelling choices when it comes to brand new AWE exhaust upgrades – its standard SwitchPath system, as well as the Track Edition exhaust. Both are constructed from T304L stainless steel 3-inch piping, with the former offering a 3-inch valved passenger-side tip outlet and a 2.5-inch driver-side outlet with a tailored resonator. Better yet, the system also responds according to the car’s factory valve behavior and ECU commands based on throttle input, engine speed, and Drive Select.

Audi RS 3 8Y AWE Exhaust Suite

This means that owners can still get all the benefits of the RS 3’s active exhaust, and the SwitchPath setup comes with a plug and play valve assembling to enable easy installation with no valve actuator transfer necessary. As for the Track Edition Exhaust, it’s essentially identical in every way, though it doesn’t have a valve on the passenger side. This means that it’s in a constant “valve open” mode, constantly churning out amazing five-cylinder sounds at all times. Either way you go, these setups sound simply amazing, as we can clearly hear in this clip.

Both of these exhaust systems are 50-state emissions legal, easy to bolt-on, and guaranteed not to trigger a check engine light. Even better, both offer up gains of 9 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque, as well as weight savings of 30.5 pounds for the SwitchPath exhaust and 39 pounds for the Track Edition setup. Pricing comes in at $1,645 for the Track Edition, and $2,595 for the SwitchPath, and both can be purchased by heading over here.

Photos: AWE

Sounds Like a Riot: 675-HP Audi RS3 Sportback

Audi RS3 Sportback

This Audi RS3 Sportback is almost a sleeper. But that impression vanishes as soon as it’s fired up.

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of technical info on the built of this brutal Audi RS3 Sportback. But if the proof, as they say, is in the pudding, then Auto TopNL’s video is as loaded with pudding as an indulgent grandmother’s fridge. Because what we do know about this red rocket is super impressive. First off, the turbocharged 2.5-liter five-cylinder has been stoked to a whopping 675 horsepower and 590 lb-feet of torque, which is a significant bump from the 401 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque it left Ingolstadt with.

As you’d expect, that makes for some seriously impressive numbers. According to the clip, the trip from zero to 60 mph happens in a lightning quick 3.2 seconds, which is almost a full second faster than stock examples can manage. And while there’s a fat graphic on the doors, I think this baby is still something of a sleeper. Well, I guess it’s a sleeper until you fire it up. Because the machine gun-style symphony from the fat exhaust pipes makes it pretty clear that machine has been under the knife.

The top speed governor appears to have been given the old heave ho as well, because in the clip, we see indicated speeds of over 180 mph, which is slightly north of the 174 mph a stock RS3 is capable of. Given all the extra poke on board, I would have expected higher speeds? But the wind can be a cruel mistress, and it’s entirely possible that the driver just ran out of road here. Because even on the Autobahn, which is where most of the company’s videos are shot, it can be a challenge to find places to fully open up the taps.

As enthusiasts now, we don’t actually get the hatchback body style of the RS3 here in the United States. The good news is that domestic buyers can opt for the sedan version. Audi dropped all the details on the latest version back in July, and as we described at the time, it’s a triple threat of power, style, and practicality. The schedule says we should expect to see the 2022 Audi RS3 in showrooms come spring, but given the chip shortage and ongoing pandemic, it’s unclear whether Audi will still hit that target.

Photos: YouTube

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Audi RS6 Avant With Capristo Exhaust: Hot or Not?

Audi RS6 Avant

The custom exhaust of this wicked Audi RS6 Avant takes the snap, crackle, and pop all the way to 11!

While it’s a wagon, or an estate if you want to be all European and fancy, the Audi RS6 Avant is anything but a sleeper. Even in factory form, this baby looks more aggressive than a grocery getter has any right to be, and you’d have to be illiterate in all things automotive not to suspect something powerful lurks under the hood. Straight from the factory however, it doesn’t sound terribly beastly, especially in the old country, where the engine is muffled by a mandatory OPF exhaust particulate filter.

Of course, the aftermarket has plenty of solutions to wake up Ingolstadt’s potent twin-turbo 4.0-liter, and this system from Capristo Exhaust sounds positively brutal — even if it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. It ditches the OPF filter, and apparently, and semblance of baffling to produce a noise that’s positively demonic, as you’ll discover as soon as you hit play. According to Automotive Mike, this machine is producing a whopping 830 horsepower, so it’s not a case of bark being worse than its bite, either.

The 239 horsepower increase isn’t the most I’ve seen on a new RS6, but it’s close, and along with the Stage 2 tune and Milltek Downpipes, this baby is rocking a trick set of bronze Ferrada wheels. While I’m generally not a fan of aftermarket wheels, I think these look spectacular, and absolutely love how the blue-painted brake calipers look behind them. While it’s hard to go wrong with red ones, this subtle difference in color choice really makes them pop. It probably doesn’t hurt that this lovely shade of blue is one of my all-time favorite colors.

Now, I’m of two minds on this exhaust. On the one hand, it’s way, way, too loud for me. Maybe if I lived in the middle of nowhere, I’d be comfortable with it, but driving this in a city like Seattle is going to be pretty obnoxious. And it would make your neighbors totally hate you. But I happen to love the complete riot of snaps, crackles, and pops that accompany the overrun here. Even if I know that it’s all electronic trickery and completely unnecessary, it still makes me giggle like a four-year old. That said, watch the video and let me know what you think. Is this the kind of treatment you’d consider for your ride? Why or why not?

Photos: YouTube

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