There is no denying the S3 is a very quick car, whether you opt for the manual or the S-Tronic twin clutch gearbox. The latter is slightly more impressive - as we have come to expect from Audi. It offers performance on par with bigger more powerful saloons, with the S-Tronic car managing 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds.
In the manual, progress is slightly trickier – A rubbery feel to the gearshift and a bit of imprecision in the clutch makes smooth, fast changes difficult to achieve. As a result the 0-62mph sprint is slightly slower but still brisk at 5.3 seconds.
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Top speed is electronically-limited to 155mph and is within easy reach. On the road, all those figures feel achievable. The compact Audi has mighty traction whether dry or wet and the S3 pulls strongly from 2000rpm right up to the red line
