Hot Hatches: It's Audi's Turn To Play With It's New S3
08-01-2006, 06:38 PM
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Hot Hatches: It's Audi's Turn To Play With It's New S3 http://www.autoblog.com/2006/08/01/a...es-the-new-s3/
265hp/258lb.ft. 2.0L TFSI = w00t. If memory serves me right, this is the most powerful iteration of the 2.0L TFSI currently available in any Audi. Hooked to a 6 speed stick and clutch manual and Quattro AWD this thing should be able to hang with the VW R32 no problem. Yes I know you can buy an Audi A3 3.2L S-Line with VAGs 3.2L VR6 that cranks out 250hp, but while the S3 only has 15hp on the A3 3.2 it's lighter on it's feet thanks to better weight distribution and a lower curb weight, and supposedly more fun to play with because of the turbo motors character. This is similar to how the Audi S8s 5.2L V10 is outtorqued by the A8 W12s 6.0L W12 motor yet it gives the S8 a more sporty personality thanks to it's free revving nature and the fact that it enables to S8 to shed quite a bit of weight. No word on whether this car will come stateside. I'd say it does only if Audi builds a 5 door S3. Right now I'd say that they won't bring it here because people will instead opt to buy the smoother A3 3.2L which is more relaxed than the turbo 4 S3 here.
FWIW I like what Audi is doing with the S8 and S3 in terms of equipping these cars with engines that might not necessarily be significantly more powerful than their non-S bretheren. I like that they're choosing to use the right motor for the right job, even if it's only slightly more powerful (or less powerful in the case of the S8) and electing to focus on trimming curb weight. I also like how the smaller sportier S (S3, S4) and RS (RS4) cars are still equipped with traditional stick and clutch manual transmissions. The S6 and S8 I can see getting Tiptronics and S-Tronic (when VAG figures out how to fit S-Tronic/DSG to it's cars equipped with longitudinally mounted engines anyway) because of market demand but I respect that they're keeping they're smaller cars a little old school by sticking with a 3 pedal setup.
265hp/258lb.ft. 2.0L TFSI = w00t. If memory serves me right, this is the most powerful iteration of the 2.0L TFSI currently available in any Audi. Hooked to a 6 speed stick and clutch manual and Quattro AWD this thing should be able to hang with the VW R32 no problem. Yes I know you can buy an Audi A3 3.2L S-Line with VAGs 3.2L VR6 that cranks out 250hp, but while the S3 only has 15hp on the A3 3.2 it's lighter on it's feet thanks to better weight distribution and a lower curb weight, and supposedly more fun to play with because of the turbo motors character. This is similar to how the Audi S8s 5.2L V10 is outtorqued by the A8 W12s 6.0L W12 motor yet it gives the S8 a more sporty personality thanks to it's free revving nature and the fact that it enables to S8 to shed quite a bit of weight. No word on whether this car will come stateside. I'd say it does only if Audi builds a 5 door S3. Right now I'd say that they won't bring it here because people will instead opt to buy the smoother A3 3.2L which is more relaxed than the turbo 4 S3 here.
FWIW I like what Audi is doing with the S8 and S3 in terms of equipping these cars with engines that might not necessarily be significantly more powerful than their non-S bretheren. I like that they're choosing to use the right motor for the right job, even if it's only slightly more powerful (or less powerful in the case of the S8) and electing to focus on trimming curb weight. I also like how the smaller sportier S (S3, S4) and RS (RS4) cars are still equipped with traditional stick and clutch manual transmissions. The S6 and S8 I can see getting Tiptronics and S-Tronic (when VAG figures out how to fit S-Tronic/DSG to it's cars equipped with longitudinally mounted engines anyway) because of market demand but I respect that they're keeping they're smaller cars a little old school by sticking with a 3 pedal setup.
