Updated Audi S3 On The Way With More Power And RS3 Tech

An update for a Volkswagen Golf always brings tweaks to the scores of other Volkswagen Group cars that share its platform, and sure enough, not long after getting confirmation of a Mk8.5 Golf R, here are the first details of an updated Audi S3.

Introduced in 2020, the current, fourth-generation S3 is a quick, posh-feeling car, but has so far failed to capture that last little bit of excitement that defines the best hot hatches. It seems Audi has set out to correct that last point with this update.

The fundamentals are the same as before: you get the VW Group’s ubiquitous EA888 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, driving all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The engine has been breathed on, however, to produce 328bhp and 310lb ft of torque – up from 305 and 295 respectively in the old car, and conveniently identical figures to the now-discontinued Golf R 20 Years (further reinforcing our suspicion that the updated R may well carry over those figures).

The uprated engine means the 0-62 time drops from 4.8 to 4.7 seconds. Top speed remains an electronically-limited 155mph. The turbocharger is now kept spinning at a constant RPM when the engine is under a lighter load to reduce lag when you press the fast pedal. Audi also says the gearbox’s shift times have been halved when under full load.

It’s the chassis where the big changes have been made, though. The S3 now features the torque splitter system featured on the RS3, which can alter torque distribution between the axles and actively shuffle it between the rear wheels during cornering.

There’s a new Dynamic Plus drive mode which sends as much power as possible to the rear axle, resulting in what Audi calls “a tendency to oversteer.” Steady on. In Dynamic Plus, the engine also idles at 1300 RPM for harder, faster launches. An updated stability control system should progressively loosen its grip on the car as you work up through the drive modes.

A tweaked front axle has more than doubled negative camber at the front for more aggressive turn-in. The S3 now comes as standard with dynamic steering, featuring an angle-dependent ratio, and Audi also says it’s overhauled the steering characteristics for more feel and feedback.

Brakes and tyres have been given a rework too, with enlarged 357x34mm steel brake discs and twin-piston calipers on the front, and the option of a new Falken tyre that Audi calls “particularly sporty.” Really letting their hair down, eh?

All in all, the tweaks sound like they should make the S3 a more convincing driver’s choice. We know from these images that it’ll remain available as both a saloon and a five-door Sportback, but not exactly what it’ll look like. Don’t expect a dramatic change from the pre-facelift car.

A full reveal, along with UK pricing, should follow soon. The one remaining question is whether the five-cylinder RS3 will return. The S3’s bigger sibling was quietly dropped from the UK at the beginning of last year so Audi could fulfil existing demand, and there’s been no word yet on a comeback. We certainly hope it happens, but if not, the new S3 could be a decent substitute.