Wow! I now have quite a collection of magazine reviews...
I picked up the new Evo magazine today (that makes 3 reviews in a month) it seems evo like the handling but comment it is a little too clinical in their final analysis...
I am fairly sure that the price tag goes a long way to putting most of the reviewers off the car. i seem to remember a little yellow S3 some 9 years ago going up against a 911 in a review (as there were no uber hot hatches to compare it with when it was released), they were relatively unimpressed with the money at the time too...
I actually like the price tag, i mean if i didn't, I'd be buying a Skoda vRS right? There are still a very limited number of old S3's on the road and even though the new one doesn't stand out as much (which I don't mind) is still is an S3 and thet means all the other A3's owners are going to gawp as you welly it past them...
It is interesting that with each review in the UK the "turbo lag" mentioned in the early online reviews is now translated by evo into, "when the engine comes on boost the pace rises darn fast, the shove in the back being considerably more insistent than with the 197bhp version" (of the 2.0T Golf GTi engine that is)
I like this car, with the 2K seats and wheel added, just a little ****** off I have to wait until the middle of November to test drive it at the dealer.
Oh yes and a little note in evo made my heart quicken a bit as it is probably the only mod I have wanted to do to my current S3. We all know the current S3 is 95% Front 5% rear most of the time, well the new car (according to Evo) is now 40% Front 60% Rear! Yikes, finally looks like I might be able to go round roundabouts sideways without the deft pre corner flick of the wheel I have perfected (with the ESP on that is) wicked...!!
I am thinking about contacting Audi marketing to see if they will have a UK demonstrator for the press before the middle of November. If they do would anyone else be interested in a meet somewhere to try it (with a pre-tense to buy that is)?