2006 Audi S3 (8P) | Review
Steve Bell shakes a stick at Audi's new £27,000 hot hatch. But what else could you buy?
Out of the list, which of these floats your boat? For a few pennies over, you could have a Lexus IS 250, or maybe a Lotus Exige. Mitsubishi Evo FQ300 perhaps? Quite a choice when you start to look isn’t it?
Enter Audi's new S3. The company believes that one day all sports hatches will be like this. In the past couple of years Audi designers have got the bit between their teeth. The A4, A6 and A8 have a definite and distinctive theme running through them. That’s real progress. If you’re anything like me you probably can't recall a single visual attribute of the previous 'S' range of A3s, other than they were too plain looking, and mostly painted Pukey Purple metallic.
Today though Audi is focused. The S3 still has strong reliability, speed, and will keep its value way pass your 80th birthday. Yawn. But now it has visual impact too and an eyebrow-raising 261bhp.
On the press drive, journalists were given a butt-numbingly long speech about all of the differences from old to new -- trying not to nod off became impossible. I won't bore you with the detail, but it's impressive stuff once you get to drive it.
Having dropped my chin to the floor, it seems I'll need a few more years at this diet thing before I can fit the body-shape style of the S3 sports seats. At least the top of my knees won't be crushed every time I turn the wheel. Thankfully for us well-built individuals, your hands grip the S4's flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Although all Audi interiors are an extra special place to be, they're becoming a bit like a flat-packed chest of drawers from Ikea. You could be blindfolded, led into any Audi and guess which one you’re in with Derren Brown accuracy.
It’s still very top quality though. The driving position has improved slightly giving you plenty of movement to get the (ever so tight) seat and steering adjustment right without the hateful stretch to reach everything. Once you're ready to go, twist the fob and fire up the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, now found in every VW group hot-hatch.
As I take my turn driving the new car, an Audi bigwig towers over the front wing and leans through the window sternly mumblimg, "Don't crash it, will you?" Well, there goes Plan A.
Two things hit you as you catch a glimpse of the S3's outline driving around. Firstly, it’s an exact replica of the old car, but secondly it's still very familiar Audi. Obviously, there is the ludicrously oversized front spoiler, and mega-thin low profile tyres set around a car that shouts Pimp My Ride. But it's a crucial clue, whether you like it or not, you are driving an Audi S3. It's been given a nip and tuck overhaul making it more aggressive and purposeful which will certainly make it stand out amongst the competition.
More important is the S3's roadgoing ability. The car responds to the slightest input with anticipation that borders ESP. That's thanks to a complicated if boring explanation of the S3's sophisticated Haldex four-wheel drive system. Although it doesn't share any resemblance to permanent drive to all four wheels, it shifts power to the rear especially as you're about to skim a nicely trimmed hedge heading into a corner a tad too quickly.
This creates a balance that pays huge dividends, keeping the car poised and neutral at ever increasing speeds. The brakes are also superb, with plenty of feel and a graduation to the bite that optimises the S3's ability to stop not just quickly but smoothly.
When you get to drive it, like me, you'll probably be disappointed with the shortfall in grunt despite having the high bhp figure to admire. It’s still quick enough and maintains a supreme level of stability as a rapid point-to-point car.
But if you want to show off, don't trouble the rev limiter. Its mid range punch is enough to pull the blood to the back of your head but gets silly and uncomposed if you keep nailing the throttle. The turbocharged engine sounds distressed and strained so stick to the more delightful background hum. If you want to mimic chauffeur dawdling, then the gear lever will press through the gate like an A2. It also keeps the momentum going when your shifting like mad and barely slips a cog crunching in despair. The clutch makes light work of your left leg.
However, the accelerator pedal is too sensitive even in light traffic. You'll look like a right Muppet kangarooing up the high street trying to keep your cool.
Driven in the manner intended, the S3 hurls over the crests with a hard yet forgiving ride and doesn't give you the injuries like some crazed sadistic whip mistress. It does have a tendency to bounce lightly on the motorway, but you don't have to cringe anymore and swerve 20 feet to miss a hole in the tarmac, or drive so slowly over a speed hump that you might as well get out and crawl using your chin.
Overall, the new S3 is certainly a step forward from the old one. However, go back to the beginning of my review and look down your list of cars for £27K. Now use another sheet of paper containing today’s best hot-hatches and suddenly the S3 looks distant.
Lets look at it once more just before the S3 sits in a list all on its own - 0-62 mph in 5.7 seconds, 155 mph, 261 bhp and the looks of a Rhinoceros. Maybe 31 mpg will wake you from the dead? No. Thought not. There are so many other cars to spend this type of money on.
