Named top hot hatch in CAR’s annual Top 12 best buys for 2008, the facelifted Audi S3 was an obvious addition to this shootout. But would the S3 Sportback, with two extra doors, perform to expectation?
The S3 Sportback is easily distinguished from lesser A3 Sportback siblings by a roof spoiler, side sills, chrome-plated radiator grille, “xenon plus” headlamps, 18-inch wheels wrapped in 225/40 tyres, chrome rings that border the foglamps, 17-inch brake system with S3 emblems emblazoned on the callipers, platinum grey diffuser, two large oval exhausts tailpipes and “Audi trademark” daytime running lights.
Underneath the S3 Sportback’ s bonnet lies a hot version of the VW Group’s 2,0-litre TFSI four-cylinder turbocharged powerplant that produces 188 kW at 6 000 r/min and 330 N.m of torque at 2 400 r/min. Mated with a six-speed manual gearbox that drives the power through all four corners via quattro all-wheel drive, Audi claims the S3 Sportback sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 6 seconds and on to a top speed of 250 km/h – all the while sipping just 8,5-litre per 100 km on the combined cycle.
In typical Audi fashion, the interior boasts excellent ergonomic styling and the use of premium materials resulting in a high-quality finish. The four air vents with chrome inserts atop the facia are reminiscent of the TT Roadster, while the steering wheel is a three-spoke leather wrapped sports piece. Numerous storage compartments are also available; nets on the front seat backrests, stowage drawer underneath the driver’s seat and a net beneath the rear shelf – not forgetting the extra space of the five-door layout, close to 1100-dm³ of space with the rear seats folded.
The Audi A3 Sportback also features the new Park Assist system, which uses ultrasonic sensors to register parking spaces at the side of the road when the vehicle is travelling at speeds of less than 30 km/h. The driver then engages reverse gear and only operates the clutch, throttle and brake as the electromechanical steering manoeuvres the A3 Sportback into the available space.
You can read South African circuit racing stars Hennie Groenewald and Philip Kekana’s track appraisals of the S3 in the January 2009 issue of CAR magazine, in which we put 18 of South Africa’s hottest hatches to the test at Killarney.
Listen to hot hatch exhaust notes.
Download wallpapers from the Track Shootout here: Batch 1, Batch 2 and Batch 3, or Batch 4.
Watch two Ultimate Hot Hatch Shootout videos
You can also view the behind-the-scenes or the Franschhoek Pass Shootout galleries.
