Greyout

I don't think the US order forms have been finalized yet. There have been some sample order forms for the CA release or UK release posted in other threads on this forum. From those, it seems like other countries will have the option for a panoramic roof to be added on for around $1500. It is not standard and I'm fine with that. Actually, it shouldn't be any other way. RS models (not just for Audi) are supposed to be more performance oriented. A sunroof is the antithesis of performance.

That brings me to the point of this thread. It appears the US version of the 2018 Audi RS3 will come with a standard panoramic roof with no option for removal. The NY auto show car has the panoramic roof. No other country will force that feature as standard. If that is the case is anyone else very disappointed? That's a feature that will be an instant deal breaker from me. I never use sunroofs, they are a lot of extra weight in the worst part of the car, and I don't like them aesthetically. Do people that buy an Audi RS3 not want to go to the track maybe once or twice? By making this feature standard Audi is saying this is a feature rich luxury model with a little pep to it. If we want true performance, too bad, buy the TTRS or R8. In my mind Audi laughs maniacally afterwards and cheers at the junk versions they keep sending to the US market. I hope they change their mind and give a panoramic roof remove option. I'm not into the TTRS, but want to like the RS3...

Dethsupp0rt

Couldn't care less.

Despite being an RS, it's not intended to be a track toy, it's a compact luxury sports sedan.

The option to have it or not would be nice, but I doubt it's a dealbreaker for that many people.

I mean, I wouldn't have bought my M3 with the moonroof, but that's because I think the carbon fiber roof is iconic and separates it even more from a standard 3-series.

Performance-wise, I'm not one of the 1-2% to be able to tell the difference on a track.

superswiss

US premium buyers apparently expect a sunroof to be standard equipment on a luxury car, so the sunroofs have been standard on Audis for at least the last decade. The RS4 had the sunroof standard, so did the RS5 and it's standard on the RS7. It's standard on pretty much every other Audi model as well, except for those that don't have the provision for a sunroof like the TT or the R8.

I'm with @Dethsupp0rt, other than a few enthusiast, nobody really cares about weight and even if you do take the car to the track a few times, the few tenths it would shave off your lap time doesn't matter. While track capable, at the end of the day an RS is still a premium street car with a bunch of weight adding luxury features.

I'm curious, though, if AoA is gonna offer the optional carbon roof on the new RS5.

Diztek

i cant stand the panoramic sunroof with the flimsy sunroof shade. i live in phoenix though and the summer months average 110F. wish it was an option.

GrimTango42

I would say 99.99% of buyers either want the roof, or don't really care. Seriously though, the extra weight added by the roof won't really make any noticeable to your track time for a good number of reasons. Firstly because you are not a professional driver who can get all out of the RS3 to begin with, much less benefit from a little sliver of saved weight. Secondly, because this is not a track car first. This is a street car, that can go fast.

I am not trying to bash you or be rude, its just how it is. The fact of the matter is that you are not a pro race driver. You won't be making money and earning a living by getting .001 of a second faster around a track. The amount of skill and talent it takes to just get a car around a track at its absolute limit before little weight savings even are measurable is well beyond what myself, you or likely anyone on these forums can do.

Also, if you are concerned with the weight of a sunroof, I think you might be looking at the wrong car here. Fast German luxury cars are not light weight to begin with. They have very heavy leather seats. Thick heavy side panels. A big heavy dash and are designed for comfort.

What I am ultimately trying to say here is that you will never even notice the weight of the sunroof. You might even enjoy having it on those days you are not driving like a mad man, and just want to cruise to work on a beautiful day with the windows rolled down and the top open. You will be able to hear all the crackles and song of the 5cylinder as you take yourself around, all while enjoying the wind in your hair. There are always other cars that you can gut for some saved weight and .1 seconds faster lap times if that is your desire. You can have those on the cheap too.

superswiss

^^ That pretty much sums it up. Other than some argumentation on a forum like this, it's really a first world problem. I'm always amused when this discussion comes up on the (S)Q5 forum. Anybody who cares about top heaviness shouldn't buy an SUV in the first place. Getting worked up about the sunroof after buying an (S)Q5 is kinda funny.

The_Clear

Weight is not the only consideration when taking cars to the track. Sunroof comes with lower headroom. You'd like max headroom when you're wearing a helmet.

big residual

Not sure why everyone is jumping all over OP. If you can offer a pano delete on an SQ5, not sure it would be that hard for Audi to do so in the US. I like a sunroof for the fresh air but I think it detracts from the RS3's look. Hopefully, no rattle issues like the Qs. I would probably get one but for $60K, an ordering option isn't unreasonable. What's more, who cares if OPs preference is to not have one? Easy.

Flying Scotsman

In Canada the S3 in both model trims comes with a sunroof as standard and no deletion option.
I had the same opinion as the OP on sunroofs...had them before and never used them. They were prone for leaks, and god forbid, could get stuck in the open position. Never the less, I do like that option on my S3 with a black interior, it does brighten up that coal pit. The difference is the size to what I had before...much larger and with the black surround panels it looks great on Ara Blue. I have used the tilt function and only on rare occasions.

Greyout

People get defensive when a brand they like is criticized and in general tend to believe their opinion is the correct/popular one despite any evidence. The fact remains: it's a feature I don't like, others don't like, and I hope they provide a remove option for if someone up the chain finds this thread. Car companies should stop neglecting the market of good car variants just because decade old marketing data showed it wasn't popular at some point in the past.

Otherwise, it's still a great car. Invest 10k in it and you could replace the roof with carbon fiber and modify it to stage 1. That would still be slightly less than a TTRS or any super-car. Good deal.