Yes, the S3 is a very good car but, unfortunately, Audi's pricing strategy won't help it prove this.
SPECIFICATION | 2006 AUDI S3 (8P)
Engine: 1,984cc, 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 265@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 258@2,500-5,000rpm
0-62mph: 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 155mph
Weight: 1,455kg
Price: £26,995
How can the author of this article compare with a bl00dy Lexus IS250? Why not just compare with with a BMW 3 series then? Silly monkey.
If you need 4 seats and want a compactish hatch I think its great. Lets face it, the 1 series is very challenged in terms of space, and the 3 series coupe is a larger car with too-challenging styling for many tastes.
Bit farfetched?
Well looking at their site, speaking to them, and speaking to people who have had their car chipped by them, perhaps not.
On average an S2 2.2 turbo gets raised from 220/230 BHP to 280BHP, Not to mention the torque goes from 310NM to 420NM.
Looking at the S4 bi turbo, the power statrs at 265BHP before mapping and finishes with a modest 310BHP with torque raising a whole 100NM to 500NM.
The very fact that these are turbo'd cars makes them much more tunable then any other N/A counterpart. I honestly cant see this being chipped by them and being below 300BHP.
I had an s3 in 2001, looked great but the steering was utter rubbish would be very interested to have a go to see if the new ones any better.
Avoid this and spend your cash on a second hand m3, 27k would buy a very fine example of a monster with family connections.
But then again, this is my estimation of a car they havent touched yet, so I may be over estimating
. I do know however that they have achieved those quoted figures on other cars. Edit - Cant spell!
Bit farfetched?
Well looking at their site, speaking to them, and speaking to people who have had their car chipped by them, perhaps not.
On average an S2 2.2 turbo gets raised from 220/230 BHP to 280BHP, Not to mention the torque goes from 310NM to 420NM.
Looking at the S4 bi turbo, the power statrs at 265BHP before mapping and finishes with a modest 310BHP with torque raising a whole 100NM to 500NM.
The very fact that these are turbo'd cars makes them much more tunable then any other N/A counterpart. I honestly cant see this being chipped by them and being below 300BHP.
Hmm good figures.
The S4 is a 2.7 though. a mere 2.0 that's already at 261bhp (up from 200) is not likely to chip so well.
There were a couple of packs for the Focus ST reviewed recently (which is a 2.5) that took it to 300bhp (from?) but they were in the £3000 bracket as I recall.
Bit farfetched?
Well looking at their site, speaking to them, and speaking to people who have had their car chipped by them, perhaps not.
On average an S2 2.2 turbo gets raised from 220/230 BHP to 280BHP, Not to mention the torque goes from 310NM to 420NM.
Looking at the S4 bi turbo, the power statrs at 265BHP before mapping and finishes with a modest 310BHP with torque raising a whole 100NM to 500NM.
The very fact that these are turbo'd cars makes them much more tunable then any other N/A counterpart. I honestly cant see this being chipped by them and being below 300BHP.
Hmm good figures.
The S4 is a 2.7 though. a mere 2.0 that's already at 261bhp (up from 200) is not likely to chip so well.
There were a couple of packs for the Focus ST reviewed recently (which is a 2.5) that took it to 300bhp (from?) but they were in the £3000 bracket as I recall.
I beleive there is a bigger turbo bolted onto the engine to get the 260bhp.
From what I understand (dont quote me as I am no expert) is that manufacturers will launch cars slightly de-tuned so there is less risk of damage to an engine caused by stress. Tuners attempt to tune the car back up whilst keeping it safe, unfortunatly most tuners areant too hot and tune very badly without the use of knock sensors or efficient fuelling.
So I guess time will tell, but you are right, 261BHP from a 2.0 is alot of BHP already.
Sad isn't it, when a 6 disc cd changer, armrest, and some decent speakers, are seen as "optional" on a car at that price and what is essentially the top model A3!
All that kit should be standard, with maybe the RS4 seats and full on Sat Nav/TV being the only optionals because literally not everyone wants them. But you should expect the other bits for free, they probably cost very little. It'll have a loom for the parking sensors and all that, just needs the £2.50 bits that stick on the ends
I guess it gets people in though. £27k wow, thats cheap, walk away having spent £34k, or walk away with a £27k car that looks gash inside because it's got a tape player and cloth seats
Dave
Atleast it's better than the other option I looked at being an Alpina D3, they wanted nearly 3 grand just to fit rear park sensors and a bluetooth phone kit! That was a deal breaker for me as they would not budge at all. Especially as you say the loom is already wired and the Alpina even had the phone control buttons on the steering wheel, but "oh no sir thats a special order spec that's £2K plus the cost of the options" "really? bye"
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