Poltics
Celebrating its twenty fifth anniversary, the Audi S3 has undergone a host of upgrades, aimed at making it more though-provoking than ever sooner than.
First introduced in 1999, the Audi S3 was the forerunner of the contemporary top class hot hatchback. Combining all-wheel force with a turbocharged engine, the S3 has impressed a selection of imitators since.
For 2024, the fourth-generation model has acquired a variety of attention, as Audi aims to maintain the S3 Sportback and Saloon competitive against its German rivals.
Along with styling changes inside and out, the original S3 comes with more horsepower and a suave torque splitter borrowed from the phenomenal Audi RS3. Has this finally made the S3 more enjoyable?
Sportback or Saloon
Compared to the outgoing model, originally launched in 2020, Audi has kept the visual tweaks to the S3 fairly minimal. There is a location of matrix LED headlights, plus a revised front grille with out an S3 emblem – however a fussy original Audi badge instead. Compared to a cooking Audi A3 S-Line, there is minute to differentiate this hot model.
As sooner than, Audi provides the S3 in each Sportback (5-door hatchback), and traditional four-door Saloon formats. The shipshape range now includes an entry-stage Black Version and the better-spec Vorsprung, which exceeds £50,000 however comes totally loaded with equipment.
While the hot hatch market may be panicked, there are still a selection of rivals to maintain the S3 on its toes. The original BMW M135i, along with the Mercedes-AMG A35, are shut in heed and performance, with the Volkswagen Golf R sharing remarkable of the same hardware (along side its engine) as the Audi.
Talking the torque
Audi has retained the familiar ‘EA888’ 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine for the S3, however increased output to a considerable 333hp, along with 310lb toes of torque. Blended with a seven-pace dual-grasp transmission that now shifts 50 p.c faster, this leads to explosive acceleration, along side a 0-62mph time of 4.7 seconds. A top pace of 155mph ensures hot hatch bragging rights remain intact.
Within the real world, it is far hard to imagine needing way more performance than what the S3 delivers, with a near-constant wave of torque pushing the Audi onwards. Shall we maybe achieve with out the digitally enhanced impact of a 5-cylinder engine, though.
The biggest disagreement comes from the original torque splitter rear differential. This allows 100 p.c of force at the back axle to be sent to the outside wheel when cornering, and creates the sensation of the S3 pivoting around the motive force.
Audi S3 on the road
Rather than being a lairy scurry with the scurry with the stream monster, blended with tweaks for the steering, it produced the most agile and engaging example of Audi’s hot hatchback to date.
Black Version units, worship our check car, advance with passive suspension dampers. At low pace, there is a brittleness that can be almost uncomfortable on gruesome British tarmac, now no longer helped by the large 19-dash wheels.
The car’s hasten does give a boost to as your pace rises, and the lack of physique-roll is an glaring earnings, but the firmness never totally goes away. It feels worship the adaptive dampers suited to the Vorsprung model must be standard across the range.
Inside the Audi S3
Audi has kept changes to the internal of the S3 to a minimum, with a original centre console, updated gear lever and wider chrome air vents the largest create changes. Almost every little thing else remains unaltered, although the original steering wheel appears an dash too large in diameter.
The age of the S3’s basic create is clear from the fact it still retains physical buttons for the climate sustain watch over and other important settings. Compared to newer touchscreen-dominated units, it is far a pleasant reminder of more practical times.
Making spend of the ten.1-dash touchscreen can actually feel fiddly at times, with a complete lot small icons and a number of menus to work thru. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported, though, and there is a charging pad for smartphones.
Performance and practicality
All of that is wrapped-up inside an interior that does enough to justify the top class heed tag, with excessive-quality materials passe for almost every ingredient. Supportive leather sports activities seats complete the carry out, although they are positioned relatively excessive.
Being based on the regular Audi A3 means the S3 has the same amount of interior space as more mundane units. There is a variety of adjustability for taller adults to gather comfortable in the front, while rear legroom is acceptable for this class.
Wedging the S3’s Quattro all-wheel-force machine beneath the boot flooring does have an glaring carry out on luggage capacity. The Sportback can carry 325 litres, which is marginally much less than the Volkswagen Golf R or BMW M135i. A Skoda Octavia vRS would wipe the flooring with all of them, though.
The S3 Saloon actually has the same luggage capacity, however accessed thru a narrower boot opening, instead of a more practical hatch.
Paying a top class
The S3 has always been a top class vehicle, however prices for the Black Version now start up at more than £47,000 in Sportback invent once metallic paint is added.
Selecting the range-topping S3 Vorsprung requires shut to £fifty three,000, however does at least bring the all-important adaptive dampers, plus extra driver assistance systems. Will have to you desire the handsome S3 Saloon, add a additional £1,200 to these prices
In reality, going all-in on the Vorsprung makes more sense. By the time you have added a few choices to a Black Version model, the value disagreement gained’t be vastly noticeable for those paying monthly via finance.
Given the performance on provide, an official gas financial system figure of 33.2mpg appears reasonable. Employ too remarkable time in Dynamic mode, though, and this can easily fall to around 25mpg.
Audi S3 2024: Verdict
As a twenty fifth anniversary fresh to itself, the latest S3 is one Audi can certainly be pleased with. No, it hasn’t created a rival to the Honda Civic Model R for outstanding driver engagement, however that has never been the S3’s raison d’être.
What Audi has achieved is create an S3 that retains all the qualities of the original, from surefooted performance to an upmarket interior, however added an extra dose of enjoyable to the combo. It appears hard to guage that a original rear differential can be so transformative. But blended with way more energy, the latest S3 matches pace and agility better than ever sooner than.
It is miles now no longer perfect, though. The firm hasten on Black Version variations is hard to ignore, even compared to other performance rivals. The steering is still now no longer the last be aware in feedback, and the mighty 2.0-litre engine majors on effectiveness rather than emotion.
It all represents a major stepchange for the S3, and one that makes this Audi great of attention. If only it hadn’t taken a quarter of a century to gather right here…
Audi S3 2024
Stamp: From £46,925
Energy: 333hp
0-62mph: 4.7 seconds
High pace: 155mph
Gasoline financial system: 33.2mpg
CO2 emissions: 193g/km
• John Redfern writes for Motoring Research
