Into the Wild

After a smooth cruise through to New Plymouth on the Taranaki coast in Audi’s latest S5 Avant – a trip which really showcased the comfort and intuitive ergonomics of this ever-practical yet sharply-honed wagon – I had the opportunity to swap cars for the return leg north. And the route I chose has long been a dream of mine to complete.

Leaving Stratford, the last major town I’d be passing through for a while, I made a beeline for the legendary Forgotten Highway. And what better car to experience it in than the new Audi RS 3 Sportback? This really was a match made in heaven.

There’s a sense of anticipation as you enter the early stages of the highway. The road tightens and undulates, drawing you deeper into its rhythm, and the driving engagement builds with every bend. The RS 3 feels like a perfectly tailored glove.

Its updated, award-winning five-cylinder engine delivers explosive low-end power, and the new rear torque-splitting differential paired with the quattro drivetrain creates a machine that feels born for roads like this.

 As the farmland gave way to native bush, and the surroundings began to feel truly remote, I arrived at Whangamomona for a break. With the five-cylinder’s growl at rest, a beautiful stillness takes over as you realise you’re standing in the absolute dictionary definition of ‘the middle of nowhere’.

Pocketing the RS 3’s keys, I checked into a converted post office Airbnb – the ideal stopover before an early start into the Tāngarākau Gorge. From here, the road climbs and descends through twisty saddles, plunging into dense native forest. The scenery is rich, green, and immersive, like a sensory overload where the thrill of driving is matched only by the cinematic beauty around you.

You fall into a flow, completely present in the moment and engaged in the drive. Eventually, after hours of winding through this untouched world, the bush begins to thin, and farmland slowly reappears.

The road opens up, and with it, a return to civilisation – rolling into Taumarunui with the feeling that you’ve just experienced something truly special.

Hands down this was one of the best drives I’ve ever done, in one of the cars most suited to the task. And it’s all right here in our own backyard.