Audi S3 – quite fast!

The S3 is quite a bit quicker and grown up than the previous S3

I can only dream of having a hot hatch, I really really want one. They’re just so chuckable, especially older hot hatches. Unfortunately I’m driving a diesel estate, which to be fair has its fun moments, and the wife doesn’t want to drive a big car (she wants a family hatchback sized car max) so means my only real speed thrills come from a motorbike

Hot hatches are cool

I had an S3 back in 2007, it was very very fast, and crucially very very easy to drive fast.

I maintain its the fastest car for a british b road I’ve ever had, and I’ve had some fast cars (e92 m3, caterham 7 , lotus elise, bmw m135i, TVR cerbera 4.2 v8 etc etc).

Its not the fastest on a racetrack, but on a B road where you need easy to drive, accesible power, I reckon its untouchable.

OP well done for not chasing after him! Obviously you’re aware that in a straight line drag race your R1 would destroy the S3, but on a twisty back road you can’t compete on cornering grip and usable stopping power. In my younger motorbike days I would have gone after him, then as the years went by I learnt my limits and a little self-control! Wish I still had my R1 though 🙁

180mph cars in a country with a 70mph national speed limit. If insurance companies can fit black boxes to newly qualified drivers’ cars they can do it to all cars.

I’d happily accept this. As long as we also got compulsory annual eye tests.

6k I saw a b5 rs4 avant for the other day. £460 insurance cheaper that a 205gti oddly

Probably because the 205 is like driving a fuel-injected Tupperware box… 😉

Edit: and, I believe, easier to steal than a Granny’s purse if you know what you’re doing.

Would really like an RS4. Not sure I could justify the upkeep though. And then there’s the worst-in-class boot space…

Edukator – Troll
180mph cars in a country with a 70mph national speed limit. If insurance companies can fit black boxes to newly qualified drivers’ cars they can do it to all cars.

You can easily shorten this ^ to “child’s, face.”

Its not the fastest on a racetrack, but on a B road where you need easy to drive, accesible power, I reckon its untouchable.

A Mitsubishi Evo would have an S3 for breakfast, before going on to munch on 911 Turbos for dinner.

They are entirely different ownership prospects though. An S3 is a premium hatchback with a very impressive turn of speed. An Evo is a batshit mental stripped out rally racer with crashy suspension and a stupidly heavy clutch.

Just to add though, I thought my S3 was also the most boring fast car I’ve ever had, I hated it, despite its speed.

Could someone explain what “child’s, face” means please. Google isn’t helping.

Eye testing I agree with, Hora. A list of prescription medication incompatible with driving and leading to suspension of one’s driving licence as well.

Didn’t EVO mag do a test some years back with a host of cars for getting around the Peak in which included a Lambo, some other exotica and fast hatchs/saloons and they came to the conclusion the a pug 106 GTI was the best overall car to have.
It’s not all about power

A Mitsubishi Evo would have an S3 for breakfast, before going on to munch on 911 Turbos for dinner.

True.

They are entirely different ownership prospects though. An S3 is a premium hatchback with a very impressive turn of speed. An Evo is a batshit mental stripped out rally racer with crashy suspension and a stupidly heavy clutch.

Also true. A good friend is an enthusiast with a ‘batshit’ Evo6 that has been altered to produce 420bhp on it’s last rolling road test (it’s been altered further since). 0-60 was somewhere in the 3 second region.

Saying that, it’s a bloody uncomfortable ride, it drinks fuel (Shell V-Power only) and requires constant loving to keep it on top of its game. A comfortable, low maintenance mile-muncher it isn’t.

Nice to see a few people respecting the good old b5’s, My b5 s4 eats stock, and most modded s3’s for breakfast. And unless the the evo has over 450-480bhp I will destroy them aswell, mine isn’t stock mind, has £10k under the bonnet.

new cupra 280 will be the one that catches everyone with their pants down. amazing performance

Saw an episode of police interceptors a few weeks back where a chap in an S3 overtook someone and went haring off up the road at a ton plus. Unfortunately for him the car behind was an unmarked police S3. Justice was duly dispensed.

Is the B5 the twin turbo V6?

I would imagine they are very tunable.

I have to say at this point the S3 simply disappeared. There was a puff of smoke out of the 4 exhausts and it just cleared off. I had kind of expected to breeze past it (as one does on an R1) but not this time.

Operator error.

A quick google gives an S3 1/4 mile time of just under 14 seconds, and around the 5.5s mark to 60mph
An R1, depending on which model is about 10.5s 1/4 mile and 3s 0-60

An R1 should annihilate an S3 without breaking sweat.

I had an 2010 S3 with the S-Tronic / DSG gearbox – and a fairly conservative remap.Like most other proper recent hot hatches, it was stunningly quick – standard 0-100 is under 14s; and closer to 12 with the 300PS 2013- S3.

It was (thanks to DSG) very easy to drive around town. Launch Control in an S3 is one of life’s essential experiences. 🙂

The one thing my S3 lacked was “soul”. It’s no suprise then that I now have a last-of-the-line 2008 Golf R32 (long story – I had a company car between this and the S3). It’s fractionally slower, but much more characterful and I enjoy it more because of the sense of occasion every time I drive.

