Is that a phasing out of current 3 SERIES models ,hence the attractive deals?

Seen quite a few new 3 SERIES recently, nearby.

The 335d is being replaced with the 340d in line with BMW's very logical badging nomenclature

Is that a phasing out of current 3 SERIES models ,hence the attractive deals?

Seen quite a few new 3 SERIES recently, nearby.

No, it's on the latest FL models.

Will these the same as those that Broadband shows as having almost £9,000 discounted and at just under £34,000

The 335d is being replaced with the 340d in line with BMW's very logical badging nomenclature

https://www.bmw.co.uk/dam/brandBM/marketGB/countryGB/newvehicles/3-series/touring/2015/Models-and-Spec/The-BMW-3-Series-Saloon-Touring-Standard-Specification-June-2015.pdf.resource.1433327619759.pdf

I seem to recall that BossFox was getting his RS3 test drive today.

 

I look forward to his review.

 

Will he or won't he go for the Very Powerful Hot hatch with a  DSG?

 

 

I know it's based on personal car experience, but this was my take on the RS3 yesterday.

I did press it, including loops to find the understeer.

 

Anyway, I thought it was a bit soft. Comfort setting very comfortable. "Dynamic" still a bit too soft.

Easy to drive, very quick and loads of grip.

But lacking in flair. Capable more than entertaining.

Needs to be more aggressive. Not a lot of steering feel either, noticeable less than my Fiesta ST.

When you push it hard enough to understeer (which it does) the throttle is cut.  In dynamic mode.

If you make a swift change of direction you can get the back out... a bit and it instantly bring it right back into line.

Impressive technology, but a bit devoid of fun factor. In this way it reminds me of a baby R35.

 

If you want to be seen driving around in a fancy Audi that's quick.  It's great.

It's also good as a daily as it is also a 5 door with a reasonable sized boot and as I stated earlier a comfy ride.  Surprisingly comfy.

 

 

But it's like the S3 in that it feels a bit soft.  Where the Golf R feels more aggressive despite being mostly the same car underneath as the S3.

 

On balance, if I was looking for a car like this I'd buy a Golf R with a manual box.

It''s just more fun and on a B road almost as fast in real terms.

 

You don't really feel the performance in my opinion too, because it feels really well made, well insulated and well dampened.

So it just goes without any major drama.  Other than some nice exhaust noise.  A typically well made and very fast Audi that can be driven really quickly by anyone.

 

Back to the old argument on speed and fun.

The RS3 has loads of speed.  But lacks the fun of even the mk7 Fiesta ST IMO.  Even though it's obviously quicker by some margin.

 

No way would I pay £15,000+ more for one than a Golf R though.

I wouldn't pay half that on top.

 

 

 

 

On yes, and the demo was that horrible polished primer colour.

 

So rethink for me, I won't be getting one.

Nice to hear all that,

a Jack of all trades car for driving on UK roads and the type of conditions that anyone driving UK roads are liable to encounter,

going to be just right to drive roads on Mainland Europe or other World Regions where the driver just needs traction and grip and to get around corners in their lane or side of the road, no dramas, and heart stopping moments for them or other road users meeting them heading towards them enjoying some excitement.

 

Safe and reliable and able to go twice as fast as UK highest NSL's anytime any driver wants to.

 

?

In what way could you not feel the performance, just the good build and sound deadening / insulation?

If you put the throttle to the floor was it not at double the NSL's in under 12 seconds.

or at the NSL in 7 seconds or less?

Or was there a limiter on it or something?

 

Is it so much slower to 80 mph than a Nissan GTR if using the Launch Control?

Edited 18 June, 201510 yr by goneoffSKi

Nice to hear all that,

a Jack of all trades car for driving on UK roads and the type of conditions that anyone driving UK roads are liable to encounter,

going to be just right to drive roads on Mainland Europe or other World Regions where the driver just needs traction and grip and to get around corners in their lane or side of the road, no dramas, and heart stopping minutes.

 

Safe and reliable and able to go twice as fast as UK highest NSL's anytime any driver wants to.

