Power without posturing
7
Power without posturing
Why on earth would you want an S3? The RS3 is faster, sharper, and more of a sports car than any mid-range S3. The same could be said for an A35 AMG or an M140i, all cars that carry the same genetic strand as their fully fledged, track-honed siblings but lack the secret sauce that perfects the formula.
Well, if this question has crossed your mind, it turns out that these more civilised machines actually make more sense than you might think. And it’s not just a pricing solution. In fact, after spending a week with Audi’s new S3 Sedan, I have concluded that you don’t actually need a full-fat RS3. Well… at least I don’t.
To address the elephant in the room that most RS3 owners would use as a bargaining chip, no, the S3 doesn’t come with the iconic 5-cylinder. Instead, it sports something closer to its competitors. A 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-4 with a split personality.
At first, it happily wanders around town. Not wanting to stand out in traffic, it simply keeps pace with fast-lane travellers with a respectful nod as it overtakes in compact, cushy comfort, but it seems a different animal altogether when you push the drive mode button. Flipping through the modes, a red option appears with a racetrack graphic. This is a hint. Dynamic Mode. At the top right of the screen, Dynamic Plus, which turns off stability control. These performance modes don’t just sharpen things up. You now have immediate access to 245kW and 420Nm. The throttle response is near-instantaneous. Pair that with quattro, and now the top-spec A3 has horns.
It corners with competence, and aggressive inputs are handled with an on-the-edge feel. From a standstill, its launch control is fierce. It sprints to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds, with nothing more than its quad-tipped titanium Akrapović exhaust providing the audible drama that its exterior typically hides. What takes some getting used to is transferring weight from one side to the other at speed, which reveals a loss of composure and a skating feel as it threatens to wag its tail. It’s old school in its execution when on the limit. This may read like criticism. Quite the contrary. A hint of turbo lag, plenty of steering feedback and precise on-the-limit adhesion keep your focus centred on exactly what the car is communicating.
For me, the interior sets the standard for a modern, well-rounded, driver-focused cabin space. It’s simple, driver-centric and tactile. Driving modes are controlled by a switch next to the safety nannies. A separate switch panel controls climate settings, nestled below a simple and easy-to-navigate infotainment system that is intuitive, with no distracting graphics or confusing menus. From the driver’s seat, you are greeted by a steering wheel which is a touch too thin for my liking. Behind the wheel is a descriptive digital instrument cluster that follows the centre screen’s design language, with a black background and subtle colour use to represent your driving modes and the upper reaches of the red line. Beyond the modern approach, the S3’s cabin mostly delivers on comfort. The front seats are soft but supportive, though rear passengers are not gifted with first-class levels of space.
A decade ago, R1m for a sports car came with lofty expectations. Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can get for under a bar today that’s genuinely sporty. So at R1,106,100 for a refined sub-5-second car, it is an attractive proposition. Yes, its older but closely matched cousin, the VW Golf R, is its closest rival and comes in nearly R100k cheaper, but it lacks the feel and premium-level attention to detail. The S3 is also slightly quicker in a straight-line sprint.
You can get a titanium Akrapović exhaust for the S3, which adds a sense of drama to the occasion. It is something of a dying feature in the modern car world, but it will set you back an additional R80k. Is it worth it? No. Does it sound cool? Absolutely.
So, do you need an RS3? If you plan on spending your weekends on the racetrack, perhaps… Beyond the kerbs, the extra cylinder and added aggression are more difficult to justify. Don’t think, though, the S3 is the compromise in the performance range. Far from it. It’s still mighty quick, but it brings a more sensible combination of driving engagement and, naturally, that slightly easier-to-digest price tag.
Get TopGear SA news and reviews in your inbox
