As pretty as it is, in particular the interior. (Love those seats and dash screen...)

I can't help but think why?? There are plenty of other S and RS Audi saloons to

choose from...

A few copy and paste details about the new S3 powerplant.

'The Audi S3 is only offered with a 2.0 liter our-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers an impressive 300 HP at 5,500 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque between 1,800 and 5,500 rpm. The engine will sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds when equipped with the S tronic gearbox (and 5.4 seconds with the manual transmission). Unfortunately, like all of the other Audi models, its top speed is limited to 155 mph.'

In reality that's 35bhp more than my version and approx 0.3 seconds quicker to 60 in both S-tronic .

and manual versions over the 8p model.

There's also an increase of torque of 22lb-ft over the 8p variant.

It's also a bit lighter than my model, (60kg if my memory serves).

I do like the new hatchback version though, here's a few pics of that just for

contrast.. I'd like to see one in the new S3 exclusive 'Panther Black' .

More here...

http://www.topspeed....3-ar128573.html

To be fair, it's one of the better looking VAG products right now. There was a time when 300 bhp would be seriously interesting, maybe it's the new 150bhp, that or I'm just getting old fat and boring....

To be fair, it's one of the better looking VAG products right now. There was a time when 300 bhp would be seriously interesting, maybe it's the new 150bhp, that or I'm just getting old fat and boring....

I think it's just that most repmobiles start around 150bhp, together with how cossetted you feel in a car these days.

I'm just debating whether to go stage 1 - 430bhp or stage 2 - 480bhp.

I can't believe 333bhp doesn't cut it anymore

I'd like to get mine up to 340 odd, stage 2 with supporting mods should see that.

Grrr - TBH the saloon isn't a bad looking car, and without a sense of scale it looks just like my S4. They've just made the same car a bit smaller!

Gotta love the interior though, I've got the supersports seats in mine, epic

I'd like to get mine up to 340 odd, stage 2 with supporting mods should see that.

I taking mine to MRC. Just got to wait fot the ECU to be cracked. Hopefully just a few weeks away now

Why 1.30min of video was needed to show the outside baffles me - it's indistinguishable from all the other Audis! The nav screen looks like an after thought too - I don't like pop up ones (the RX-8 had them, the just look a bit out of place IMO).

Can't say I'm a huge fan personally - looks like all the other Audis as said. Given I don't like the general design they used it pretty much rules out me liking any of their cars really! And £32k!

That said, for a hatchback made into a saloon it's one of the better ones. Things like the Mazda 3 look terrible, whereas this isn't much worse/different to the hatch.

Wonder how it will compare to the outgoing model:

Edited 28 March, 201313 yr by TriggerFish

As pretty as it is, in particular the interior. (Love those seats and dash screen...)

I can't help but think why?? There are plenty of other S and RS Audi saloons to

choose from...

It appears to be Audi's plan to fill every niche of the market with an almost identical looking car.

While I quite like it as a car, personally I like cars that are a little bit different.

Audi's success has left the roads full of cars that look the same.

Baring in mind your S3 was around £30k new and you paid just over half that I think that's the best way to buy a car like this.

Because a nippy small 4x4 family car should not (IMO) be over £30k.

But people will buy if of course because it sends out the right image, which seems to be important so people will borrow money to do it.

Compare yours to this Gary and yours is a far better buy. IMO.

It appears to be Audi's plan to fill every niche of the market with an almost Identical looking car

Now where have I heard this before.....................oh yes BMW, they need to keep up with them.

Personnaly I think the interior is horrid, it's a smash up between 1950's American car and modern day. I agree the exterior is the best looking VAG as the other three brands are all just identical now.

Audi are just pumping out cars right now. SQ5 on the way, RSQ3 also. Rich is right, all Audis look the same and everyone MUST have an Audi however poverty spec it is.

Audi are taking over the world with tesco.

I have been to a lot of Audi dealerships recently and I drive through them and from a distance it's like they have loads of the same car but in different colours (mainly white).

I think it's just that most repmobiles start around 150bhp, together with how cossetted you feel in a car these days.

I'm just debating whether to go stage 1 - 430bhp or stage 2 - 480bhp.

