Audi S3 News

...caught here at the Nurburgring by Carparazzi. The giveaway is 18-inch alloys but the car also gets bolder lamps similar to the new A6, as well as quad exhaust tips, while the bonnet likely hides a 2-litre turbocharged four.  

It’s starting to look that way with the spread of blink-fast double-clutch automatic systems. And people are apparently happy to pay more for them. For example, the six-speed S-tronic dual-wet-clutch transmission arrives in the Audi S3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI for an extra $2700, bringing the list price to $71,010. Audi, which debuted the transmission in the TT 3.2 quattro in 2003, claims the S-tronic reduces the 0-100km/h acceleration time by 0.2 seconds to 5.6 while economy is improved to 8.4 litres/100km with CO2 emissions of 195g/km. The S-tronic is a perfect partner for the turbocharged engine, swapping cogs so quickly the blower doesn't get a chance to drop revs, thus keeping the power on. Audi Australia product planning manager John Roberts believes the S-tronic model will not only become the top-selling S3, but will also lift volumes. Currently the S3 Sportback ($68,310) is the top seller with 62 per cent of S3 sales. However, Roberts claims the S-tronic will reach 65 per cent, dropping the Sportback to 20 per cent and the three-door manual ($66,403) to 15 per cent. He says the S-tronic will target younger buyers and sell about 200 a year.

The Japanese brands like Subaru and Mitsubishi give you a choice of both from the all-wheel drive WRX and Lancer Ralliart to the pipping hot STi and Evo. The Europeans find a middle ground with cars like Volkswagen's R32 and the silky 3.0-litre sixes that BMW slots into things like the 130i. Audi's distinctive S3 three-door leans towards the pipping hot category. Now the S3 range has just gotten a whole lot warmer with the arrival of the five-door S3 Sportback. Priced at $68,310, the S3 Sportback is $1907 more than the three-door and a whopping $11,820 more than VW's R32 all-whee drive five-door hatch. Along with the extra doors, the S3 Sportback is available for the first time with Audi's magnetic ride system and a parking assist system similar to that available in some Volkswagen models. The Sportback shares its turbo-charged direct injection 2.0-litre four cylinder with the three-door, mated to Audi's quattro Haldex all-wheel drive system and a six-speed manual transmission. An electronically-controlled, rear-mounted hydraulic multi-plate clutch, distributes the torque as required. The 2.0-litre delivers 188kW at 6000 revs and 330Nm between 2500 and 5000 revs. The Sportback can hit 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Despite the grunt, the high-tech four delivers a combined economy figure of 8.5 litres/100km. Apart from the engine, the five-door shares much underneath with the three door, from its aluminium swivel bearings and wishbones that reduce unsprung weight to the stiffer chassis bearings, 25mm lower ride height, beefy brakes and electro-mechanical steering. At 4303mm the five-door is 72mm longer than its three-door stable-mate and 3mm higher while width remains the same at 1765mm. Visually, the Sportback shares the “S” styling cues of its three-door brother including the chrome-plated radiator grille, vertical double bars, and a front bumper with powerful spoiler lip. The foglights get chrome rings, there's a platinum grey rear diffuser and twin oval exhausts at the back, along with redesigned tail-lights. S-specific exterior mirrors with indicators round out the design. Fitted as standard are new S design 18-alloys and Xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime running lights. Inside, there are Nappa leather sport seats, S design multi-function leather sports steering wheel, Bose stereo speakers and Bluetooth. Aluminium-look pedals and door sill strips complete the look. There is a full complement of safety gear, from airbags to electronic stability control incorporating anti-skid brakes, traction control, and an electronic differential lock. The S3 Sportback goes on sale next month. Audi Australia expects the five-door to account for almost 70 per cent of all S3 sales over the next 12 months. Since 1999, 650 S3s have been sold nationally. The current generation S3 three-door, which was launched mid-2007, has sold more than 260 to date. The magnetic ride suspension is a $2400 option, along with the $950 parking assist system.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo , Alfa Romeo and Audi are among the marques with quality, small cars. Audi offers its A3 in an extensive range: $33,950 for an A3 1.6-litre manual to $65,900 for the S3 turbocharged hot rod. It's the latter car at the top of the Audi small-car range in Australia that soon will have an almost identical twin. The S3, currently available as a three-door hatchback, will also be imported as a five-door hatch from late this year, giving it more practicality as a family sporty. Both versions will share the 1984cc turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which generates 188kW of power, catering for Australian conditions. Its 330Nm of torque streams from 2500rpm to 5000rpm. Audi says the extra weight of the rear doors adds just 0.1 seconds to the 0-100km/h sprint time (5.8 seconds) and its official fuel use rating is 8.5 litres per 100km. The S3 three-door is listed at $65,900 and the price for the five-door will be released closer to its on-sale date. The five-door will also have a six-speed manual transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel-drive system and 18-inch wheels. The S3 gets more sports and performance components over the A3 on which it is based. Its suspension brings a 25mm-lower ride height and includes aluminium components. The brake discs are larger. The S3 will come with aluminium-look exterior mirrors, leather-clad sports seats, xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime-running lights and aluminium pedals. Meanwhile, Audi has unveiled a show-car version of the Audi TT two-seat sports car called the Clubsport quattro. The Clubsport has a low, raked, small windscreen. That means the A-pillars are short, so there is a pair of generous rollover hoops behind the seats, aft of which are aero humps.  

