# Edmunds S3 First Drive



## VeeDubDriver (Oct 1, 2001)

The 2013 Audi S3 hatchback is a car for the connoisseur, a nod and a wink to those in the know. Unlike the overt posturing of the Ford Focus ST, or even the soon-to-be-launched Mercedes CLA45 AMG, this S3 doesn't make big promises with its styling. 

Subtlety has always been part of the S3's personality. This, the third iteration of the hatchback, is an obvious evolution of the first two generations, neither of which ever came to the States. In the U.K., it's on sale now, priced from £30,500 ($47,500), or around $5,700 more than the soon-to-be-launched Volkswagen Golf GTI, with which it shares a platform. 

We were invited to drive the two-door hatchback version of the S3 in Munich, Germany. This is the first of the S3 family to debut and will be followed by a four-door hatchback and, for the first time, a four-door sedan. It's that sedan that will make its way to the U.S. next year, so consider this an early preview of what to expect. 

http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/2013-audi-s3-first-drive.html


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## dmorrow (Jun 9, 2000)

Thanks for posting. 

Surprised by this - 



> In the U.K., it's on sale now, priced from £30,500 ($47,500), or around $5,700 more than the soon-to-be-launched Volkswagen Golf GTI, with which it shares a platform.


 The price in the U.K. seems very reasonable and I don't know which GTI they are comparing it to but this would put the GTI at $41,800 (U.S. dollars for U.K car). I wasn't expecting the S3 to be much cheaper in the U.S. while the GTI is a huge amount less here. Maybe their numbers are wrong or they are comparing a stripped S3 to a top of the line GTI? 

Also this - 



> But in this S3 it's been retuned to deliver 296 hp at 5,000 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque from 1,800-5,500 rpm.


 Peak hp at 5000 rpm? These seem almost like diesel numbers.


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## VeeDubDriver (Oct 1, 2001)

dmorrow said:


> Peak hp at 5000 rpm? These seem almost like diesel numbers.


 That should actually be 5500 (as per Audi), which still seems low.


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## dogbolter (Feb 28, 2010)

Great, they test drove a car we'll never see...and no Audi we don't want another boring sedan, the market is flooded with those. We want a hatchback like the rest of the world!!! (Even if you have to resort to calling it a crossover).


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## Waterfan (Aug 9, 2012)

dogbolter said:


> Great, they test drove a car we'll never see...and no Audi we don't want another boring sedan, the market is flooded with those. We want a hatchback like the rest of the world!!! (Even if you have to resort to calling it a crossover).


US wants sedans, we always have.

If you want to teach them a lesson, vote with your dollars and buy the upcoming Mercedes hatch.


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## mookieblaylock (Sep 25, 2005)

Waterfan said:


> US wants sedans, we always have.
> 
> If you want to teach them a lesson, vote with your dollars and buy the upcoming Mercedes hatch.



no can do, cheesy swoopy pimpy cla sedan only. That a45 was sweet looking , oh well


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## nosrednug (Nov 14, 2007)

> Tire size: 275/35R20
> 
> Wheel size: 18-by-7.5 inches front and rear


This can't be right?


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## Rudy_H (Jul 6, 2012)

dmorrow said:


> The price in the U.K. seems very reasonable and I don't know which GTI they are comparing it to but this would put the GTI at $41,800 (U.S. dollars for U.K car). I wasn't expecting the S3 to be much cheaper in the U.S. while the GTI is a huge amount less here. Maybe their numbers are wrong or they are comparing a stripped S3 to a top of the line GTI?


There is a drastically difference in cost of living there. You can't do a conversion like that.

At best you can do $5,700 pound difference between GTI and S3. Then you convert the difference to ~$8,800 US and tack that onto an American priced GTI $24,200. Other factors, the pricing for the MQB GTI isn't out here anyway, and that $24,200 is for a fairly stripped down GTI vs possibly what is in the UK has...likely the $26,795 GTI would be a better baseline.

Puts it in the $34-35k range as we are expecting for the S3 through speculation on the forum.