 

?

In what way could you not feel the performance, just the good build and sound deadening / insulation?

If you put the throttle to the floor was it not at double the NSL's in under 12 seconds.

or at the NSL in 7 seconds or less?

Or was there a limiter on it or something?

 

Is it so much slower to 80 mph than a Nissan GTR if using the Launch Control?

 

Yes, a good all round car George.

 

I wouldn't know as I don't do twice the NSL, but it's around a second and or so slower to 60mph than the GT-R.

Looking at the speedo it certainly seems that quick.

But the GT-R has a far more aggressive power delivery so is more of a buzz.

 

You can't feel the performance George, in the way the speedo wizzes round but the 1.5 tonne body that is very well made and insulated filters out part of the experience.

But that might be because I am used to cars that are this quick, but deliver it in a more entertaining way.

 

To me it feels very "Audi" and "VAG" in the way it's incredibly capable, but feels "safe".

No doubt it'll suit a lot of people that want a very fast car that won't bite them.

 

Golf R is more fun and better value though.  Just doesn't have the kudos of an RS branded Audi and is slightly slower on a typical B road.

3 second buzz are better than a 4 second buzz,  they should remember and put that in the Adverts.

3 second buzz are better than a 4 second buzz,  they should remember and put that in the Adverts.

 

Nissan tend to advertise it quite well.

I know it's based on personal car experience, but this was my take on the RS3 yesterday.

I did press it, including loops to find the understeer.

 

Anyway, I thought it was a bit soft. Comfort setting very comfortable. "Dynamic" still a bit too soft.

Easy to drive, very quick and loads of grip.

But lacking in flair. Capable more than entertaining.

Needs to be more aggressive. Not a lot of steering feel either, noticeable less than my Fiesta ST.

When you push it hard enough to understeer (which it does) the throttle is cut.  In dynamic mode.

If you make a swift change of direction you can get the back out... a bit and it instantly bring it right back into line.

Impressive technology, but a bit devoid of fun factor. In this way it reminds me of a baby R35.

 

If you want to be seen driving around in a fancy Audi that's quick.  It's great.

It's also good as a daily as it is also a 5 door with a reasonable sized boot and as I stated earlier a comfy ride.  Surprisingly comfy.

 

 

But it's like the S3 in that it feels a bit soft.  Where the Golf R feels more aggressive despite being mostly the same car underneath as the S3.

 

On balance, if I was looking for a car like this I'd buy a Golf R with a manual box.

It''s just more fun and on a B road almost as fast in real terms.

 

You don't really feel the performance in my opinion too, because it feels really well made, well insulated and well dampened.

So it just goes without any major drama.  Other than some nice exhaust noise.  A typically well made and very fast Audi that can be driven really quickly by anyone.

 

Back to the old argument on speed and fun.

The RS3 has loads of speed.  But lacks the fun of even the mk7 Fiesta ST IMO.  Even though it's obviously quicker by some margin.

 

No way would I pay £15,000+ more for one than a Golf R though.

I wouldn't pay half that on top.

 

 

 

 

On yes, and the demo was that horrible polished primer colour.

 

So rethink for me, I won't be getting one.

So will it be replacing the Fiesta ST with the New Focus RS next year???

Or R400 only time will tell.

Thanks for the interesting review.

Sorting out a convenient RS3 TEST drive - as the demo car is fairly busy at present(not in a hurry) . But I do have some good country roads and a disused airfield to have some fun, and can use the R directly afterwards as a comparison .

Boss,

How do you think the journos comments compare to your experience.

Doing the Business for me Boss is :

Provided the R400 handles and drives in the same way as the R, has the Manual gearbox and comes in undercutting the RS3 on Prices (spec'd in a similar level)

Also delivering, (as the review attached suggest) that is to say offsetting the RS3 perceived negatives.(Autocar comments/ similar in Evo) "That the car also remains riveted to the ground and a doddle to dial into will be testimony enough of quattro GmBH’s skill for some - but we hoped there would be more here to savour.

