Hey, does anyone happen to know where I can find an RS3 to check out in the flesh at this early stage? Somewhere in the South East ideally?
RS3 Demonstrator Locations
- Thread starter GRE57Y
- Start date
Germany to see one now.
Demo's won't be available for a while, maybe late August, you may be lucky to see a customer car on the road soon though judging by the other thread
Demo's won't be available for a while, maybe late August, you may be lucky to see a customer car on the road soon though judging by the other thread
Was in Whetstone Audi (North London) yesterday.
They claim to be getting one in a couple of months.
They claim to be getting one in a couple of months.
Audi UK will be supplying most dealers with static demos in June/July. Test drivable models will come when the dealer owned demos arrive, and they are in the same lottery of delivery dates as the rest of us, so a few will get them in July.
Just been into Stafford Audi
They've invited me on June 13th to the RS3 launch in centre 'event'
They will have physical cars there to view ive been told.
They've invited me on June 13th to the RS3 launch in centre 'event'
They will have physical cars there to view ive been told.
NormantheDog
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Aberdeen Audi will have a Nardo Grey one with matt aluminium styling pack on static display from 13th June for a couple of days before being available for test drives. Apparently there's a long wait list for test drive slots already! Will find out more on Thursday/Friday hopefully...
Poole Audi have a static one in the showroom on Saturday - I just got a teaser SMS pic from my sales guy!
NotquiteWelsh
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Have an allotted time this saturday with a static one and am on the list to get demo drive when available.
Spottedit on the Inverurie - Aberdeen road on my way to work this morning, Not quite sure if Nardo Grey suits having roof rails. I'll leave proper judgment till I get a proper look tomorrow.
I popped over to Aberdeen Audi yesterday for a look. Sat in it and started it up. Sounds way better in the flesh than on youtube videos. Dealer took me out in it for a very brief drive....wow!! What a monster. Test drive booked in for Monday, Cant wait!!
Did you get the impression it was a big step up from the 8v S3?, I know its going to be better but it's going to have to be a big step up for me to consider it over my S3.
I felt it was far superior to my S3. I felt a bit disappointed when I drove away again in it. It really is so much better in the flesh than in pictures. And the sound...I can't even explain how much better it is hearing it for real. I did wonder myself whether is was worth changing car just for a few differences, but the differences are more than I thought.
lucas-suisse
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Would personaly be interested to see differences with my S3 + MTM M-Cantronic box... On the paper same 360 HPs....
Coulsdon Audi have just had a grey one in. Dealer called me this afternoon, I'm test driving it at 1300 tomorrow. Coulsdon is pretty easy to get to if you're in the South East, it's a pretty big dealership too.
A friend of mine said likewise, he had it for an hour.
I'm having a shot on the 25th at Fettercairn.
It's good enough to make me consider removing the £1500 dynamic pack! Trying to find one local that has it so I can compare!
And I feel exactly the opposite. Std exhaust whilst there is some popping requires your hearing aid turned up. Do hope the sports exhaust makes an improvement or the RS will be way too civilised for me,
Yorrick
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How was the standard exhaust? Below is my review pasted from RS3OC forum:
Car spec: Mythos black with alu pack, SS seats, mag ride, standard exhaust.
Appearance in the flesh: black not the best colour IMHO but the car looks very solid and well finished - quality item! Not a hot rod hot hatch, more a proper shrunken RS. A car for grown-ups, not like a Honda, Renault or Ford. Or Merc A class for that matter.
Seats and interior: grey SS seats superb, very supportive and plenty of headroom for my lankiness. Mono pur nice but not worth paying extra for. All controls very well weighted and everything felt like it was from a bigger more expensive car.
Steering pinpoint accurate in comfort mode but a bit too pointy for my liking in dynamic but I'll probably get used to it. I found I was taking a few bites at corners before I got it just right, wheras comfort mode was just a bit more relaxed and smoother. Feedback was fine and not too much kick or rumble from bumps - a nice car to cruise in - just enough isolation from the bad bits of the road without taking away the clues about what's going on on the surface of the road. Just how I like steering feel to be: a accurate but not coarse/rough.
Ride: a total revelation. Ok it's no limo but ****** hell it rides well! This is what amazed me most about the car. It's fabulously well damped, always in control of its wheels and body but it's actually quite comfortable. In dynamic mode it just sharpens up a bit and you can feel the smaller bumps a bit more, but even small potholes didn't crash and bang. Remarkable. 10/10. Better controlled but yet more comfortable than my
B7 RS4 and miles more comfortable than wifey's Golf 6 GTI which rides like a plank. If you've not specced mag ride: do it!
Engine: smoother than I'd expected but with some real attitude when it gets going. It's an angry thing when pushed, but smooth and creamy when not. The exhaust made all the right noises, a growing fizzy snarl at the top and some pops and bangs on over-run. Just a bit too quiet though. Glad I specced the sports exhaust. Standard is a lovely noise but too quiet. Lots of torque everywhere as you'd expect. This one was of course brand new and should open up a lot with some miles but it felt so smooth and unburstable
Not a grumble when I floored it at 7th at about 30mph (sorry - but I had to test it!)
Performance: a lot faster than it felt. It's that smoothness again. I'm used to my RS4 which is a bit more raw and less insulated so every time I checked the speedo I was doing 20mph more than I thought I was. Got told off many times by the dealer for going too fast! Absolutely towering, crushing performance, definitely faster than the RS4, but so civilised and slightly insulated it feels like it's not trying. That's what I want from a car but it won't suit everyone. I fulled out of a junction and floored it, some lag, it certainly shifted but didn't exactly go ballistic, then I noticed I was against the limiter and I was in manual and had started off in 2nd. Quite a take-off for starting in 2nd though! Later I did it properly in S mode and it took off like someone had picked up the car and thrown it - no wheel spin, weave or lurching, just 0-stupid in no time.