I can't believe 333bhp doesn't cut it anymore

Pooch, I looked at S4s a while back, and I didnt think they tuned that well, are you sure stage 1 is 430bhp?

Pooch, I looked at S4s a while back, and I didnt think they tuned that well, are you sure stage 1 is 430bhp?

Depending on the stage 1 product you'd be looking around that.

I've seen 400-420bhp advertised from a stock claimed power of 333 for the 3.0 charged.

Must be very impressive for a relatively cheap mod.

guys, point me in the direction, I stopped looking at the 3.0 V6 charged cars, because they didnt seem tuneable!

Edit: google is my friend, wow tuning has come on a fair bit for these! RS performance for a lot less cash!

Yanks like sedans much more than hatchbacks so it's probably really for them.

Looks ok, like a rival to the 1 series coupe. But still a little pointless.

Edited 28 March, 201313 yr by Aspman

the new s3 saloon could be a good replacement for the VRS octavia, since the new model is bigger, I imagine the S3 saloon to be the same size as current Octy

435 is the average for a stage 1. 460 for stage 2. Slightly more for the manuals. These 3.0T have massive tuning potential, more than any engine out there I know of. Audi have also under quoted the engine, they dyno around 350bhp normally as opposed to 329bhp.

Edited 28 March, 201313 yr by Nicky boy

435 is the average for a stage 1. 460 for stage 2. Slightly more for the manuals.

One of the benefits of forced induction.

Sizable increases on stock performance.

MRC's S4 does 0-60 in 3.4s. That's GTR territory for drag racing.

MRC's S4 does 0-60 in 3.4s. That's GTR territory for drag racing.

Current model is 2.8 stock.

Some tweaked Audi TTs are around the low 3.something too.

I think the early GT-Rs they sold in 2009 for £53k were 3.5 because they had a lack of real launch control and only 480bhp in an 1800kg car.

Problem with the GT-R is that a lot of people use it as a benchmark, comparing thier modified cars to a stock one.

Not that there seem to be that many stock ones out there.

It's also a bit of tank. 1800kg in a sporty car shouldn't work, but does surprisingly well.

Without that gearbox it would be worse. Similar to how the newer fast Audis are much quicker with the S-Tronic.

apparently the upcoming A4/A5 models will be a LOT lighter too, hmmmm methinks I need to start saving for my next car!

Pooch, I looked at S4s a while back, and I didnt think they tuned that well, are you sure stage 1 is 430bhp?

Think you got the answer you were looking for

One of the main reasons I got the S4 was its tuning potential.

I test drove the GTR and S4 back to back, and performance wise the GTR was in another league (it actually started me giggling as it powered through the box ).

However I needed a car that could be the workhorse of the family, 5 x doors, bit of a boot, and even a touch of economy.

Lets face it the S4 aint a bad looker and can handle most family routines, and for less than £2k can be tuned to nigh on 500bhp. Happy days

Think you got the answer you were looking for

One of the main reasons I got the S4 was its tuning potential.

I test drove the GTR and S4 back to back, and performance wise the GTR was in another league (it actually started me giggling as it powered through the box ).

However I needed a car that could be the workhorse of the family, 5 x doors, bit of a boot, and even a touch of economy.

Lets face it the S4 aint a bad looker and can handle most family routines, and for less than £2k can be tuned to nigh on 500bhp. Happy days

your circs are pretty much identical to mine,although I can live with 3 doors now as the boys can get in and out themselves, thats why I will be looking at an S4/5 next!

It's also a bit of tank. 1800kg in a sporty car shouldn't work, but does surprisingly well.

Yeah I saw a documentary on that. Instead of using aero to create so many kg of downforce, even though there's is some on it, they just made a car that heavy instead.

Yeah I saw a documentary on that. Instead of using aero to create so many kg of downforce, even though there's is some on it, they just made a car that heavy instead.

That's probably one of the secrets behind it's 0-60mph time.

If you need 400kg+ over each wheel for optimum grip you can't get it at low speed using aero.

It's like man maths. Need 400kg over each wheel? OK, we'll make the car big and heavy.