Auto Express S3 review

At last a good review... Makes me feel a little better, still need to drive it....

I guess those are the standard (S-line type) seats.

Regards, John.
 
Yeah thats a good write up, makes me want one or at least to test drive one!!
 
Well that review actually looks promising (4 stars out of 5). The new issue of autocar, out today has a longer write up on the S3 and its definitely better reading than the page or so on their website (3 1/2 stars out of 5).

I was starting to believe that we had a dud on our hands here, although in my decision do i have a new S3 or an 18 month old S4, I note the 2.0T big blower gives a combined mpg of 25.7 in a lot of magazines, a long way short of the 29.5 or so I have averaged on my current S3 in 60,000 miles (and I'm no miss daisy either). A S4 seems to quote a combined 21.9.

Given that we have no insurance rating, but the last one is a 17 and the S4 is 20, this being a sub 6 second car is going to be 19? The gap between me a S3 or a S4 keeps getting smaller every day...

After a sit in the bucket seats on an RS4 and a couple of comments on other forums (rs246.com being one) about their overall size against the normal seats i am now becoming a little worried about specifying these and then ending up with a S3 with no rear leg room defeating the practicality aspect.

The S3 does look good in black, I have yet to see one in sprint blue which i am sure will look stunning, lets hope the dealer models arrive so we can go for our test drives...

Anyone notice that the number plates on the models so far IN S 3006 was on the autocar model, IN S 3017 on the autocar, I wonder if there was one ordered with every colour, if so I have only seen a grey, white and black colours, did the UK journalist get the dull colours or what?

Have you also noticed that all the S3’s have sat nav fitted, presumably so the journalists don't get lost whilst driving the car? :)
 
Glad there is a half decent review at last. I was getting worried - and like a lot of people was looking else where - i.e 2nd hand s4 etc etc

Looks good in black - what i was going to get anyway. Spoke to the dealer the other day - and they still cant confirm if those rs4 style alloys u can get in the audi.de website will be availbe in the u.k.

im happier ( a little bit ) now
 
The bucket seats are shown as a £1680 option in the partial UK brochure that has been doing the rounds in PDF format. I'd be surprised if they remove them from the list at this stage.

Regards, John.
 
If I do end up ordering one, I can see myself ordering it with none of the fancy extras. (ie, Sat Nav, Bucket Seats and RS4 wheels)

Sprint Blue, BOSE, CC, Parking Sensors, Armrest, Flat Bottom Wheel

It's still over 28k for that.
 
Are we convinced that the arches aren't flared more than the A3? The side pic makes the rear arches look as though they are.
 
nervus said:
Are we convinced that the arches aren't flared more than the A3? The side pic makes the rear arches look as though they are.
Click to expand...

I posted the arch-to-arch dimensions listed on audi.de and someone confirmed that it was the same as a normal A3. I forget which thread it's under.

Regards, John.
 
nervus said:
Are we convinced that the arches aren't flared more than the A3? The side pic makes the rear arches look as though they are.
Click to expand...

There not, the best way to check is to visit audi.de and look at the configurator, they have the A3 and S3 dimensions noted. I used bablefish.altavista.com as a page translator, just paste in the url and off you go.

What looks odd is that although the dimensions of the outer widths of the car are exactly the same (S3 vs A3), the distance between the centre of the tyres is actually less, I assume because is wider tyres and without spacers or flared arches this means they have to protrude further into the wheel arches.

It is a shame they didn't flare the arches, perhaps this is the biggest hint there might be an RS3 as the current S4/6/8 are not flared, but the RS4 is, maybe that is the new audi standard, so now we only see flared body panes on RS models?
 
mark88 said:
If I do end up ordering one, I can see myself ordering it with none of the fancy extras. (ie, Sat Nav, Bucket Seats and RS4 wheels)

Sprint Blue, BOSE, CC, Parking Sensors, Armrest, Flat Bottom Wheel
Click to expand...

Almost what I'd order, but I'd go for the autodip rear view mirror and the symphony headunit instead of the CC and park sensors. Might also go for electric lumbar too. Im I right in saying that the standard S-Line seats don't have manual lumbar adjustment?

I really do like the look of the car in sprint blue, but it would stand out and I think I'd rather blend in so dolphin grey, moro blue or silver..... Would that be boring??

Regards, John.
 
Stevec,

I poped out and bought Autocar to read the review and calm my nerves. It still mentions lag, but I'd like to wager a few pennies that it isn't as bad as the sunday times made out. I mean if you really did want to boot it you'd change down first, more revs, more gases faster turbo speeds. After all it is supposed to be a drivers car...

I sat in an RS4 with buckets and felt that they were rounding my shoulders making it awkward to grip the wheel properly and I'm only 5'7" and 12 stone!!

John
 
This is hillarious people are glad that there is finally a half decent review... is that good enough? I dont think so. Fact remains that this car is no way near as good as it should have been. IMO of course
 
I agree silver75

3.5 out of 5 means average in my book especially when there are so many other alternatives avaiable at the price point or infact a lesser price point
 
The arches on the A3 are flared quite alot anyway, for a regular hatch. I think if you added some spaces to the rear it would be a huge improvement. At the moment the rear wheels look a bit lost in there.

That pic of the so called RS3 from auto express had standard arches but it looked good because it obviously had spaces.

car_portal_pic_25663.jpg


makes a huge difference IMO
 
JohnS3 said:
Stevec,

I poped out and bought Autocar to read the review and calm my nerves. It still mentions lag, but I'd like to wager a few pennies that it isn't as bad as the sunday times made out. I mean if you really did want to boot it you'd change down first, more revs, more gases faster turbo speeds. After all it is supposed to be a drivers car...

I sat in an RS4 with buckets and felt that they were rounding my shoulders making it awkward to grip the wheel properly and I'm only 5'7" and 12 stone!!

John
Click to expand...

I agree with the comment s about turbo lag, I decided to ditch watching the football and went to see cars last night (absolutely hilarious!) on the way there and back booted it a little (actually a lot) and wondered if more boost might make the experience a tad more involving...

The seats are a poor showing from Audi (from my physique point of view), the new S4 I drove had normal recaros, like the old S3, I just could not get used to the S-line/new S3 ones in my 1 hour test drive. How come we cant have the old seats back in the new car, they are in the new S4? :-(

The other worry i have for both the S4 and new S3 is servotronic, I never complained much about my S3 steering, but after the testdrive in the S4 it is very much the one memory i have left of the drive that it was too light at low speeds for my liking, that comment poped up again in the autocar review too.

oh dear audi what are you doing... one step forwards, three back...
 
Yeah not a bad review, but for me there's not enough detail. It doesn't tell me anything I wouldn't already know from the spec sheet - for example, with quattro and fat tyres, obviously it's gonna be secure on the road. But how does it really drive?

As I've commented before, EVO magazine will be the bottom line on the S3. I'm sure their review will appear in next month's issue.
 
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