anybody tried the new s3

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h n y +

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went down to huddersfield audi today to see the rs3 they had on there website . on arriving had a look around outside and there was no rs3 . so i went inside and as soon as i walk in there is a new s3 sportback in black i had a good look round it and was very impressed with it at this point a sales guy comes over asking could he help like they do . told him i had come to see the rs3 so he takes me to it . on looking over the two cars the rs3 seems really dated to the new s3 the sales guy says it is all about the engine and box in the rs3 . i did not test drive the cars but i am going to try and book a drive in both cars some time this week . as anybody test drove both cars to compare them . i know there not like for like cars to compare for rs3 owners but the new s3 as got me thinking outside the rs3 box . :unsure:
 
RS3 vs S3.... No contest as a package at all
 
Every time I drive the rs3 it puts a big smile on my face tbh it's the best car I've ever had and I've had 2 s3 8ps one with stage 2 plus revo ,the 8v s3 does look nice and will be a lovely car no doubt ,but test drive both first ,and do launch in the rs3 :)
 
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You do know the 8v can launch in only 0.2 secs slower? Not rly a difference to the average person 8v is a much nicer all rounder in my opinion
 
i must be missing something... having owned an S3 previously (I appreciate not the new 8v but I think my point still stands), S series cars need A LOT of work to bring them anywhere near RS level, they are soft and targetted at a completely different driver... I kept my original S3 for 12 months, after 3 months I remapped it and stuck lowering springs on it and it was still crap...
 
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fair enough lol (like the honesty)

ive never driven an rs3 so cant personally say i was merely commenting on the launch and 0-60
 
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i to had a 09 audi s3 a couple of years back and moved on to a 12 plate golf R this year which i only kept for two months as hated the ride it was rock hard . with that gone i will just have to test drive them both and see what i think :racer:
 
As said above,

I've owned 2 S3's a white 2010 sportback and a Silver 2011 3 door, very nice cars(both S-tronic) the Silver one i had stage-1 Mapped so it shifted but to be honest the RS3 is a different animal altogether, the 5 cylinder engine is fantastic so is the S-tronic gearbox, sport mode is way better than on the S3 (seems to live at the red line, makes you look like a boy racer) the power delivery on the RS3 is totally different so the S-tronic 'behaves' differently(better in my opinion !!)

The other thing is you don't see too many around, in a while you'll see the new S3 everywhere, i know which would get the most attention from people in the know.

People bang on about how the 'New S3' is better 'Tech' and 'chassis' wise ! Ok yes maybe it is, but consider this, how many people will push the car (S3 8V & RS3 8P) to their limits on your average UK roads ? And what more 'Technology' do you need in a car ?
As someone once said "the more you overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain !"

And yes i've been into Manchester Audi and had a look at their red S3 8V, beautiful car well made and i'm sure a hoot to drive, but missing something for me, an R before the 'S'.

My two penneth.

Get the RS3 (second hand yes, but a one owner low milage example, plenty on the internet for sale at the moment)

You won't regret it and you'll have owned a car that only a small amount of people have been lucky to drive !!

:racer:
 
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Veneeringman said:
The other thing is you don't see too many around, in a while you'll see the new S3 everywhere, i know which would get the most attention from people in the know.
Click to expand...

Funny you should mention about getting the attention....

I went to MBW in November - and as you can see from the pics I parked my old pre-facelift Mk1 S3 next to this brand spanking new S3 8V. So here are some pics of the S3 8V in the real world and not under Audi's immaculate show room lights....all be it next to a Mk 1 S3 :) (apologies, the sun was very low so the quality of the pics are not great being from my Iphone)

Now when I was first directed to park next to the Audi, it didn't even click it was the new S3....only until I saw the larger brakes, the S3 badges and the quad exhausts could I truly see it was the new S3.

