Audi S3

Audi's A3 is the smallest car in the range, offering the premium strands of build quality and desirability in a compact package. The final model in the range is the S3, a high performance version in the same vein as other 'S' models in the Audi line-up. The S models in the Audi range have a long history, and have been amongst the most exciting products to come from the German manufacturer. Combining high output engines with the famous quattro four-wheel drive system, they are amongst the most usable performance cars on sale. The S3 continues in that manner to make possibly the fastest hot hatch on sale today. At the heart of the S3 is the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. Using the T-FSI technology seen elsewhere in the Audi range, it uses direct injection to increase efficiency and power. The end result is a highly impressive output, making the S3 significantly more powerful than its predecessor. To cope with the high power output, the S3 features the quattro four-wheel drive system as standard. This layout is unusual in the hot hatchback sector, and as well as giving the necessary grip and traction to exploit the power in all conditions, it gives the S3 extra cache over its rivals. As well as the mechanical enhancements, the S3 benefits from a number if styling changes to distinguish it from its stablemates. Available in three-door form only, the S3 has a chrome grille, extended spoilers and skirts all round. At the rear there is also a silver-coloured aerodynamic diffuser and twin exhausts pipes, plus subtle S3 badges front and rear. Our verdict on the Audi A3 S3 The S3 makes a strong case for itself as a complete all rounder. It offers enough performance to satisfy all but the most hot-headed of drivers whilst remaining civilised and comfortable.