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## DaLeadBull (Feb 15, 2011)

Rudy_H said:


> There is a drastically difference in cost of living there. You can't do a conversion like that.
> 
> At best you can do $5,700 pound difference between GTI and S3. Then you convert the difference to ~$8,800 US and tack that onto an American priced GTI $24,200. Other factors, the pricing for the MQB GTI isn't out here anyway, and that $24,200 is for a fairly stripped down GTI vs possibly what is in the UK has...likely the $26,795 GTI would be a better baseline.
> 
> Puts it in the $34-35k range as we are expecting for the S3 through speculation on the forum.


S3 will be at least $40k, the Golf R is in the 34-35K range you're talking about. S3 will definitely be more expensive.


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## dogbolter (Feb 28, 2010)

Waterfan said:


> US wants sedans, we always have.
> 
> If you want to teach them a lesson, vote with your dollars and buy the upcoming Mercedes hatch.


I definitely would....'cept we're not getting the hatch, just another boring sedan!


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## Travis Grundke (May 26, 1999)

Rudy_H said:


> Puts it in the $34-35k range as we are expecting for the S3 through speculation on the forum.


Audi of America has already stated that they're trying to bring the S3 to the US at "around $39,000".


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## dmorrow (Jun 9, 2000)

VeeDubDriver said:


> In the U.K., it's on sale now, priced from £30,500 ($47,500), or around $5,700 more than the soon-to-be-launched Volkswagen Golf GTI, with which it shares a platform.





Rudy_H said:


> There is a drastically difference in cost of living there. You can't do a conversion like that.
> 
> At best you can do $5,700 pound difference between GTI and S3. Then you convert the difference to ~$8,800 US and tack that onto an American priced GTI $24,200. Other factors, the pricing for the MQB GTI isn't out here anyway, and that $24,200 is for a fairly stripped down GTI vs possibly what is in the UK has...likely the $26,795 GTI would be a better baseline.
> 
> Puts it in the $34-35k range as we are expecting for the S3 through speculation on the forum.


They said it was $5700 dollars, not pounds, note the symbol in front of the number. You are taking the dollar they gave and converting it to dollars again. I would also be willing to bet you won't get the Audi S3 cheaper than the VW R. 

From their numbers the GTI is 12% cheaper than the S3 in the UK (5700/47500). This is straight numbers from them. This seems like a very small difference in prices.


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## LWNY (Jul 30, 2008)

VeeDubDriver said:


> That should actually be 5500 (as per Audi), which still seems low.


The hp peaks at 5500 RPM and stays flat until 6200 RPM. It is likely due to their modulating of turbo boost, just like the ruler flat torque curve that their turbocharged cars have


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## VeeDubDriver (Oct 1, 2001)

LWNY said:


> The hp peaks at 5500 RPM and stays flat until 6200 RPM. It is likely due to their modulating of turbo boost, just like the ruler flat torque curve that their turbocharged cars have


Guess they are leaving some boost on the table for the tuners to make some money on...lol


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## Rudy_H (Jul 6, 2012)

dmorrow said:


> They said it was $5700 dollars, not pounds, note the symbol in front of the number. You are taking the dollar they gave and converting it to dollars again. I would also be willing to bet you won't get the Audi S3 cheaper than the VW R.
> 
> From their numbers the GTI is 12% cheaper than the S3 in the UK (5700/47500). This is straight numbers from them. This seems like a very small difference in prices.


Ya, I don't think any of this conversion stuff makes sense in the article...
The price difference between the S3 and GTI is about £4,655...who knows how they are coming up with their numbers.


S3 base £30,500 presume it is OTR based off the price pricing of the Sportback
GTI base £25,845 - according to VW UK, I would presume that is the OTR price
~15%

Thing is, when you look at the options for the base S3, it doesn't include items I would expect to be on a base S3 for North America. So to base anything off the UK site unless I suppose you start adding on options you won't have a good indicator


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## caliatenza (Dec 10, 2006)

Rudy_H said:


> Ya, I don't think any of this conversion stuff makes sense in the article...
> The price difference between the S3 and GTI is about £4,655...who knows how they are coming up with their numbers.
> 
> 
> ...


Rudy, what kind of items do you expect to be on a base S3? The only thing we know for sure that will be standard is the drive select, because that was mentioned in the press release. I am assuming that Audi will go with the premium plus and the prestige packages this time around...


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## gizmopop (Feb 6, 2000)

nosrednug said:


> This can't be right?


That's the same wheel size my 04 R32 has. 19s are optional for the S3 though.


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