What do you get when you combine a 292 horsepower engine, all wheel drive, and a relatively lightweight chassis? You get the 2015 Audi S3. We have been long teased by the S3 and RS3 cars available only across the pond. Now, United States gets our own S3 in the form of this sedan.
The 2.0L TFSI engine has been fully upgraded for S3 duty. The focus was on decreased friction and increased efficiencies. It means most of the engine internals were reworked and a larger turbocharger added. The result is 292 hp @ 5,400 – 6,200 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque @ 1,900 – 5,300 rpm. It is a success as the turbo-lag is virtually non-existent. All you need to do is step on the go pedal and this little Audi leaps forward. It’s that simple. Audi claims 4.7 second 0-60 mph sprint, which is not too shabby for this 3,450 lbs sedan. We were unable to confirm or deny its acceleration performance during the initial drive.
All this performance does not come a big hit at the pump. The 2015 S3 is rated at 23 MPG city, 31 MPG highway, and 26 MPG combined.
The 6-speed S tronic dual-clutch automated transmission is the sole option. Sorry, no manual option available. The power is routed to all corners via the latest quattro system. It rained quiet a lot in Austin, Texas during the initial drive, but the S3 was not bothered a bit. Of course, aquaplaning was a concern is some areas, but the all-wheel-drive found great traction on wet pavement. The transmission has a Sport/Manual shift mode, and the paddles are within easy reach.
The adjustable driving mode system works very well. The car really wakes up when you throw it into the “Dynamic” mode via the dash mounted switch or through the MMI system. Audi’s latest magnetic ride shocks work wonders. The ride gets noticeably stiffer in Dynamic mode, but it won’t beat you up either. Still, the car is very smooth over rough surfaces in “Comfort” setting (even with optional 19 in wheels). You really do get the best of both worlds with this suspension.
The Dynamic mode also adjusts transmission, steering feel, and exhaust sound. The result is a car that feels confident and aggressive.
We got the chance of a lifetime to take the 2015 Audi S3 on the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) F1 racetrack in Austin. How cool is that?! There was a convoy of twelve S3s, and we were following a LeMans 24hr winning Audi team driver – Alan McNish. Alan was showing us the line in an Audi R8. This is hardly fair, but Alan was nice to us. The S3 displayed a lot of grip through corners and did not under-steer (unless you really missed a corner, which is easy to do in many blind turns of COTA). After three highly spirited laps, there was plenty of brakes left. I did not feel any fade within my two laps. The S3 has 13.4 inch front and 12.3 inch rear vented disks.
The engine provided good acceleration out of the corners and I managed to reach 125 mph down the back straight. The car could have done even more, but my skills and knowledge of the track were at the limit. The were also other S3s in my way…
In the end, my first driving impressions are very positive. The new S3 starts at $41,100 and is available at your local dealership now.
Take a look at the S3 options and pricing.
We will bring the Audi S3 videos very soon. In the meantime, check out the first drive video of the 2015 Audi A3.
And here is TFLcar’s Colorado track review of the A3 with the 1.8T engine.
Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, video producer, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFL since 2011.