Instead, the experience, including the dullard steering and grabby brakes, is mostly familiar. That the four-wheel powerslides experienced on ice proved a distant memory is hardly surprising, yet we’d hoped, even with the ESP in Sport mode, for a more engaging sense of the RS3 adjusting its line in accordance with throttle input.

Potentially, given the negligible wiggle of its hips on the odd exit, that may yet turn out still to be on tap. But not on track in this instance, with the car - or its minder - erring too often on the side of exasperating caution.

That leaves the jury technically still out, although it must be said that if you’re holding off on buying the model’s half sister, the Volkswagen Golf R, until you’ve heard the final verdict, I wouldn’t necessarily linger much longer.

Marginally slower and less characterful in the engine bay it may very well be, but the Volkswagen steers with more aplomb, levitates above the groundise missile, gets the standard manual gearbox the Audi doesn’t, and, crucially, doesn’t need the ESP turned off to show you a good time."

Overall performance figures quoted indicates it will out perform the RS3, along with the aforementioned driving /handling characteristics

Quite honestly the 5 pot noise against the 4 pot, is a minor issue for me in my requirements list!

I will conclude this by saying, I will let you know completely when I receive my RS3 test drive soon.

BossFox likes this

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Edited 18 June, 201510 yr by vrskeith

Do many of these roadtesters bother to check and set their own tyre pressures or consider if a car has covered many miles yet, thought that media car S-tronics are still acting crap from that last roadtester that drove it?

Good review mate. Nice to hear your experience. I think I will test one but as u have an S3 I'm fully expecting the same as you for review

That was meant to say "as I have an s3"

Evo mag dont seem too impressed with the rs3 either do they.

I like evo. Good write ups, and i can sometimes recognise local roads to me in the pictures aha.

Evo mag dont seem too impressed with the rs3 either do they.

I like evo. Good write ups, and i can sometimes recognise local roads to me in the pictures aha.

 

I just read the new one out.

Fiesta ST still beating all the other hot hatches in it's class (just) despite being a few years old already... 

Not read  EVO yet,

Which others are in the class, 3 door manual under £19,000, or is there more expensive ones as well?

Is it on handling on road that it is beating them?

Not read EVO yet,

Which others are in the class, 3 door manual under £19,000, or is there more expensive ones as well?

Is it on handling on road that it is beating them?

Dont let is spoil it for you george. .

But yeah. Clumsy handling.

Guess JoseDB will be our member who is 1st to physically have his day to day experience of the RS3 shortly.Provided all his deals are done.

:http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/352308-mk3-octavia-vrs-tdi-dsg-estate-genuinely-fully-loaded/

So it will be interesting to read his review, living with the unleashed beast.

Not sure if it is July when he/wife take delivery of the Met Black M/C.

Yip maybe. As a safe road daily driver in sure it makes a great package. Also with a bit more individual feeling than the other vag hot hatches due to its limited numbers early on

Only reason I tend to ignore most reviews as they for me aren't relevant when track performance is discussed. I want a fast safe road car, everyone is different

Yip maybe. As a safe road daily driver in sure it makes a great package. Also with a bit more individual feeling than the other vag hot hatches due to its limited numbers early on

Only reason I tend to ignore most reviews as they for me aren't relevant when track performance is discussed. I want a fast safe road car, everyone is different

Presumably  at the right price!?

Yes definately

All though I have not driven the Audi I agree with BossFox that more power & bigger engine doesn't always lead to more "fun" or driver involvement...........even in my "limited" test drives of various cars I have found the same to be true unless the car is properly lightweight, then you see that in the fit & finish..........Scooby P1 interior anyone?...........

We all want different things so no doubt this car will sell but as above not for fun factor

We all want different things so no doubt this car will sell but as above not for fun factor

That's sort of true, but no one can deny that there's plenty of fun to be had in nailing every car in front of you on a shorty straight with a (very) powerful car!

 

As an all round package, I don't think the RS3 has many peers (though an RS6 slightly pips it for having even more performance whilst carrying a wardrobe).