One way you could describe the Audi S3 Sportback is "the poor man's RS 3", and if you find that offensive, then you can always resort to "the rich man's Volkswagen Golf R." However, the best way to refer to it is by its actual name - just because there is such a thing as an equivalent RS model that doesn't mean the "S" is anything to sneer at.
As the latter of those two alternate naming schemes I just provided suggests, the S3 Sportback borrows the same powertrain as the one making things happen in Volkswagen's most powerful Golf. You're looking at a two-liter four-cylinder turbocharged unit pushing out 306 hp (310 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque to all four wheels through a seven-speed auto.
That's a long way behind the 2022 RS 3 Sportback's numbers and yet a very compelling proposition - in other words, just the way Audi wants it. Besides, as the recent comparison between the all-new RS 3 Sportback and the Mercedes-AMG A 45 S we just showed you suggest, the Ingolstadt-made machines are not all about high power figures, focusing instead on delivering a cohesive and well-rounded package.
Compared to the RS 3, the S3 is obviously left wanting. However, it's worth remembering that even though they look virtually the same, there's actually a considerable price gap between them, and even though some people might tell you differently, that extra money doesn't all go straight into Audi's pockets.
With a bit of clever speccing, you can blur the visual line between the two models significantly, though nothing you can do will make the four-cylinder engine sound like a five-cylinder one. Or go like it, for that matter. The "Viper Green" paint color we conveniently baptized "Grinch Green" for this particular occasion helps make the S3 stand out and leave no doubt over its sporty aspirations.
If you've been following the new Volkswagen Golf R's reviews, you'll know everyone agrees the Germans have hit the hot hatch nail right in the head, and that's obviously good news for the Audi S3 Sportback as well. The clip below doesn't so much focus on the car's performance - though there's a substantial amount of snow being thrown into the air by all four wheels on more than one occasion - but is rather a celebration of winter from an automotive perspective. All you need is some snow, a good set of winter tires, an all-wheel-drive car, and some empty, unbeaten roads for all these ingredients to come together in the most spectacular way.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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