S3 weight reduction. How light can you go?

[Lizard Racing]

Hi guys,

Im new to the forum and am looking at buying an S3 for my next project.
The thing is I want to loose maybe 150-200kgs to make it even more competetive on the track. Have any of you been able to loose that sort of weight?

Alex

 

[DaveMK^]

You want to loose 150-200kgs? Jesus man I dont mean to be rude but you must be fairly o beast....








;-)

 

[jim s3]

the seats weigh a ton so i would start there then look for carbon fibre wings like i am and bonnet.. then go down the strip naked lol

 

[1animal1]

you could take the plastic lids off under the engine, they must weigh a ton...theres loads of em D........ empty the washer bottle...... remove the parcel shelf....... take the wheel trims off....... windows would be a good replace if we're being serious.....

 

[jim s3]

wheel trims what s3 have you got lol

 

[jcs356]

TBH if you are serious about a track day project car, I wouldn't start with an S3...

 

[Lizard Racing]

Thanks for the replies guys. Jim do you know how light yours is at the moment? Are there any of you that have stripped all the insides out of your cars?

I will be swapping the S3 lump out in favour of something else, so the plastics will not be needed anyway.

 

[Prawn]

Carbon fibre bonnets are fairly readily available for the S3/A3, and I'm certain I've seen a good few carbon fibre wings floating around on ebay. If you were very serious a carbon roof skin wouldn't be hard to have made, although you'd need a full weld in cage if you were going to that extreme. the standard interior weighs a load too, but I think you might struggle to full track prepare the car and loose as much as 200kg. the haldex 4wd system in the S3 really does add a fair bit of weight over the standard FWD version of the same chassis.

 

[Lizard Racing]

TBH if you are serious about a track day project car, I wouldn't start with an S3...

What makes you say that out of interest?

I need a VW/Audi platform with a transverse engine and AWD, and a TT is being prepared as we speak.

The idea is not to make this a balls out track car just competetive.

 

[S3 Paul]

Sub. amp. Seats and wiring for them all. Fit a carbon race seat . Sack off the over weight roof lining too. door cards... plexi glass windows.


Thats where i would start any way

 

[jojo]

What makes you say that out of interest?

I need a VW/Audi platform with a transverse engine and AWD, and a TT is being prepared as we speak.

The idea is not to make this a balls out track car just competetive.

It's mainly to do with the 8L Chassis, it's an old platform based on the VAG Golf4 platform, and they've been around since 1996/97? It's weighs a lot in the first place and not what a lot of us would consider a great handling chassis in 4WD form anyway... but it's not to say that you can't tweak it enough to make it perform the way you want I guess.

On another note, I'm interested in what you have planned? What in lieu of the S3 lump? twin turbocharged R32 lump perhaps?

 

[Nilz]

Jo.....where do we start....

 

[Lizard Racing]

It's mainly to do with the 8L Chassis, it's an old platform based on the VAG Golf4 platform, and they've been around since 1996/97? It's weighs a lot in the first place and not what a lot of us would consider a great handling chassis in 4WD form anyway... but it's not to say that you can't tweak it enough to make it perform the way you want I guess.

On another note, I'm interested in what you have planned? What in lieu of the S3 lump? twin turbocharged R32 lump perhaps?

Im going to swap out my Rotrex charged R36 engine from my MK3 Golf.

 

[Essflee]

If shown the right mods the S3 could be a great track car, it's still going to weigh the high end of 1200kgs though...there was an S3 in one of my old mags that had various mods including an uprated turbo on the the same unit that was lapping the ring (obviously with a good driver) in 8'20s...which is respectable for many cars...

 

[jojo]

Im going to swap out my Rotrex charged R36 engine from my MK3 Golf.

This I have to see, keep us updated Lizard. :icon_thumright:

 

[HTC]

I agree with Jason. If you are looking to run a car for the track, save yourself a load of work and start with something else.
If you want a car mainly for the road with the odd track day, then fine, get an S3.

I'd decide what you mainly want the car for.

 

[Ess_Three]

Hi guys,

Im new to the forum and am looking at buying an S3 for my next project.
The thing is I want to loose maybe 150-200kgs to make it even more competetive on the track. Have any of you been able to loose that sort of weight?

Alex

A mate of mine has lost 200-250KGs from a Mk3 Golf...so 200 Kg from an S3 won't be too hard.

Start with a no-sunroof car.
Bin the interior complete, carpets, trims, audio gear etc
Lighter wheels, lighter brake set up.
I'd say 200+ before you go grinding metal and binning brackets and unused wiring loom etc.

Perspex windows and fibreglass panels will loose another 50ish.

 

[ianysm]

Std exhausts are heavy too!

Must admit, its not a car i'd use as a donor for a decent track car, too much is going to need changing/removing!