(Credit: © Audi)

It seems like America gets skipped over for a lot of hot little European cars. Or at least it used to be that way. Things are changing, and that’s wonderful. Audi has decided to bless the States with a sedan version of the upcoming RS3, or at least that’s what Car and Driver is claiming.

The new vehicle will be a 2018 model and will arrive next year. Even better, instead of the 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder from the latest TT RS, Audi will use a completely new 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder. On the surface that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but the rumor is it will shred many tires with a peak output of almost 400 horsepower.

The car gods truly smile on us all with a small, 400-horsepower Audi.

Sadly, Audi isn’t into saving the endangered manuals. For some reason, Germans really hate letting humans shift. The only transmission will be a DQ500 seven-speed dual-clutch auto.

Of course, Audi won’t waste the new engine on a single model. The next-gen TT RS will get it as well, making the little car so much more potent. We’ll first see the new 2.5-liter turbo in the new Audi TT RS at the Beijing Motor Show, which officially starts on April 25.