A3, S3 Keep Audi Out in Front

DURHAM, NC – Audi makes a number of fine, innovative automobiles. But in virtually every segment, the brand from Ingolstadt is overrun by its larger German rivals, Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

The Audi A4, A6, A8 sedans and Q3 and Q7 CUVs finished model-year ’16 well behind their respective Mercedes and BMW competitors, according to WardsAuto data. The TT handily outsold the BMW Z4 but trailed the Mercedes SLK slightly.

But there’s one sector Audi rules – compact luxury cars – and it’s holding fast to the reins like a jockey about to win the Kentucky Derby.

In MY ’16, Audi sold 33,875 A3 sedans and convertibles (including about 4,000 high-output S3 sedans), trouncing the BMW 2-Series (nearly 2-to-1), Acura ILX and Buick Regal. No.2 among these entry-luxury cars was the Mercedes CLA, with 25,941 units.

As MY ’17 begins, Audi doesn’t want to break stride. The first-generation A3/S3 sedans have been available in the U.S. since 2014 – alongside the A3 convertible – and now they’re being refreshed to keep the momentum going.

Plus, Audi is looking to extend its lead by diversifying the lineup with the A3 e-tron Sportback plug-in hybrid (2,998 units sold in the U.S. since December) and next year’s 400-hp RS3 thoroughbred racer.

Exterior styling of the refreshed ’17 A3 and S3 has been lightly retouched to give both models a more aggressive appearance, with an all-new front fascia and grille and redesigned bumpers, headlamps, taillamps and wheels. LED headlamps now are optional on the A3 and standard on S3.

Inside, the ’17 A3 and S3 are the latest in the stable to integrate the groundbreaking Virtual Cockpit, a 12.3-in. (312-mm) gauge cluster included in the Technology and Prestige trim packages that can be reconfigured easily to include navigation, entertainment, phone and vehicle information.

Delivering vibrant color at a rate of 60 frames per second, the Virtual Cockpit figured prominently this year in a Wards 10 Best Interiors award for the Audi TTS and a Wards 10 Best User Experiences win for the Audi Q7.

For the first time, the A3 (equipped with navigation) also becomes a Wi-Fi hotspot, thanks to 4G-LTE connectivity through a smartphone.

High wing-back Super Sport Nappa leather front saddles with integrated head restraints, diamond stitching, bigger bolsters and extendable thigh support are option priced at $1,450.

The ’17 model includes an expanded suite of driver-assistance systems, such as high-beam shutoff at night when oncoming traffic is detected, camera-based active lane assist, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control (standard on Prestige), available blindspot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.

Now standard are radar-based forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, which preps the brakes for quicker response, if necessary. Also standard is “pre sense basic,” which readies the vehicle for an impending collision by closing windows and sunroof and pretensioning seatbelts.

Under the hood, Audi puts out to pasture the 1.8L turbocharged gasoline 4-cyl. and replaces it with a new 186-hp 2.0L TFSI turbo-4 as the base powerplant in front-wheel-drive models, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. All-wheel-drive A3s continue to use a 220-hp 2.0L turbo-4 paired with a 6-speed DCT.

Stepping up to the S3, the high-output 292-hp 2.0L turbo-4 carries over from the previous model. A lap timer and boost gauge also is standard with the S3. Maximum boost is 17.4 psi (1.2 bar). A manual transmission in the S3 is available in Europe, but only a 6-speed DCT is offered in the U.S. Audi says this willing pony can sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.7 seconds. Both A3 and S3 engines, transversely mounted, run on premium fuel.

Quattro AWD is standard in the S3. The hardware carries over from the previous model, but new software allows quattro to send more power to the rear haunches in Dynamic mode, even in an oversteer situation.

Intelligent enough to know exactly where the torque is needed on the road, based on vehicle speed and steering inputs, the system constantly monitors and adjusts the torque split from front to rear, and it never channels all the torque only to the front wheels.

Other modes available from the Drive Select button on the instrument panel are Comfort, Auto and Individual, depending on one’s mood.

Torque vectoring uses targeted computer-controlled braking inputs to apportion torque from side to side, to keep the S3 going in the intended direction. The variable-ratio steering system feels progressive, delivering quick turn-in when approaching a corner, then settling down.

In the rolling hills south and west of here, the S3 is perfectly at home carving up the open back roads, staying well planted along the way and exhibiting a reasonably sporty exhaust note.

It’s enormously fun to drive, until coming upon a long line of cars behind a puttering gravel hauler. Switch to comfort mode and everything quiets down while you wait for the road to open up.

Assembled in Gyor, Hungary, the S3 tested here carries a sticker price of $51,725, including a $950 destination charge, $3,000 technology package, $950 Bang & Olufsen sound system, $400 red brake calipers (front and rear) and $1,500 dynamic package with 19-in. wheels and adaptive magnetic ride control.

But a customer who doesn’t need so many bells and whistles can get out the door for as little as $31,200 – the base price for a less-rambunctious A3.

The entire A3 lineup is vital to Audi’s growth strategy because 75% of customers are new to the Audi stable, having stepped up from mainstream brands.

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'17 Audi S3 Specifications