It’s also only fair to point out that actually using the full performance potential of a properly fast car is nigh on impossible if you are a considerate, responsible human being. I know life isn’t *all* about being sensible, but it is most of the time.

new cupra 280 will be the one that catches everyone with their pants down. amazing performance

I’ve got my eye on one as a good s/h buy in 2-3 years time. FWD is the only downside.

I’m a fan of fast SEAT’s they really are good value for money especially s/h. And Mr BMW 320d sitting up your chuff in the fast lane never expects them to be quite so fast…

They are indeed 2.7 twin turbo v6, if you want to know how tunable, have a look on YouTube for the mrc white widebody s4, or loba motorsport s4, both knocking on 800hp

Mine runs a measly 509hp and 534ft lbs torque, they are really nice drivable cars with good lowdown torque, and massive kick in the back at 3500rpm and holds 26psi till 7200rpm

Just get ready for big bills 😀

In my younger motorbike days I would have gone after him

Same here bud

Operator error

Allow me to bathe in your awesomeness

🙂

A Mitsubishi Evo

Is FUGLY and as practical as?

Also – is it a reliable car? Finally and more crucially, who wants to be in the same club/seen as’ as those who drive in woolly hats (like they are pro’s going between Wales rally stages) and still live at home with their mum or girlfriend Tina?

Operator error.

A quick google gives an S3 1/4 mile time of just under 14 seconds, and around the 5.5s mark to 60mph
An R1, depending on which model is about 10.5s 1/4 mile and 3s 0-60

An R1 should annihilate an S3 without breaking sweat.

All sports bikes will annihilate an S3, even 600s, in a drag. I think the OP was just saying it was surprisingly quick , not that he couldn’t have caught it if he wanted to.

On a tight, bumpy, pot holey and twisty road it would be hard work to keep up.

On certain roads (i.e. as described above) I reckon I’m slower on my Fireblade than I was on my Street Triple R.

I think the OP was just saying it was surprisingly quick…

Thank you

…not that he couldn’t have caught it if he wanted to

That’s right
*cough*

I’ve got a Cupra r. It’s silly quick and handles nicely, but it’s too much power for a front wheel drive IMO. Next car may be the s3 just for the Quattro, or possibly something slower but remapped, maybe skoda Octavia scout to 180 (only cos I drive these fast all day and they’re quite comfy and nice but need a bit more oomph!)

It was probably an RS3 not S3.
Think the RS3 has the 2.5lt TFSI 335bhp engine as opposed to the 2lt TFSI of the S3
A heavily modified RS3 would surprise most R1 riders on the twisty B roads

My focus would piss over the lot of you. Coolant probably.

(only cos I drive these fast all day and they’re quite comfy and nice but need a bit more oomph!)

Paramedic or lawman? 🙂

Just to add though, I thought my S3 was also the most boring fast car I’ve ever had, I hated it, despite its speed.

The older S3 was described by EVO mag as ‘soulless’ but that one was based on a mkIV golf which was a pretty awful car.

Yeah mkiv golf, tt, Cupra, s3, vrs all ran the 1.8t in 150 to 225 bhp, replaced by the 2.0fsi I think, apparently smoother but less nuts? Paramedic mr pimp, not sure I could be trusted to be a police officer, we have an ex traffic Volvo v70 which frightens me spinning wheels in 3rd and handling like a large Volvo!

it’s just a bit of fun until somebody loses a leg.
maybe wannabe motorsport hero’s should stick to playing top trumps

we have an ex traffic Volvo v70 which frightens me spinning wheels in 3rd and handling like a large Volvo!

😆

6k I saw a b5 rs4 avant for the other day

Was it in a pile of bits for that price? I thought even galactic mileage B5s were nearer £10k.

maybe wannabe motorsport hero’s should stick to playing top trumps

Or they could pay a local track some money and go and drive really fast there.

Hopefully they’d then not feel the urge to drive like a complete nutsack on public roads.

bearnecessities – Member
My focus would piss over the lot of you. Coolant probably

😀

Don’t ask me, i drive a diesel…….. 😉

Davey. Tell a lie 6995 cat D stolen rec

I had a 12 plate Golf r as well! fantastic chassis but the dsg box was awful for everyday driving. great on the track though. My times were v close to the RS on the track but it has two long straights where the RS was getting up to 220kmh. It’s braking power was actually what made it faster really as you could left foot brake really late on turn in and carry more speed. I do think the Rs4 avant, the b7 will eba future classic as while it had a boot the size of a peanut as a package it was immense. I’ve driven the 6 a lot as well and as an autobahn stormer it’s a great car but v heavy. The small engined, turbo cars now are really impressive, the new golf gti is superb with the performance pack and manual box. I look forward to the new R. Audi sadly have lost the plot with their RS range now. Shame.

bearnecessities – Member
My focus would piss over the lot of you. Coolant probably.
POSTED 4 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

That’s an actual lol!

I do admit I hanker for a proper fast petrol car, but feel my luck would run out and I know my enthusiasm is way higher than my ability (actually, that’s embarrassing descriptive for nearly all I do!)

Nothing says ‘I am most likely driving like an inconsiderate cock’ more than an Audi S3

I’m gobsmacked that on a forum like this, there should be a dick swinging contest about how fast people drive.

At some point, hopefully, driving like this will be seen as soially unacceptable as drink driving. In fact, if you think about it, the degree of response impairment you get from driving at silly speeds is the same as being drunk.

Always nice to see some STW offended-ness, but I’m sorry to sorry that Edukator got in well before you on page 2