This was at a Pistonheads meet so naturally the 700+ attendees were all pure petrolheads.....in all honesty, only until I started making a bit of a deal on how I've spotted a brand new S3 and was parked next to it- did everyone else around me suddenly cotton on to what they were actually looking at and also started talking pictures and checking the whole car out! lol (remember this was November so there were only a handful registered on the road and in dealerships)

Still to this day I've only seen a handful of RS3s on the road and every time I always think they're something else with that huge grill and vents e.g RS4/5/6 etc....after seeing the S3 8V it just pretty much looks like a normal A3 and would never be mistaken for one of the larger S/RS vehicles- IMO that's the disappointment for me and why I don't really have much/if any interest in the 8V S3.

Basically if the new 8V S3 can't make a huge presence/impact when being pictured next to a 14 year old S3....then there's no hope for it trying to upstage the current RS3 in the looks department and I doubt in the performance.

Chris
 

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An S3 and an RS3 are different cars and both have their benefits and place. Only you know which is a better fit for your wants and needs.
 
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lee_fr200 said:
You do know the 8v can launch in only 0.2 secs slower? Not rly a difference to the average person 8v is a much nicer all rounder in my opinion
Click to expand...
Actually the RS3 is .4 of a second quicker than the stronic 8v sport back but wait till you come to the twisty bits and then see the difference:sob: If you want to be sat cruising anonymously along in a nice environment playing with "Tech" the new S3 is for you ,but if you want full on heart pounding ,pulse beating excitement whilst being sat in a nice enviroment go buy yourself an RS3:racer:
 
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I can honestly see why the S3 8V would appeal against an RS3, bottom line is its newer, that's why it appeals & its not to say the RS3 is not a better & more fun car, its an animal, just its on the 8P era technology, no matter what the power of the RS3 is like, its something new & that will always appeal to the buyers out there & people like to have the newest shiniest thing on the street, its human nature :)
 
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NHN said:
I can honestly see why the S3 8V would appeal against an RS3, bottom line is its newer, that's why it appeals & its not to say the RS3 is not a better & more fun car, its an animal, just its on the 8P era technology, no matter what the power of the RS3 is like, its something new & that will always appeal to the buyers out there & people like to have the newest shiniest thing on the street, its human nature :)
Click to expand...

True.....so when the new RS3 comes out I will no doubt consider that shiny newer model.....until then, what's to consider they are two different cars! If you want an S go but the all new 'tech' S3. If you want a rawer driver experience and the prestigious feeling of being an 'RS' owner do the right thing....simples!
 
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Of course, I don't dispute what anyone else is saying the differences are, but human nature is definitively materialistic for most, people like new things.

RS3 isn't an old car as such, but its of an older era, my point was merely to show why the attraction of the new S3 would be so, against such a prominent RS model.

Its not saying the RS3 is shxt either at all, its just a POV of why the appeal is there.

TBH if I could afford an RS3, then I'd have both lmao.
 
When I drove the new S3 the Audi guy said its every bit as quick as the RS3, I dont think he'd ever driven an RS3, as the 8v S3 is a quick car but the 'old' RS3 is still a noticbly quicker in any gear in any situation.

I agree about the comments that the 8p is an older platform and the 8v interior tech is a step up, but I wont be changing mine for an 8v thats for sure.........well not until a 8v RS3 is out anyhow :)
 
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Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am looking at down sizing to one car as work from home, currently have a 180bhp A1 for the wife and I for last years summer changed my S3 to a TT black Ed roadster, which was fun, but bored now. So having nearly put a deposit on a new RS3 a couple of years ago (only being held off as the same as the S3 inside I had), one car that is looking very appealing is the RSQ3, as both my wife and I are very outdoorsy people, sailing, walking, golfing etc. Basically what are people thoughts on that, the reviews look great and we all know how well the 2.5t lump goes! And also get a bit more modern interior for the techie in me!
 
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LucasS3 said:
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I am looking at down sizing to one car as work from home, currently have a 180bhp A1 for the wife and I for last years summer changed my S3 to a TT black Ed roadster, which was fun, but bored now. So having nearly put a deposit on a new RS3 a couple of years ago (only being held off as the same as the S3 inside I had), one car that is looking very appealing is the RSQ3, as both my wife and I are very outdoorsy people, sailing, walking, golfing etc. Basically what are people thoughts on that, the reviews look great and we all know how well the 2.5t lump goes! And also get a bit more modern interior for the techie in me!
Click to expand...

