Audi S3

[Andy OH]

My wife has a new S3 cabriolet. It's six months old and covered 6,000 miles. We bought it from our local Audi dealer on Wednesday, it was one of the sales controllers car.

The S3 is very nice but it doesn't really feel like a 300 bhp car. My MK 6 Golf GTi, albeit tweaked to 285bhp, feels quicker.

The S3 is quick but it doesn't have the urgency of my GTi. I'm wondering if the power delivery is so linear that it almost feels like a normally aspirated car. At present it's running on normal unleaded fuel as the Audi dealer filled it up for her. We normally run our cars on super unleaded, normally using Shell V Power, we'll run this current tank down and put a few tanks of Shell in it to see if there is a difference.

Your thoughts and or experiences of the S3 would be appreciated.

Thanks

[zeDuffMan]

Parkers says the S3 cab weighs 300kg more than the Mk6 GTI. 15hp isn't going to compensate for a bigger car with an electric folding roof and Haldex.

[PhantomPH]

Daft as it sounds, have you checked the Drive Select setting? YOu could have efficiency or such-like selected. Switch it to Dynamic and see how things feel. It's a big difference.

Failing that, remember that it's a cabrio and is carrying a lot more weight than your Golf. With such similar power, there is every chance that your Golf IS a slightly quicker, more spritely car.

Also - run that sucka on V-Power. I've never put anything other than that in mine and in Dynamic mode if feels urgent, that's for sure. The real fun starts at 3,000rpm, so give it the beans and hold the gear.

[Andy OH]

I have tried Dynamic mode and yes it was very different to the Efficiency mode which the car was in when I first drove it last night.

Maybe the GTi is the quicker car due to the weight difference and small difference in power, however, a few tanks of V-Power will hopefully see a difference as the S3 has probably been run on normal unleaded since new.

[Spooge]

I doubt it's making 300PS on 95 RON. Probably closer to the golf, and heavier.

[zeDuffMan]

Honestly, it's just the weight difference. Using normal unleaded will only take a few percent out of the power output, and the engine will run a bit less sweetly. But 300kg is basically carrying four passengers around all the time and that is where the difference is. Put you and four others into your Golf and suddenly the cars will feel very similar.

[Andy OH]

Thanks for your replies guys.

The main thing is the wife really likes the car, she loves the S-Tronic and the added assurance of 4wd is what made us get rid of her TT Roadster for this S3 Cabriolet.

[thebraketester]

Also remember that the haldex saps power too, so a rolling start race the S3 isnt going to be that fast compared to the golf. Also the S3 feels a bit dead and safe due to the haldex. It needs a remap

[Captainawesome]

My wife's 2011 left me feeling the same way...just doesn't feel that quick. I think it's because you get a huge whoosh as the turbo comes in and then it just feels flat.