Audi’s S3 Sportback is a brand new model, launched just a couple of months ago and going hard after all its competitors in the hot hatch segment, one that had no BMW in it not so long ago. Today things have changed and, as always, the Bavarians brought an impressive display to the range.
I’m talking, of course, about the 1 Series, the car that might look bad but drives better than anything else in its segment. On this particular test, the guys from Evo took the top spec model, M135i, up against its direct competitor from Ingolstadt, the S3.
Some people might say that the proper competitor for the M135i is the RS3 but, as flattering as that is for BMW, it wouldn’t be true. The whole idea behind the M Performance Automobile sub-brand was to offer a competitor for S models from Audi and other slightly improved cars from various manufacturers that aren’t full-on crazy.
That’s why the M135i and the S3 are direct rivals. Looking over the specs of the two cars, they might seem pretty evenly matched but, as the test would prove, there really isn’t any replacement for displacement.
The Bavarian came prepared with its usual N55 turbocharged 3-liter 6-cylinder engine making 320 HP and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque and rear-wheel-drive traction. The Audi uses a 2-liter turbocharged engine making 300 HP and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, a bit down on power but fitted with the quattro all-wheel drive system and a bit lighter than the Bimmer. Things are really close.
However, as the track test would prove, the S3 can’t really keep up, no matter if you’re looking for straight-up performance or just to have fun. Sure, for an AWD car it’s as fun as it gets but it really can’t compare to the RWD M135i. Even as far as track lap times go, the Audi falls behind by more than one second.
Sure, this is just a comparison on the EVO track and other circuits might bring forth different results. Furthermore, on the road, using the two daily, things might be different but, as we found out in our own test drive, the BMW is a brilliant machine with a perfect bipolar character that you can easily hone around a track and take your kids to school with, encountering absolutely no problem at all.
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