The new Audi S3 has dropped and early impressions suggest that it’s a notable step forward over its predecessor, despite a hefty price increase. Here are the major headlines.
The Audi S3 (and its brawnier RS3 sibling) has become a bit of a favorite in the modern-day car tuning scene. From the factory, these compact sedans and hatches pack a hefty punch, and when you start tinkering under the hood you’ll find that they have massive potential. However, one common criticism that fast Audis tend to receive is their relative lack of dynamism in the handling department, in comparison to rivals. Well, it appears as though the folks from Ingolstadt have taken notice, as in addition to a slab of extra power, the new Audi S3 gets some trick tech to help improve the way it handles.
First though, let’s take a closer look at the powertrain…
2024 Audi S3 powertrain
For the new S3, Audi has taken its 2.0-liter TFSI four-pot engine and beefed it up a little. The power unit now produces 333hp and 310lb ft of torque in its stock guise, though Audi hasn’t revealed what exactly has been done to achieve those gains. For context, that’s a 23hp and 15lb ft increase over the outgoing S3. A 4.7-second 0-60mph time means that it’s marginally quicker in a sprint compared to the old car too.
It’s not just raw numbers to be aware of either. Audi has also tuned the engine to improve the way it delivers that power. For instance, the maximum torque band has been widened to between 2100-5500 rpm, and when cruising the turbocharger preloads at a constant rpm in anticipation of you putting your foot down. If you weren’t a fan of the old S3’s gearbox, fear not, as the DSG unit’s shift times (when under full load) have been halved for this model. Impressive stuff.
Quattro with torque splitter
As is synonymous with premium Audi models, the S3 gets the company’s Quattro all-wheel drive system. However, an intriguing new addition into the mix is the inclusion of a torque splitter.
In simple terms, the torque splitter uses an electronic multi-disc clutch on each driveshaft to allow for fully variable torque distribution between the two rear wheels. That means that, depending on the driving situation and drive mode selected, the car will receive differing amounts of torque to the inside and outside rear wheels in order to improve its cornering ability.
Dynamic Plus driving mode
Another new feature to the upcoming Audi S3 is the addition of the ‘Dynamic Plus’ driving mode. This new sixth driving mode has been designed by Audi to evoke a more ’emotional’ driving experience. Essentially, what this does is encourage oversteer by heavily biasing torque to the outer rear wheel via the torque splitter. Plus, whereas the car’s electronic stability control will remain typically active in regular ‘Sport’ mode, Audi promises far fewer ESC interruptions when driving in Dynamic Plus. To complement all of that, Dynamic Plus mode also raises the car’s idle by 200rpm and sharpens up the throttle response for quicker getaways.
As is tradition, you can get the S3 as a ‘Sportback’ as well as a sedan.
Suspension & brakes
It’s all well and good enhancing the bits that make a car go, but no self-respecting manufacturer would neglect the way a car turns, or how it stops too. Happily, the new Audi S3 has some updated running gear to go along with the extra power and clever delivery systems, coming in the form of revisions to both the suspension and the brakes.
Improved steering response and increased lateral control (aka, more dynamism and grip through bends) was high on Audi’s shopping list when developing this car, and they seem pretty confident that they’ve achieved that through stiffer wishbone bearings and entirely new pivot bearings – which allow for greater negative camber. They’ve also played around with the car’s steering ratios to give you more control over the car when cornering.
Compared to the normal A3, the S3 sits 15mm lower on its suspension, and if you get the Vorsprung package, it’ll include adaptive dampers that have been specifically tuned with the new torque splitter in mind.
As for the brakes, the 18-inch perforated steel setup is 4mm thicker than before, and the S3 gets two-piston calipers on the front (complete with larger pads for a bigger friction surface).
How much will the new Audi S3 cost?
In the UK, prices start from £46,925 for the Black Edition Sportback. If you want the top level trim, that’ll be the Vorsprung which starts at £52,400. On the other hand, if you prefer the styling of the Saloon variant, like me, then prices start at £47,490, while the Vorsprung will set you back £52,695. For those wanting to order one, you’ll need to wait until May 15th.
If you’re sat there thinking that seems expensive, you aren’t alone. Given the outgoing-generation RS3 started £53,620, under £1,000 more than the incoming S3 Vorsprung edition, that’s quite the price increase. However, we have seen these price increases across all makes and models, with Toyota announcing the GR Yaris will start at a whopping £44,250. And while the GR Yaris is undoubtedly the better driver’s car, day-to-day, the S3 is a far better car to live with.
