Taking a car for a test drive is one of the best things a man (or woman) can do. You can get all those childhood imaginations going and enjoy a fun and involving drive for a few hours.

Remember your first bike? What a thrill, being given your first mechanical machine that can be ridden fast and in your control. Like that first ride is Audi’s S3 S-Tronic. Fast, exciting and yes – your own. Ownership of an Audi (especially the S3 S-Tronic) is a status statement really, and it means that you are prepared to go for something a little more distinguished and refined. Certainly, the gorgeous 18-inch alloys provide a sporty impression right from the word go. A compact racy body, two chrome oval-shaped exhaust pipes, single-frame grille, redesigned Xenon Plus headlamps and a large front air dam with special airflow induction foils create a visual mark of the potency that lies within.

The Audi S3 S-Tronic has a sporty flavour that few rivals can match. It’s in the way the car handles, and in the way she goes. Under the sculptured bonnet lines is a very powerful 2.0 litre TFSI engine that can unleash a mighty 195 kW of intimidating power. This is a hot hatch and, like your first bike, beckons to be ridden hard. The exciting combination of fast acceleration and responsive handling allow the Audi S3 S-Tronic to take on corners at high speed and race up hills with full power applied. An S Sports suspension package boasts the legendary quattro permanent all-wheel drive giving you that edge over any competition.

Though unwanted, very few boys an girls who ride their bikes fast and furious ever avoid scratches to the knees or the odd bump. Audi have ensured that even if the worst happens, the Audi S3 S-Tronic comes with all the latest safety features: quattro permanent all-wheel drive makes available the power across all four wheels when and where it’s needed. It provides exceptional grip for sporty cornering and excellent roadholding. High traction under hard acceleration gives the driver full control of the road ahead. The impressive brake system shortens braking distances remarkable well. Of course, the ABS and ESP systems provide premium control even in emergency stops. Audi has also equipped the Audi S3 S-Tronic with Anti Slip Regulation (ASR). ASR cuts the power to any wheel that has lost traction, so the S3 continues to accelerate safely while keeping you on the road. In the event of a side impact, side airbags will activate to help prevent occupant injury. The side airbag covers the entire front and rear side-window including the A-post area.

So what does the S-Tronic bit mean? A fair question. If you are anything like me, you probably like the look of the car and enjoy the driving experience alone. However for those who like to know what bits and pieces do, knowledge of some of the interesting gadgets makes things a little more interesting. The Audi S3 S-Tronic is equipped with essentially two separate manual gearboxes (and clutches), contained within one housing, and working as one unit. The advantages are very fast gears changes and improved fuel economy over more conventional automatic gearboxes.

Packed with luxury items and electronic gadgetry, the Audi S3 S-Tronic will keep the man with the young heart entranced for a lifetime.

The current model series includes the:

• Audi S3 S-Tronic Quattro
• Audi S3 S-Tronic Quattro Sportback

For any more information on the Audi S3 S-Tronic, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!) we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Audi dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!

Back to Audi Car Reviews