Brakes I couldn't test properly (wife...) but they were certainly firm and progressive and not grabby.
What else....? Downshifts smooth but not as instant as I'd like when I use the paddles. It seems to hesitate a bit before deciding to shift down after I've floored it, whether in S or M. I had the engine/transmission in dynamic all the time.
Car spec: Mythos black with alu pack, SS seats, mag ride, standard exhaust.
Appearance in the flesh: black not the best colour IMHO but the car looks very solid and well finished - quality item! Not a hot rod hot hatch, more a proper shrunken RS. A car for grown-ups, not like a Honda, Renault or Ford. Or Merc A class for that matter.
Seats and interior: grey SS seats superb, very supportive and plenty of headroom for my lankiness. Mono pur nice but not worth paying extra for. All controls very well weighted and everything felt like it was from a bigger more expensive car.
Steering pinpoint accurate in comfort mode but a bit too pointy for my liking in dynamic but I'll probably get used to it. I found I was taking a few bites at corners before I got it just right, wheras comfort mode was just a bit more relaxed and smoother. Feedback was fine and not too much kick or rumble from bumps - a nice car to cruise in - just enough isolation from the bad bits of the road without taking away the clues about what's going on on the surface of the road. Just how I like steering feel to be: a accurate but not coarse/rough.
Ride: a total revelation. Ok it's no limo but ****** hell it rides well! This is what amazed me most about the car. It's fabulously well damped, always in control of its wheels and body but it's actually quite comfortable. In dynamic mode it just sharpens up a bit and you can feel the smaller bumps a bit more, but even small potholes didn't crash and bang. Remarkable. 10/10. Better controlled but yet more comfortable than my
B7 RS4 and miles more comfortable than wifey's Golf 6 GTI which rides like a plank. If you've not specced mag ride: do it!
Engine: smoother than I'd expected but with some real attitude when it gets going. It's an angry thing when pushed, but smooth and creamy when not. The exhaust made all the right noises, a growing fizzy snarl at the top and some pops and bangs on over-run. Just a bit too quiet though. Glad I specced the sports exhaust. Standard is a lovely noise but too quiet. Lots of torque everywhere as you'd expect. This one was of course brand new and should open up a lot with some miles but it felt so smooth and unburstable
Performance: a lot faster than it felt. It's that smoothness again. I'm used to my RS4 which is a bit more raw and less insulated so every time I checked the speedo I was doing 20mph more than I thought I was. Got told off many times by the dealer for going too fast! Absolutely towering, crushing performance, definitely faster than the RS4, but so civilised and slightly insulated it feels like it's not trying. That's what I want from a car but it won't suit everyone. I fulled out of a junction and floored it, some lag, it certainly shifted but didn't exactly go ballistic, then I noticed I was against the limiter and I was in manual and had started off in 2nd. Quite a take-off for starting in 2nd though! Later I did it properly in S mode and it took off like someone had picked up the car and thrown it - no wheel spin, weave or lurching, just 0-stupid in no time.
Brakes I couldn't test properly (wife...) but they were certainly firm and progressive and not grabby.
What else....? Downshifts smooth but not as instant as I'd like when I use the paddles. It seems to hesitate a bit before deciding to shift down after I've floored it, whether in S or M. I had the engine/transmission in dynamic all the time.
I'd pretty much agree with the above review. Mag ride is superb and exhaust just too quiet. Shifts on the Stronic certainly not as good as PDK, but over some miles it might adjust better.
My main concern is how refined it was. A little too much like my old 335xD with better handling than my 981. More worried that I actually prefer my S1 !!! The RS3 is however a much nicer car for when I have my rep days on the road travelling the M40.
My main concern is how refined it was. A little too much like my old 335xD with better handling than my 981. More worried that I actually prefer my S1 !!! The RS3 is however a much nicer car for when I have my rep days on the road travelling the M40.
Had a half hour in it this morning. Looks and sounds way better in the flesh! Even the Nardo primer looked good in this morning's drizzle!! Same can't be said for the Lunar Silver interior unfortunately, but each to their own. Coming from an S3 the interior does lack a bit. Carbon inserts and the proper buckets would sort this! The car does have an amazing presence, particularly from the front.
Sports exhaust sounds superb on start-up, and crackles beautifully when downshifting without braking...very addictive!! Slightly underwhelming engine sound if I'm honest...although this is probably a good thing in day to day driving. Or maybe I was just too excited to pay attention.
Acceleration is plainly ridiculous. Missus was with me and her only comment was 'think I feel a bit dizzy'...!! Very easy to drive fast. Collecting reward points on the license could be an issue. Expected the mag ride to be stiffer in the dynamic setting, but actually very compliant. Even over uneven B-roads.
Overall verdict? A cracking car and superior to an S3 without a doubt. But didn't make me rush to place an order. After the initial excitement had worn off I wondered whether it would be worth the extra outlay?! And didn't feel disappointed to get back in my S3.
I spoke with the dealer today, It doesn't have sports exhaust. The Sales manager didn't spec the dynamic pack!! I didn't think it did when I heard it, so standard exhaust sounds brilliant. And I can't wait to hear the sports exhaust. Yeah, Lunar interior isn't my cup of tea. Really looking forward to Monday so I can get a drive.
I liked it to, sounded great plenty fast etc. but felt the same as you once the excitment has died down and i got back in to my S3.
I'll buy one once i can get a decent discount
in no rush just now.
