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lost_it said:
If you want and car for you, then you have to modify it or buy something like a kit car.
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Indeed...but an opportunity missed surely?
Why shouldn't Audi offer something for the true enthusiast?
Other manufacturers do it...why not Audi?
There's a market for it surely...from Integra Type-R, through Focus RS to Evo 8 etc.
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I always thought that an enthuist would ask how can i change my driving style to get the best out of what i have,
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Well, if I may be so blunt...that's a load of old hogwash!
The S3 inherently understeers...it has not got a class leading chassis, and you can change your driving style as much as you like but it all comes back to the same thing...'you can't polish a ****'. The handling is not class leading / inspiring / rewarding...and there is little that ammending your driving style can do to solve that.
The 'correct' driving style for an S3 is only the correct driving style for ANY front engined / fwd (or predominantly FWD) car....slow in, fast out.
Nothing special required.
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These cars are built for mass consumption not for the few..
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Indeed so...which is a shame.
Maybe if it were built for the few, it would be 'fun' to drive.
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BTW I have an S3, that i regularily run at club days..
only mod is lowered suspension, chip and some decent tyres and green stuff pads.. it laps faster than the guys hotted up special with coil overs and brembo brakes, chip and exhaust.
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And, prey tell, what is the opposition driving?
I'm not saying driver input isn't important...but with the same driver in several cars, a true reflection of a cars character can be drawn...
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Think more about how to drive than how to modify
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Allrighty...
Over the years, I have completed in several rounds of the national Hillclimb Championship, as well as several Sprints, I have built several extremely capable fast road / track cars including a Vauxhall Nova many years ago that was lapping Castle Combe quicker than Escort Cosworths / Caterhams - with me driving. (using only a 1.6 SOCH 8v engine)
I don't proclaim to be a great driver...but I know a few things about getting a car to handle, and equally as much about piloting my own car...
My Golf GTI is a Mk3 16v that is consistantly quicker on the twisties than my S3...so lets re-cap...a FWD VW with 170BHP quicker than a 270BHP 4WD S3? Surely not...
Why?
Because I drive the Golf to my limits as the car is set up for it (OK it's not a standard GTI!)...in the S3 I drive it to the cars limits and the ****** thing prevents me from doing what I want in it.
So, don't give me all this waffle about learning how to drive...if the car is holding you back, you need to sort it. Nothing to do with ammending the driving...you can't drive round a badly set up car, no matter what you try...a badly handling car WILL cost you time. Period.
You can't defeat physics...no matter how good a driver you think you are!