Audi S3 Sportback - quiet, but very quick

Rear-seat occupancy in an Audi S3 quattro is probably a rarity as it was never intended to be a family car but for those who want to haul passengers as well as ass the rapid hatchback recently became available in Sportback guise with two extra doors.

Slotted into the engine bay is the same 188kW turbo engine that powers the three-door S3 launched here back in 2007. It's a tweaked version of the ubiquitous two-litre FSI direct-injection turbocharged unit that does service in lesser A3 derivatives and the VW Golf GTi.

The extra punch comes from a bigger turbocharger that generates 1.2 bar of boost pressure versus the standard 0.9 bar and an intercooler that lowers the temperature of the compressed air.

The extra doors add more practicality and 40kg of mass, which adds a couple of tenths to the S3's sprint times but still ensures a very brisk car - if not as brisk as it could be if it were two-wheel drive.

All-wheel drive is a horses-for-courses affair. While it does let you nail the throttle a bit earlier out of slippery corners than most two-wheel drive rivals, quattro doesn't quite offer the grip advantage it once used to as nowadays all the S3's two-wheel drive competitors come with traction control which does just as good a job.

The problem with quattro is that it makes quick getaways very difficult, as we found when we did acceleration tests at Gerotek. Because all-wheel drive doesn't allow the touch of wheelspin you need for a perfect take-off you have two choices: pull off at lower rpm and bog down so badly you get out-sprinted by Honda Jazzes or rev it sky high and drastically shorten the life of the clutch.

In the end we managed a best 0-100 time of 7.2sec - complete with smelly clutch - which is quick, if some way off Audi's claimed 5.9 at sea level.

The car we tested was a six-speed manual and I'd be interested to get my hands on the soon-to-be-launched six-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission to see how it affects the pull-off characteristics.

Where the manual S3 shines is in overtaking tractability and its maximum torque of 330Nm is available from 2400 all the way through to 5200rpm. Getting the car off the line fast may be tricky but once you're on the go it has easy, accessible performance that makes it a great cruiser and overtaker, pulling heartily up hills even in sixth.

Inadvertently cruising at illegal speeds is a common occurrence in this car as the S3 is deceptively fast, hustling along at a livid pace while purring like a contented kitty. There's very little engine or wind noise and refinement has been well taken care of. It's perhaps a little too refined for such a sporting car; I'd prefer more of a growl to go with the sharp teeth.

Roadholding is well up to the task and the S3 can be fired through sharp turns with great confidence. It hugs the tar with a satisfyingly hunkered-down feel and there's traction aplenty from those wide tyres. The sports suspension doesn't fare well on bumpy roads, however, and makes the car feel very choppy, so your Lewis Hamilton impersonation is best done on a smooth road.

TASTEFULLY DONE

Audi makes some of today's best-looking cars and the Sportback, while not as knee-weakeningly beautiful as an S5, still cuts a dashing figure and gains its fair share of admiring stares from fellow road users. Ingolstadt has a way of jazzing up a design without going the garish pimp-my-ride route and the injection of flair into its sportiest A3 has been tastefully done.

As part of a revamp to the entire A3 range in October 2008 the styling came in for some cosmetic surgery to bring the looks closer to the new A3 Cabriolet. Modifications to the bonnet and fenders give the front end a wider look. The headlights now get the option of LED lighting like other Audi models, side mirrors get integrated indicators and the rear gets new bumpers and red fibre-optic LEDs in the tail lights.

The cabin is a blend of class and flamboyance and the black cloth/leather and shiny aluminium give the cabin a sporty edge. The sports seats offer terrific cornering support but I didn't find them very comfortable and developed lower-back pain after a few kilometres.

The steering wheel's flattened at the bottom like a racing car's which, besides looking cool, has the added benefit of making it easier to slip in and out of the driver's seat.

A new toy in the revamped A3 range is Park Assist, a godsend for those who battle with parallel parking. This R7750 option steers the car into a parking space all by itself - well, nearly.

You just have to drive slowly past the parking spot you have in mind while the car's ultrasonic sensors determine if it's big enough. If you get the green light, you simply start reversing and have a cup of tea while Park Assist takes over and automatically steers the car into the space.

VERDICT

As our spec sheet shows, there's no shortage of combatants in this hot-hatch category with VW, BMW, Mazda, Subaru, Renault, Opel, Volvo and Ford all offering rivals with similar performance.

Price-wise, the S3 Sportback finds itself near the top of the heap and if you're simply seeking the best bang for your bucks then look elsewhere. While the car doesn't stand out in terms of performance and handling, it does have that Audi badge and the class that goes with it.

The lack of a roar is a bit of a bore - but on the other hand it does park itself. - Star Motoring

SPECIFICATIONS

Test vehicle from: Audi SA.

ENGINE

Cylinders:

Four, inline.

Capacity:

1984c

Valvegear

: Quad-valve

Fuel system

: Petrol, direct injection, turbocharged

Max power

: 188kW/6000rpm

Max torque

: 350Nm/2500-5000rpm

TRANSMISSION

Type

: Six-speed manual, all-wheel drive

SUSPENSION

Front

: McPherson struts with lower wishbones, tubular anti-roll bar, track-stabilising steering roll radius

Rear

: Four-link with separate spring/shock arrangement and tubular anti-roll bar

STEERING

Type

: Rack-and-pinion

Power Assistance

: Yes, hydraulic

Steering column adjustment

: Height and reach

BRAKES

Front

: Ventilated discs

Rear

: Ventilated discs

ABS

: Yes

WHEELS/TYRES

Wheels

: 18" alloy

Tyres

: 225/40 radials

DIMENSIONS

Length

: 4302mm

Width

: 1765mm

Height

: 1402mm

Mass

: 1495kg

Fuel Tank

: 60 litres

Payload/boot

: 302 litres

PERFORMANCE

(claimed at sea level)

Acceleration

: 0-100km/h: 5.9sec

Fuel Consumption

: 10.91 litres/100km

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Trip data computer, power windows and mirrors, automatic aircon, remote-controlled central locking, rain and light sensors, multifunction leather steering wheel, radio/CD, headlight washers, partial leather interior