Audi S3

By Andrew Frankel of The Sunday Times
But you were perfect as you were...



Sometimes, and for no immediately apparent reason, I’ll drive a car that adds up to considerably more than the sum of its rather modest parts. Now and again a car comes together in such happy harmony that it leaves you with the impression that it’s rather better than its makers intended. Such a car is the Audi S3. I’ll remember my hours behind its wheel for the rest of my life, not because it was super-fast or did things other cars can’t do, but simply because it just felt beautifully, naturally, almost ineffably right.


Sadly for me, that drive took place more than seven years ago in the original S3. My time in its replacement was rather less edifying. On sale in Britain in the new year with prices starting at £26,995, it shows that Audi, while seeming to know all there is about how to make a car look right, still has something to learn about how to make them go properly too.

The clean and purposeful shape of the A3 hatch has been subtly yet powerfully improved by a big chin spoiler, gorgeous 18in alloy wheels, a small roof spoiler and a rear valence. Inside, the already class-leading A3 interior has been enhanced by an aluminium-effect finish to the pedals, gearlever and air vents. So far, so good.

Problems start to mount when you look beneath this veneer of sophistication. When choosing which engine should power the S3.
I just presumed they’d use the 3.2 litre V6 in the A3 as that already produced 250bhp before they started tinkering with it. Not so. In fact they plumped for a 2 litre four-cylinder motor that derives its 265bhp from being turbocharged to within an inch of its life.
What this means is that while the S3 goes like hell — 0-62mph in 5.7sec — the quality of that performance is nothing like as endearing. The car suffers from turbo lag, which often means there is a considerable pause between your right foot requesting a gob of power to squirt past a long lorry and it actually arriving. In that time a less powerful but normally aspirated car such as the A3 3.2 quattro would already be on its way.



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Complete article HERE