The Chief

Ok expert advice sought.

A3 2.0 T FSI's Quattro can be had for 16k+ now, these in standard form push out 197bhp, a simple remap and Miltek exhaust sees this climb to 250bhp, now this is almost S3 territory.

With an S-Line kit and some nice wheels it could almost be an S3.

mechanically what are the differences? does the new S3 carry a bigger turbo? bigger intercooler? what else?

Anyone gone down this route?

Just being nosey thats all


It seems a cheap route to S3 looks and performance instead of spending 30k+

GrahamG

Que... Audilover.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Just do it!

AudiLover

Dynamically you will have difficulties matching the S3, power wise if you swap the turbo it wont be too much of a problem to match the S3.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Would that be from your "experience"? Just had one for 4 days....nice, but no Scooby. No BS.

The Chief

You dont need to swap the turbo - you can get around 270-275 on this unit although this will cost 2k.

AudiLover

Yes thats true I didnt think about that, I was just gonna suggest him going for the same turbo that the S3 has.

I can post a technical spec for the S3 so you can see what it has over the standard 2.0T is you wish.

The Chief

Fill ya boots lad

stilover

Don't encourage him for christ sake

AudiLover

The power plant of the S3 delivers all that is expected of a powerful sports engine, and does it supremely well. The 2.0 TFSI, which combines direct injection and turbocharger technology, delivers 195 kW (265 bhp) at 6,000 rpm. And at just 2,500 rpm it already musters up an impressive 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque (ed note: the exact torque limit of the transmission) – this pulling power remains constant up to 5,000 rpm. In the combined driving cycle the 2.0 TFSI displays another welcome character trait, consuming just 9.1 litres of fuel over 100 km – further proof of the forward-looking efficiency of TFSI technology developed by Audi.

Compared with the A3, this engine is an advanced version which has undergone fundamental changes. The new turbocharger with its enlarged turbine and compressor rotor generates 1.2 bar of boost pressure – an unusually high figure. A modified intercooler significantly lowers the temperature of the compressed air, thus increasing the air mass necessary for combustion.

Pistons with stronger pins and strengthened connecting rods with new bearings transmit the powerful forces to the crankshaft. The cylinder block has been stiffened up and the head is made of a new, highly heat-resistant alloy. The exhaust camshaft timing has been adjusted to accommodate the increased power output. High-pressure injectors with an enlarged cross-section squirt the fuel straight into the combustion chamber.



For all its progressive technology, the high-performance turbo engine tips the scales at just 152 kilograms, less than comparable engines of direct competitors – with a positive impact on the axle load distribution.

To go with its sporty nature and firm handling, the new Audi S3 has a six-speed, close-ratio manual gearbox. Gearshift travel has been reduced for the S3, permitting even sportier and more precise gear changes. As is the case for all
Audi S models, the new S3 drives all four wheels by means of quattro permanent four-wheel drive. An electronically controlled hydraulic multi-plate clutch, positioned at the rear for the benefit of weight balance, distributes the torque as needed – delivering plenty of grip and maximum driving safety. All the drivetrain components have been strengthened to cope with the high level of engine torque.

Handling: lightning-fast reactions

In terms of handling, the Audi S3 exhibits all the qualities of a high-performance sports car; it responds immediately to steering movements and achieves high cornering speeds. The innately sophisticated suspension of the A3 – with subframes front and rear, triangulated lower wishbones at the front and four-link suspension at the rear – has been further refined.

The springs and shock absorbers have been given firmer ratings, with the result that the S3 sits 25 millimetres lower than an A3 with standard suspension. The pivot bearings and wishbones made from aluminium reduce the unsprung weight, further enhancing dynamic response and comfort. Stiffer suspension mounts and a sportier characteristic for the electromechanical steering provide even greater precision.

18-inch alloy wheels and 225/40 tyres ensure firm adhesion to the road surface. A 17-inch brake system with sports brake pads guarantees optimum deceleration; the black painted callipers bear the S3 logo at the front.

The extras also include a leather steering wheel with flat-bottomed rim and – in the quattro GmbH range – folding bucket seats. In the infotainment area, Audi is presenting a new generation of audio systems. The premium package is rounded off by universal interfaces for mobile phone and iPod, plus a sound system from Bose with eight high-performance speakers. Standard equipment includes deluxe automatic air conditioning, a driver information system with a new lap-timer function, and an anti-theft alarm. Front fog lights and xenon plus headlights with daytime running lights also underline the impressive price/performance ratio. The starting price of the 265 bhp Audi S3 in Germany is EUR 35,150.