A new five-door version of the Audi S3 will join the refreshed three-door model this year. The S3 Sportback will arrive in time for Christmas and should be priced close to the $65,900 three-door. Audi spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf said pricing had yet to be confirmed but she expected the Sportback to be less than $70,000. Many prospective buyers had been asking for a five-door model. “Obviously, with the two extra doors, we expect the Sportback to appeal to a broader range of buyers,” she said. “It makes sense to have the three- and five-door here, particularly given that our market loves five-door small cars.” The Sportback will be equipped with the same engine as the three-door, the re-engineered hot direct-injection 2-litre TFSI. This engine produces 188kW at 6000 revs and 330Nm from 2500 to 5000 revs and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The beefy engine catapults the three-door to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and 5.8 seconds for the Sportback version. The car's top speed is limited electronically to 250km/h and yet the S3's fuel consumption is reasonably contained at an average of 8.5 litres/100km. The six-speed transmission works through Audi's quattro all-wheel driveline, and 18-inch wheels and sports-tuned suspension enhance handling. Visually, the S3 is 25mm lower than the standard A3 and integrates lightweight aluminium components. To cope with the power, the car gets beefier 17-inch disc brakes. Like the three-door, the Sportback has a deep radiator grille, front bumper with an integrated spoiler and a spoiler on the roof, as well as aluminium-look exterior mirrors. At the back, a modified hatch and tail-light design uses fibre optic rods to create a bright, clear look. As a result of the redesigned bumpers, the new A3 has grown 25mm to 4240mm. The sporty proportions of the Sportback remain virtually unchanged at 4290mm. The Sportback benefits from a slightly larger boot, 20 litres more than the three-door when the rear seats are upright or folded flat. Inside, it has leather-clad sports seats, but racing-style bucket seats will be available as an option. Also part of the equipment are aluminium pedals, automatic airconditioning, twin exhausts, anti-theft alarm and xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime running lights. The second-generation S3 made its debut last June and Audi Australia has sold 45 so far this year. The company expects to sell about 100 S3s a year. Audi sold 380 of the previous-generation S3s, which were available here from 2000 to 2003. PRICE VARIANTS Audi has announced pricing for the new A3 Cabriolet arriving in August. It will come in two variants at launch including the 1.8 TFSI with Attraction specification ($49,900), and the 2-litre TFSI engine with Ambition trim in six-speed manual ($54,900) and S tronic ($57,500). A 1.6-litre version with Attraction specification will arrive later in the year. It features a semi-automatic lightweight soft top that opens and closes in nine seconds. An optional fully automatic hood will cost an extra $1300.  

