AUDI'S S3 RANGE IS DUE FOR SOME TASTY UPDATES - HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR.
In recent weeks Audi has been showing off some model updates and refreshes, the coolest being that absolutely stunning RS6. After p[posting about the car, we noticed that there were a fair amount of comments with followers asking about one of the all-time favourites from the Ingolstadt automaker - the RS3 and S3. We now have some details of the latter in both sedan and hatchback guise. We’re left to assume that once the S3 has been officially released, we’ll then see a tweaked and updated RS3 for the world market. While we’re patiently waiting for that because RS is life, here are the details on the changes made to the S3 range, albeit with a bit of speculation. While the S3 range has all the looks and most of the features of the bigger brother RS3, the main difference between the cars is the powerplant. The RS range is fitted with that sublime turbocharged 5-cylinder, but the S range is a cylinder down with a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder making the fun noises. As expected in a mid-range update, the lump has seen a few tweaks that take the power a little higher than before, now rated at a healthy 245 kW with a decent 420 Nm - up from 228 kW and 400 Nm. If you follow all things VAG (sis, not like that!), you’ll know that it’s on par with the R1,600,000 limited edition Mk8 R 333 special edition that we probably won’t ever see on local shores. So while the 333 is the best of the best in the VW Golf range and it’s not available here, the S3 really is the next best thing and it has the added benefit of being an Audi, which is seen as a level up to Volkswagen. The current S3 starts at around R930,000 here in SA, and we expect the facelift version, whenever it launches, to be priced quite similarly. So you could have yourself a car that’s every bit as good for a little less money while being able to drop your RS key on a table to show off that you’re classy AF.
The new facelift covers the S3 hatchback and sedan versions, and while this here SXdrv scribe is a massive fan of hatchbacks, the S3 sedan does pique my interest more than the S3 hatch for some reason. The mid-life changes to the Audi S3 range see the cars now fitted with bigger brakes up front. The discs look to be the same 340 mm size, but they now feature a new twin-piston caliper for better clamping force as well as a new design brake pad that has a bigger surface area. The tyres have also been changed to 235/35R19 from Falken, but the brand may change depending on the market the cars are sold in. More attention was paid to the front end, presumably something that will help with the well-known understeer that RS and S models suffer from when you’re nailing them at 10/10ths. The front axles will now feature a newly-designed new pivot bearing on the MacPherson strut and the wishbones will offer up a stiffer ride. The progressive steering has been tweaked and the suspension dampers have been further optimised to give the facelift an even better handling feel. We’ve mentioned that there has been a nice little power bump to increase the performance, but that has necessitated a reworking of the TCU so that the 7-speed
S Tronic dual-clutch transmission works optimally, the result is even faster shifts when hoofing it. Trickle-down technology is in play too as the S3 now gets the same ear torque splitter as the RS3. All the changes should result in overall better handling dynamics, possibly on part with the superior RS3. The soundtrack should also be a good one thanks to the Akrapovic exhaust system we spied in the pics. The upgrades may differ per region, but we usually get the same spec cars as Europe does so local prospective S3 owners should get everything mentioned. The best part about the tweaks and changes to the S3 is that there should be a similar amount of things changed on the flagship RS models making them even better. As you can see from the pics, these things are likely all still in development or the cars wouldn’t be wearing that clever camouflage. There will surely be an updated press release detailing more changes to the S3 range, possibly with some tasty visual changes. We’ll keep you posted.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off all the changes to the Audi S3 range and how they translate into real-world dynamics. The crew from AutoTrader got their hands on a sort of pre-production version of the mid-life facelifted S3 and gave their expert opinion on how good the changes are. There may still be more tweaks coming before the updated range is released into showrooms. All this just means the RS3 updates should be as plentiful and good: New 2024 Audi S3 Review: 333hp HOT Hatch DRIVEN | 4K | AutoTrader
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