At a glance: The new Audi S3

- Compact dimensions: L 4.21 m, W 1.77 m, H 1.40 m, wheelbase 2.58 m
- Dynamic body details such as roof spoiler and diffuser
- Sports car calibre performance: 0 – 100 km/h in 5.7 s, top speed 250 km/h (governed)
- Powerful turbo engine with direct injection: 195 kW (265 bhp), 350 Nm
- Extensive reinforcements on the engine and transmission
- Low-geared six-speed gearbox
- Outstanding traction thanks to quattro four-wheel drive

- Firmer suspension settings, ride height 25 mm lower
- Lightweight aluminium components on the front axle
- 18-inch alloy wheels of S design
- High-performance brake system with sports brake pads
- Sportily configured, precise electromechanical steering

- Xenon plus headlights and daytime running lights as standard
- Deluxe automatic air conditioning as standard
- Sports seats at front as standard
- Specially designed S instrument cluster
- Leather sports steering wheel, 3-spoke design, with flat-bottomed rim (optional)
- Latest-generation audio systems (optional)
- Sound system from Bose (optional)
- Navigation systems with MMI operating logic (optional)

Double victory: twice "Engine of the Year"

The technology that has caused a sensation in the stiffest challenges in the world is likewise proving a success in production use. A jury of international trade journalists voted the two-litre TFSI engine their "Engine of the Year" on two successive occasions, in 2005 and 2006, in recognition of its innovative technological package.

An FSI engine uses fuel more efficiently than a conventional indirect injection engine. It generates more power on lower fuel consumption when operating at part loads – another typical example of "Vorsprung durch Technik" from Audi.

In the FSI engine, the fuel is injected at a pressure of up to 110 bar into the combustion chambers, where a homogeneous fuel-air mixture of lambda = 1 (one part fuel to 14.7 parts air) is formed. Flaps in the intake tract, which also features a two-stage variable intake manifold, induce a rolling type of movement in the incoming air. The injectors atomise the fuel into this "tumble" inside the combustion chambers.

During direct injection, as the fuel evaporates it extracts heat from the combustion chambers. This effect solves the fundamental problem encountered in conventional turbocharged engines – the high amount of heat generated, and the engine's resulting tendency to knock, which normally necessitates a reduced compression ratio.

On the TFSI, Audi's engineers achieved a compression ratio of 9.8:1 – an extremely impressive figure for a turbocharged engine. This substantially improves the engine's thermodynamic efficiency. The intake camshaft, which can be adjusted continuously through 42 degrees crankshaft angle, contributes towards optimum cylinder charging. Two balancing shafts rotating at twice the crankshaft speed compensate for the second-order mass forces.

Fundamentally stronger: the engine block

Compared with its starting version with an output of 147 kW (200 bhp), the 195 kW (265 bhp) engine of the S3 fundamentally represents another evolutionary leap. Pistons with stronger pins and new rings as well as reinforced connecting rods with new bearings transmit the powerful forces to the crankshaft. The cylinder block has been reinforced at the main-bearing pedestals and the main-bearing cap.

The cylinder head consists of a new, extra-lightweight aluminium-silicon alloy that exhibits high temperature resistance and strength.

The exhaust camshaft timing and the high-pressure injectors with increased cross-section have been adjusted to accommodate the increased power output.

The new turbocharger has a larger turbine and compression rotor than the basic unit. Its cast steel casing – produced as a single piece including the manifold – withstands exhaust gas temperatures of up to 1,050 degrees. The turbocharger generates a boost pressure of 1.2 bar instead of 0.9 bar on the starting version.

The intercooler: 850 kg of air per hour

An intercooler drastically lowers the temperature of the compressed air, thus increasing the amount of air that is necessary for combustion. Both its housing and the mesh through which the air passes are made from aluminium; the depth of the mesh has been increased, resulting in considerably greater efficiency. The intercooler is capable of an air throughput of up to 850 kilograms per hour or, put another way, over 650,000 litres of air.

The new high-performance turbo engine tips the scales at only 152 kilograms, significantly less than comparable engines from direct competitors – with a positive impact on the axle load distribution and therefore on handling characteristics. With its compact dimensions – it is just 652 mm long, 648 mm wide and 666 mm high – the TFSI is ideal for transverse installation.

Whatever tasks the driver wishes the engine to perform, the powerful TFSI accomplishes them with ease, thanks to its 195 kW (265 bhp) at 6,000 rpm. As a high-performance sports engine, it revs up effortlessly, responds intrinsically well to the throttle and produces strikingly sonorous acoustics. The four-valve engine with undersquare configuration is simultaneously impressive for its powerful traction. It puts 350 Nm of torque onto the crankshaft even at engine speeds as low as 2,500 rpm, and is able to maintain this high level of torque up to 5,000 rpm.

Road performance: power and efficiency

The 2.0 TFSI accelerates the new Audi S3 from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds, then on to a governed top speed of 250 km/h. Over the standard driving cycle it consumes just 9.1 litres of fuel over 100 km – further proof of the forward-looking efficiency of TFSI technology developed by Audi.

Like the predecessor model, the new S3 is equipped with a closely spaced six-speed gearbox. Three-shaft technology and the weight-saving magnesium casing mean that it is compact and light – entirely in keeping with its decidedly sporty overall configuration. The gears and shafts have been reinforced with an eye to the higher torques to be transmitted, and gearshift travel is now shorter; gear changes are accomplished swiftly and with ease, along the precise gate.

