Have you placed an order for a 2024 Audi S3 (Sedan or Sportback)? You should cancel it if possible because the four-ring brand has just unveiled the 2025 model, which is better in most aspects.
For instance, the German automaker has bumped the engine's output and torque by 23 hp (23 ps/18 kW) and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm). As a result, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine now produces 328 hp (333 ps/245 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm). The car reaches 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.7 seconds and taps out at 155 mph (250 kph).
Besides fiddling with the power unit, Audi's engineering team has also retuned the transmission. The seven-speed S tronic is said to enable quicker takeoffs. Moreover, the torque splitter came from the RS 3 and enables full variable torque distribution between the two rear wheels. The suspension was retuned, and the company mentions new pivot bearings and stiffer bearings here. The sport suspension is standard on the latest S3, lowering the body by 0.6 in (15 mm) over the regular A3.
Additional enhancements include the new electronic stabilization control for improved cornering. The brakes were also upgraded, featuring larger and thicker discs at the front, with two-piston calipers hugging them every time the driver steps on the brake. The new Dynamic Plus driving mode joins the Auto, Comfort, Dynamic, Individual, and Efficiency and makes the car more agile, rounding off the mechanical upgrades.
Photo: Audi
Audi has also given the 2025 S3 a visual makeover, with both the four-door sedan and five-door hatch featuring a new grille, a front spoiler, motorsport-inspired struts, a new bumper, and tweaked LED and LED Matrix headlamps. The diffuser, four exhaust tips, wheels, and a few other things further differentiate it from the standard A3. The manufacturer also mentions the Progressive Red, Ascari Blue, and District Green paint finishes, and the Daytona Gray that is available in a matte look for the first time.
More alterations were performed inside, where the latest S3 family features a new shifter design, fresh air vents, enhanced ambient lighting, a special fabric panel in the front doors, and decorative inlays. Stainless steel pedals, a black headliner, backlit door sills, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, chrome plated paddle shifters, sports seats with integrated headrests and extra side bolstering, Dinamica microfiber, carbon fiber trim, and a few other things are also on deck.
Audi's virtual cockpit plus, the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, DAB+ digital radio, a wireless charging pad, four USB-C charging ports, and so on come standard. Customers can also order the MMI navigation plus with enhanced features, albeit as an option. The brand's UK branch says the refreshed S3 will launch in May. In Continental Europe, the model starts at €55,600 (equaling ~$60,300).
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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