Back in 2006, Audi unveiled their now world-famous R8 supercar. A mid-engined V8 monster which would launch those who dared handle it from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds. The R8 would cost in excess of £100,000 back then and it came with room for one passenger and a boot the size of a thimble.
Now, back to the present moment.
Just last week Audi lifted the lid on their new S3 models and they are now on sale. The Sportback model will start from £37,900 and the Saloon from £38,465. Some readers may scoff that near-£40k is too expensive for a souped-up hot hatch, but just wait until you see what the cars offer.
Both variants of the S3 will come equipped with Audi’s award-winning 2.0 TFSI 4-cylinder engine, mated exclusively to Audis seven-speed S Tronic automatic gearbox and, naturally, all 4 wheels will be powered through Audis Quattro All-wheel-drive system.
That meaty 2.0-litre engine will be good for 306 horsepower and 295 lb/ft of torque, which will be enough to rocket the car from 0-60 in just 4.8 seconds - which is good as equal to the Audi R8 from 14 years ago, for less than half the price. The S3 will also go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, which is plenty.
Best of all, though, is the efficiency. Our standards of efficiency have changed dramatically over the last decade. That R8 we mentioned before had a maximum stated efficiency of 21 mpg - but that was before standardised testing and in the real world you’d do well to average over 12 mpg. This new S3 will do a claimed 39.2 mpg - and remember that manufacturers do actually have to back up these claims nowadays. That’s pretty reasonable efficiency for a car that packs this much punch and we’re confident that if you were sat cruising in 7th gear on the motorway, the 4-pot engine is likely to settle around that mpg figure.
In terms of living with the new S3, its worth noting that the new models are both longer and wider than the respective outgoing models, and the S3 will sit 15mm lower than the current A3 models. The cabin now comes with fancy new leather seats as well as a 10.1-inch touchscreen display alongside Audis dazzling virtual cockpit.
Remember that thimble-like boot we mentioned on the R8? Well, the new S3 has up to 370 litres of luggage room to play around in and ample room for 5 adults.
The new S3 is on sale right now in both Sportback and Saloon form. These hot Audis are always in high demand at launch so if you’re interested you need to act quickly to ensure timely arrival. Launch an enquiry by booking a test drive at your local dealership today or request a brochure.