No need to apologise LucasS3, it's what we're here for: but for me the S3/RS3 choice comes down to the WHOLE power train package, and I've posted my first experience of that here before.

The driveability of the RS3's 5-pot engine and 7-speed DSG transmission in any situation is just so good: it's also oh so controllable from one pedal only and/or it's auto/manual gear usage.

Ok, there are faster cars out there, but there's a LOT of slower cars with faster drivers too.

As for 0 to 60mph, well how often do you do that in a day? 30 to 50mph or 50 to 70mph is more usual; and while others are pumping their left leg up and down on the clutch pedal you in your RS3 will be having a laugh at the guy in your mirror…

Best then is to wait for him to catch up and do it all over again… the RS3 is a proper Q-car.

For me, there's not a single car available I'd swap my RS3 for, nothing...
 
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I am looking forward to having a drive in an RSQ3, but I have no real interest in changing the RS3 for one as its going to be slower (de tunned engine and heavier) and less eccinomical ( aero properties of a standard SUV and heavier). Personally I dont really see the market for it but maybe thats just because its not aimed at people like me. if you need ground clearnace get a Q5 or Q7 if you want small fast estate car get a RS3 or even an S3. Just my opinion.
 
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I do agree the other option is the SQ5 which in fairness as 45bvtc says it is a proper Q-car as nobody will have a clue just how much power that thing has. The trouble is these days there is just too much choice!
 
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I agree John totally !!

We are in the sub 5's 0-60, there are some owners that are below 4's with a re-map (see MBK's threads on this subject they are fascinating reading !!)

However in the real world of driving does it make that much difference to get to 60 mph any quicker ? I don't think so.

Yes the RS3 might have some flaws, but in time you'll be reading about people who have bought a 'new' S3 that don't like the 'handling' or the engine isn't 'powerful' enough.

As mentioned above people always want something better and faster, without really appreciating what they already have.
 
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Spot on Sean, the 0-60 time makes little or no difference in normal conditions you wouldn't know the difference between a mapped and standard car. Equally with the remap extra power/torque - most of the time on wet roads you can't use it all anyway and with the map you can easily spin up the wheels with the assists off. DSG is remarkable though because you can achieve low 4s take offs without launch every single time if you want - you couldn't do that in the likes of the manual Evo IX. The remap is massive fun and on track it does make quite a bit of difference, especially the 80mph+ acceleration.

Appreciating what we've got is true too. Better and faster is tough to achieve without doubling the car and running cost budget.
 
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Hi

I had an 8P S3 for 3 years and now have had an 8V S3 for 3 months. The 8V S3 IMO is quite an improvement over the 8P and does feel quicker. But although figures suggest it and the RS3 arn't far apart the reality is the two cars are built for different markets.
I think people should begin to get excited as the 8V RS3 could just be WOW...
 
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NotquiteWelsh said:
Hi

I had an 8P S3 for 3 years and now have had an 8V S3 for 3 months. The 8V S3 IMO is quite an improvement over the 8P and does feel quicker. But although figures suggest it and the RS3 arn't far apart the reality is the two cars are built for different markets.
I think people should begin to get excited as the 8V RS3 could just be WOW...
Click to expand...
You've just hit the nail on the head and summed it up in a few words "Reality is the two cars are built for different markets".
 
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NotquiteWelsh said:
Hi

I had an 8P S3 for 3 years and now have had an 8V S3 for 3 months. The 8V S3 IMO is quite an improvement over the 8P and does feel quicker. But although figures suggest it and the RS3 arn't far apart the reality is the two cars are built for different markets.
I think people should begin to get excited as the 8V RS3 could just be WOW...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comment and like most, if not all RS3 owners on here, we agree. This thread should be on the S3 8P section as a comparison against the 8V. But in fairness to all those who posted and haven't driven an RS3.....you are forgiven ;-)
 