The S3 Sportback will arrive in time for Christmas and should be priced close to the $65,900 three-door.Audi spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf says pricing has yet to be confirmed but she expects the Sportback to be less than $70,000.Many prospective buyers had been asking for a five-door, she says.“Obviously, with the two extra doors, we expect the Sportback to appeal to a broader range of buyers,” she says.“It makes sense to have the three and five-door here, particularly given that our market loves five-door small cars.”The Sportback will be equipped with the same engine as the three door, the re-engineered hot direct-injection 2.0-litre TFSI.This engine produces 188kW at 6000 revs and 330Nm from 2500 to 5000 revs and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission.The beefy engine catapults the three-door to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and 5.8 seconds for the Sportback version.The car's top speed is limited electronically to 250km/h and yet the S3's fuel consumption is reasonably contained at an average of 8.5 litres/100km.The six-speed transmission works through Audi's quattro all-wheel driveline, and 18-inch wheels and sports-tuned suspension enhance handling.Visually, the S3 is 25mm lower than the standard A3 and integrates lightweight aluminium components.To cope with the power the car gets beefier 17-inch disc brakes.Like the three-door, the Sportback has a deep radiator grille, front bumper with integrated spoiler and a spoiler on the roof, as well as aluminium-look exterior mirrors.At the back, a modified hatch and tail-light design uses fibre optic rods to create a bright, clear look.As a result of the redesigned bumpers, the new A3 has grown 25mm to 4240mm. The sporty proportions of the Sportback remain virtually unchanged at 4290mm.The Sportback benefits from a slightly larger boot, 20 litres more than the three-door when the rear seats are upright or folded flat.Inside, it has leather-clad sports seats, but racing-style bucket seats will be available as an option. Also part of the equipment are aluminium pedals, automatic airconditioning, twin-exhausts, anti-theft alarm and xenon-plus headlights with LED daytime running lights.The second-generation S3 made its debut last June and Audi Australia has sold 45 so far this year. The company expects to sell about 100 S3s a year. Audi sold 380 of the previous-generation S3, which sold here from 2000 to 2003. 

The Ingolstadt marque — whose launches have a clockwork regularity — will by July have introduced an insane station wagon, a cute cabrio, a sexy coupe and their crucial mid-size sedan.The RS6 Avant, TTS, A3 cabrio and their all-important BMW 3 Series rival, the new A4, will be showcased at the Melbourne International Motor Show. With the atmo V10-powered S6 sedan obviously considered on the soft side, the RS6 Avant cops a twin-turbo version good for 426kW/650Nm and a 0-100km/h sprint time of a claimed 4.6 seconds.Essentially an all-wheel-drive family wagon with near-supercar performance, it's priced at $259,000. As one of Audi's typically gnomic marketing blurbs puts it, the uber-wagon buyer is “likely to be a highly successful 45- to 64-year-old businessman with a family.” Right ...By contrast, the TTS — available locally in coupe or cabrio form from July — will be driven by one who is a “culturally-minded 25- to 64-year-old with a strong interest in fashion, architecture and design.” Of course.Packing the same hugely enhanced version of the 2.0-litre direct injection turbo four that motivates the S3, the range-topping TTS gets quattro all-wheel-drive and a choice of S-tronic robotised manual or a proper 6-speed manual transmissions. If you happen to be “25 to 54 years with an active, outgoing approach to life and a love of the outdoors” then you'll just love the A3 Cabriolet. Apparently.At a time when drop tops are hardening up, this one retains a lightweight soft top. Due here in July, it will want to be pretty good if it's to succeed — not so much against BMW's 125i, but Volkswagen's Eos.But it's those between “30 and 54 years with a young family, and likely to be in a management role with an interest in design, technology and computing” that Audi really needs to land with the largely new A4 sedan.Due in April, pricing for the sedan (the wagon follows later) has been announced. It starts at $50,900 for the 1.8 TFSI manual and $53,500 for the multitronic auto; $54,900 for the 2.0-litre TDI diesel in auto and $88,500 for the 3.2-litre FSI quattro tiptronic.A 2.7-litre TDI multitronic, at $67,900, follows in May or June, with a 2.0-litre TFSI quattro later in the year.Built on the MDS platform already available in the S5 and A5 coupe, the A4 should have the same marginally improved ride and handling. 

