Audi is giving its compact high-performance driving machine, the RS3, its own special edition for the current model year, announcing recently that the pint-sized, turbocharged Audi RS3 sedan will be shod in Audi's exclusive Nardo Gray hue and offered in numbers of just 200 for the US market.

The exterior paint isn't the only thing that's different on the RS3 Nardo Edition, however; the car's electronic speed limiter has been raised, for a top speed of 174 mph vs. 155 mph in the standard RS3 sedan. It also boasts a new sport exhaust system with black tips, giving the turbocharged 2.5L five-cylinder engine a more distinctive exhaust note.

That's not an area where the RS3 ever struggled before, thanks to its unique firing order and awesome inline-five roar, but we'll happily take the upgrade.

Further setting the Audi RS3 Nardo apart is Black Optic exterior trim and staggered 19-inch wheels with a bi-color black finish. The sporty sedan is also equipped with a black decklid spoiler, gloss black wing mirror housings, blacked-out Audi rings and badges, and bright, juicy red brake calipers.

Inside, RS-embroidered floor mats, Alcantara knee pads with red contrast stitching, red air vents and accent rings, and seatbelts with red edges define the interior theme.

The RS3 Nardo doesn't pack any more power than the standard sports sedan, mind you, pumping out 394 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque just like the standard edition. But it's certainly a sight for sore eyes.

Nor, mind you, does the price differ much from the regular RS3, with a starting MSRP of $59,900 before tax, destination, and other fees. That's little more than $3,000 over the starting price of the standard RS3, and your ears will thank you for the extra money spent every time you fire up its 2.5L TFSI engine.

The Audi RS3 Nardo Edition, named after the VW group's high-speed Nardo Ring in Italy, is arriving at US Audi dealerships now. But with just 200 examples earmarked for sale in that market, we don't imagine they'll be around for very long.