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When I took my RS3 in for its first service, i took the new S3 for a test drive. It certainly didn't feel as quick as the RS but the interior was better technology wise, when compared. I think if going to the car, from a lower car down in the range it will be a great prospect, and the MPG figures are phenomenal! However as an RS owner, it didn't float my boat
 
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I would like to drive the new S3 as a comparison, although to date none of the blown audi 4 pots are very nice (i put 5k miles on a 2011 S3). It does bug me that VAG deceive owners of the the blown 4 by fitting a fakator sound speaker in the bonnet to try to make them sound nice ...

i had a long play when the new A3 came out, the interior quality did not seam noticeably better just arranged slightly differently, the new tech is a gimmick even on the new RS6, you play with it for a bit, get it set how you want and never touch it again
 
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I've just taken delivery of my new 8v S3 :)

I was lucky enough to get to test drive both an RS3 and an S3 sportback on the same day. The engine in the RS3 is awesome (mind you I owned a tuned Focus ST and then an RS so am fully aware of 5pot brutality) and makes the car feel special but I didn't feel that it had that much over the S3. With the S3 being nearly 200kg lighter it was a bit lighter on it's feet through the tight, twisty Scottish country roads. Ok the RS3 just edged but when I considered the fact that I would have to pay another 4k to get a second hand car that someone else had abused it became a no brainer.

It all comes down to what you look for personally in a car. At the time I bought the S3 made more sense to me than buying the RS3, to other it might not have.
 
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The RS3 just edged it on twisty roads versus S3? Erm interesting, would imagine its night and day. Anyway congrats on your new purchase
 
klauster said:
The RS3 just edged it on twisty roads versus S3? Erm interesting, would imagine its night and day. Anyway congrats on your new purchase
Click to expand...


My mate thought the same (he has had an 8p S3 too). Being honest it surprised me too. I guess 200kg makes a fair difference to a chassis that size. The 8V is a big step forward over the 8P. I din't actually like the 8P to drive and i test drove about half a dozen of them over a few years when looking for new cars.
 
Not sure - can't remember now but the Audi website says "The driver can activate launch control at the push of a button. This manages starts with controlled wheel-spin to deliver maximum engine power to the road.". I have a manual (not a fan of Autos even though the S-tronic is very, very good).
 
thedooker said:
My mate thought the same (he has had an 8p S3 too). Being honest it surprised me too. I guess 200kg makes a fair difference to a chassis that size. The 8V is a big step forward over the 8P. I din't actually like the 8P to drive and i test drove about half a dozen of them over a few years when looking for new cars.
Click to expand...

Simplify, then add lightness - 60's Philosophy of Colin Chapman and Lotus Cars: Audi and others are now applying the same... :happy:
 
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They appear to have similar power/weight ratios according to this :

Audi S3 (8V) vs Audi RS3 Sportback - FastestLaps.com

I'd really struggle to give up the RS3's engine and gearbox though, they really are the difference for me over the S3/Golf R engine. They work so much better together on the RS3 IMHO.
 
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h n y + said:
went down to huddersfield audi today to see the rs3 they had on there website . on arriving had a look around outside and there was no rs3 . so i went inside and as soon as i walk in there is a new s3 sportback in black i had a good look round it and was very impressed with it at this point a sales guy comes over asking could he help like they do . told him i had come to see the rs3 so he takes me to it . on looking over the two cars the rs3 seems really dated to the new s3 the sales guy says it is all about the engine and box in the rs3 . i did not test drive the cars but i am going to try and book a drive in both cars some time this week . as anybody test drove both cars to compare them . i know there not like for like cars to compare for rs3 owners but the new s3 as got me thinking outside the rs3 box . :unsure:
Click to expand...

It was this post that led me to my car the black s3 mentioned in this post is sat on my drive, just saying!
 
Ha ! ... Congrats on your purchase :icon_thumright: .... its strange sometimes how little observations / coincidences / decisions can change one's life

h n y + should claim some commission !
 
Each to their own, I wouldn't swap my rs3 for a new s3, S cars are just not hardcore enough
 
Its an S not an RS :end_of_discction:
 
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Hasn't got the potent 5 cylinder 335 bhp engine we all love...
 
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