Test: Audi S3 (prototype): everyone’s friend and party animal

What happened to that drivetrain?

He got a nice boost. Just like the Volkswagen Golf R, the two-liter four-cylinder gained 23 hp and 20 Nm thanks to an improved turbo, so it now has a power of 333 hp and a torque of 420 Nm. The torque is available over a wide speed range, namely from 2,100 to 5,500 rpm. Ingolstadt improved the shifting of the double-clutch automatic transmission by pressing the clutch plates together more firmly, so that he drives away with less hesitation.

The engineers halved the switching times. Because the idle speed has been adjusted upwards, the car should feel more alert, because it will drop its revs less when the load drops. This should make it easier for him to connect to the gas again.

What about the party animal?

Audi borrows a so-called Torque Splitter from the RS3. This torque distributor with couplings on either side of the rear differential can release one hundred percent of the available power on the rear axle (fifty percent of the total) to either rear wheel to help the car turn in. This allows you to cleverly absorb the naturally occurring understeer or, if you persevere a little more, you can easily generate oversteer.

How does the Audi S3 drive?

The Audi S3 is incredibly accessible. It is a sporty car with which everyone can be a big boy. You can, so to speak, let your old aunt do the shopping with it. The wide torque range is nice, so the hatchback never feels lazy, but always alert. It indeed shifts very quickly and those who have the space can switch it with the paddles on the steering wheel. It turns in sharply, the steering is never vague and if you step on the gas in a corner, you come out with a nice drift. The electronics look over your shoulder, so if you are not a really skilled driver, not much can go wrong. We are talking about the car in Dynamic Plus mode, because that is the mode that gives the most leeway. We drove it with the dynamic shock absorbers available at an additional cost on road surfaces that were occasionally particularly bad. The chassis provides a lot of feedback under these conditions and the car can easily be driven through the bends in a nice cadence. Nevertheless, you still experience quite a bit of comfort and the car certainly does not exhaust the driver.

In short, a real fun machine?

Well, the fact that it all happens so easily and effortlessly is also somewhat of a disadvantage. It lacks a rough edge that wakes you up every now and then. For the more hardcore enthusiast, there will be a new RS3 with five-cylinder later this year … or maybe you shouldn’t buy an Audi anyway.