Audi S3 Catches Fire on Nurburgring, Burns to the Ground

The Ingolstadt machine, which appears to be an S3 that had been taken down the aftermarket route, went up in flames, with the driver quickly pulling over on the left side of the track.

Alas, as the image here shows (smartphone tip to Martin Lalor for the pic), the German machine quickly went from hot hatchback to ash-back. While the driver reportedly managed to step out of the car and stay safe, nothing could be done for the poor Audi, which burned to the ground. In fact, the video below shows us the painfull process in detail, albeit from a distance that allowed the people in the "camera car" to remain safe.

Why did the hatchback catch fire?

Of course, when such an incident occurs, many enthusiasts are tempted to believe it was linked to a crash. However, this doesn't seem to be the case here, with the 'Ring rumor mill talking about an engine issue that led to the unfortunate incident.

Other drivers who were took part in the same Touristenfahrten (Tourist Days) event as the Audi reported the Nordschleife remained closed for the evening after the flaming Audi moment.

We'll remind you this week has been nothing short of reinforcement for the Nurburgring's Green Hell nickname, as it started with a violent airborne crash that took out one of the world's only seven Koenigsegg One:1s. Oh, and let's not forget the One:1 also caught fire, but the driver managed to handle the situation.

Fortunately, though, Angelholm has not only delivered an in-depth analysis of the crash, but is also announcing it would rebuild the 1,341 hp (1,361 PS) monster, as well as upgrade its safety systems after the accident.