In common with all other S models, the new S3 has four driven wheels – an advantage that its direct competitors cannot match. The nerve-centre of the quattro drive technology that was developed specifically for transverse engines is an electronically controlled, hydraulically actuated multi-plate clutch: this is where the engine's power joins forces with the transmission's intelligence.

This clutch is located at the end of the propshaft, in front of the rear axle differential – the installed position at the rear improves the axle load distribution. A package of plates running in an oil bath within the clutch housing can be pressed together by controlled hydraulic power. The higher the pressure becomes, the more drive torque is diverted continuously to the rear axle.

The hydraulic multi-plate clutch: a pressing matter

The design, with a separate oil supply and two axial piston pumps for a rapid pressure buildup, permits lightning-fast reactions when the driving conditions change – the clutch's control unit constantly analyses the situation on the basis of a wide range of data.

Depending on the degree of slip between the front and rear axles, an oil pressure that squeezes together the package of plates builds up. At its extreme, as much as 100 percent of the drive torque is diverted to just one set of wheels. The superimposed electronics are able to regulate the oil pressure and therefore the torque distribution as dictated by the situation.

This equips the Audi S3 with maximum traction and slip-free acceleration from the moment it starts to move. It also provides ample reserves for the transmission of cornering forces – S3 drivers consequently know they will benefit from optimum safety and lots of driving fun whatever the conditions. From the clutch to the wheel bearings, the drivetrain has been reinforced in every critical area, thus enabling it to transmit the engine's high propulsive power with confident ease.

AudiLover

CHASSIS

The premium compact A3 already features a very mature chassis design, all components of which have undergone some decisive improvements compared with the previous model. The engineers have refined it even further for use in the top sports model – the S sports suspension exhibits the qualities that one would expect of a sports car.

The springs and dampers are correspondingly firmer, in line with the car's ultra-sporty character, and the body is slung 25 mm lower. At 1,522 mm at the front and 1,506 mm at the rear, the new S3 now has a wider track. Imposing 18-inch wheels made from cast aluminium with size 225/40 tyres are standard. quattro GmbH can supply special designs of 18-inch wheels on request.

The front axle: even more lightweight aluminium components

The front suspension uses a classic design principle – a McPherson structure with spring struts, triangular lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar. The aluminium subframe is bolted to the longitudinal member, keeping the forward structure very rigid. The wishbone consoles are equally of aluminium. On the S3, the pivot bearing and the triangulated wishbone are likewise made from aluminium – this optimises the weight distribution between the two axles and benefits the unsprung weights, which are important for the handling characteristics and ride comfort.

The front-axle bearings have been uprated compared with the A3, for an even more spontaneous steering response and even more precise handling. The electromechanical steering familiar from the A3 has been matched to the S sports suspension, with the result that it gives the driver optimum feedback from the road in every situation. It remains largely unsusceptible to feedback from the drivetrain.

Unlike a hydraulic assembly, it only uses energy whenever the steering is actually being turned. The S3 reacts to all steering commands with high precision and spontaneity. The self-steering behaviour is neutral right up to the very high handling limit, which signals itself to the driver through slight understeering.

The rear axle: three wishbones and one trailing link.

The rear axle, notable for its excellent handling from the A3, has remained unchanged in terms of its basic components; its springs and dampers have been adjusted to settings typical of a sports car. The four-link structure comprises two lower wishbones, one upper wishbone and one trailing link. All links are made from high-strength steel grades.

The three wishbones are connected to the aluminium subframe by means of relatively rigid mounts, in the interests of optimum directional stability; the subframe, which also supports the anti-roll bar and the quattro final drive, is bolted to the floor assembly.

The coil springs and gas-filled shock absorbers are arranged separately, permitting a larger through-loading width in the luggage compartment.

Benefit: soft longitudinal response

The elaborate structure combines a whole raft of advantages. It is lightweight and compact, and can absorb the longitudinal and lateral forces acting on it independently. The advantage of this is that each bearing can be tuned precisely depending on its function. On the one hand, the engineers have achieved a very high degree of transverse rigidity for optimum driving dynamics, while on the other hand the trailing links are set up soft enough to provide outstanding ride comfort.

The brake system is closely in tune with the talents of the Audi S3. Four large-dimension, ventilated disc brakes provide safe, dependable deceleration. The front discs measure no less than 345 mm in diameter. The black-painted callipers, sporting the S3 emblem, house sports brake pads that combine high performance with incisive response.

The brake management: ESP and EDL

A brake assist system that automatically builds up full pressure in the system in emergency situations is part of the standard specification, as is the ESP electronic stabilisation program. It integrates such features as the electronic differential lock EDL, which applies the brakes to enhance traction when accelerating whenever the grip beneath the wheels is inconsistent. ESP intervenes subtly and precisely. If the driver presses the brakes hard, he experiences the pedal as direct, taut and progressive, with short free travel.

Janspeed

iTrader: (1)

Wow!! So much AudiDribble!!!!

andythejock01wrx

Alternatively, just go to the Audi website for their official advertising.