The brain's logical left lobe would probably dictate a highly specced and relentlessly reliable Japanese model.The riotous right side might love something Latin.Call it a feeling from the gut, then, but some part of you simply must have a badge featuring either a blue-and-white roundel or a three-pointed star. Or even four rings.Never mind that they're almost always over-priced for the package on offer and about as suited to Australian roads as Beethoven to a Shannon Noll audience, but we seem unable to get enough of the wares offered by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and increasingly, Audi.Which is just as well, given that there will be releases from all three marques this month.June marks the opening salvo of a second-half-of-'07 product offensive on three fronts, using every type of armament at the makers' disposal; from diesel hatchbacks through high-end sports machines to ferociously powerful SUVs.In popular terms, the most significant of these is the new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class.The W204 series arrives next month with the four-cylinder Kompressors, V6 petrols and two diesel models.A six-cylinder purchase gets you a seven-speed auto transmission, but the fours make do with five speeds.Hard to say where the pricing will sit at this point, though a slight increase on the current model is possible.A more dynamic driving experience is promised, something to which Merc's Agility Control system is central.Indications from the world launch in Spain are that Mercedes' best-selling product has achieved that stated aim within a veneer of sexier, or slightly less conservative, styling.Of course, this launch took place on European roads, not our Australian tarmacs.The vastly improved new Smart fortwo coupe and cabrio arrive in November, to the delight of at least several hundred people.Between then and now, though, comes something altogether more potent.The ML 500 SUV and R 500 MPV cop a 285kW V8, up 60kW on the hardly deficient current version.These should be among us by early October, along with a 320 CDI model of the S-Class, marrying the marque's superb V6 diesel to its luxury limo.BMW fires two shots; one small-calibre, the other medium, from its locker this month.The One Series evokes mixed reactions but a coupe version is due next year and the five-door hatch receives a new four-cylinder diesel engine, minor inside and out facelifts and mechanical upgrades for greater efficiency.The updated Five Series gets new front and rear bumpers, restyled headlights and tail lights with LED.Better yet, it gets a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic tranny, controlled by the electronic gear selector from the X5 off-roader.The 530i Sedan and Touring gain 10kW of power and 15Nm of torque for totals of 200kW and 315Nm, and smarter 0-100km/h times throughout the range.New Seven Series Executive and Sport models arrive next month, but the lip-smacking becomes deafening in the fourth quarter with the new M3 coupe.Forsaking the straight six, this fourth-gen M3 packs an all-new, 309kW/400Nm V8 of four litres.Driven by the rear wheels (of course) through a six-speed-manual, it promises acceleration to 100km/h in only 4.8sec.The M3 is billed as the first production vehicle in its segment to feature a carbon fibre-reinforced roof; an innovation to save weight and lower the centre of gravity.Audi's counter-offensive begins next week with the local release of its S3 hot hatch and a ragtop version of the TT. Expected to outsell its hard-hat cousin, the open TT dispenses with the coupe's comedy back pews, increasing its boot space.Nor does it command an unreasonable premium over the coupe, with the front-drive 2.0 TFSI starting at $77,500, the V6 quattro at $92,900. But the roadster's sole transmission is the manual-matic S-tronic.No such pandering for the S3, which unites a creamy six-speed manual with quattro. And how all-wheel drive is needed.Hosting a rebuilt and “up-gunned” version of the VW Golf GTI's two-litre, direct-injection turbo four, the S3 can call upon a V6-daunting 188kW and 330Nm. At an estimated $65,000, it will come in cheaper than the top-whack, but decidedly lesser, A3.If the S3 is a genuine Q-car (there being little to visually distinguish it from Audi's milder hatches), there's no denying the latest Q7.Due in November and priced from $124,000, the already imposing SUV packs a turbine-like 4.2 TDI, a turbo diesel dreadnought that generates 240kW at 3750rpm and a warping 760Nm between 1800 and 2500rpm.As Wagnerian as it is, its thunder may be stolen as early as October. Not so much by the A5 and S5 (touring coupes with Walter da Silva style and nice engine notes) but the R8 sports car.Though it will be priced in the region of $270,000, you won't be able to buy one for ages, even if you have the readies.Audi has been taking orders for the instantly desirable, mid-engined V8 quattro two-seater since it was unveiled at last year's Sydney Motor Show.That car evokes a profound response from a region lower even than the gut.

Arriving in May, the Audi A6 allroad quattro will be powered by the 3-litre TDI engine at launch and be priced around $106,000.The S3 is expected to arrive in June at around $66,000 with a 2-litre, 188kW TFSI engine and a six-speed manual transmission.The TT Roadster will be launched in June with a 2-litre TFSI engine and a 3.2-litre V6 quattro, featuring S-tronic transmission. Prices are not yet available.To reduce weight, the Roadster retains a cloth hood rather than following the trend for folding hard tops.However, it is now electro-hydraulically powered for hands-free operation, with no need to attach or detach the hood to or from the windscreen rail.Opening or closing takes 12sec and can be carried out at speeds of up to 30km/h.Incorporating a heated glass rear window, the new soft top is lighter than before through the use of a new steel and aluminium support framework.It also claimed to be quieter with an additional layer of soundproofing.A powered mesh wind deflector is fitted to streamline airflow through the cabin.The soft top stows smaller than before thanks to a new Z-fold system which stacks the rigid front section of the roof on top of the cloth to form a cover that sits flush with the body and eliminates the need for a tonneau cover.