Hitting roads of Fife and Highland Perthshire in 328bhp Audi S3

The Audi S3 is an immensely fast small saloon that looks great and is an excellent all-rounder.

Put the foot down and it will hurtle you towards the horizon.

Take it easy and it’s a relaxed enough cruiser to be ideal for long-distance drives.

Audi refreshed the S3 earlier this year, giving it an extra 22bhp and making gear changes twice as fast.

The Audi S3 beside the home of golf — The Audi S3 has 328bhp. Image: Jack McKeown.

Prices start at £44,445 and the top-spec Vorsprung model I tested costs around £51,000.

The S3 is available as a hatchback or in the saloon format I drove.

Heading to Fife in Audi S3

One of the first things I did was head to Fife to try the S3 on some of the country roads I grew up around.

With 328bhp on offer, it is incredibly fast. Even at low revs the car surges forward effortlessly.

Zero to 62mph takes 4.7 seconds, according to Audi, and in the real world it feels even faster.

Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

our motoring writer beside the Old Course with the new Audi S3 — On the Old Course with the new Audi S3. Image: Jack McKeown.

The updated S3 now has a rear torque splitter differential, which can vary how much power goes to the rear axle and to individual rear wheels.

What that means is the four-wheel drive S3 is able to perform like a traditional rear-wheel drive car, with the back end sliding out under hard enough acceleration or cornering.

There are six different drive modes, some of which push the extra power to the outside wheels to make the car more entertaining to drive, while others direct it to the inside wheels to improve safety in slippery conditions.

The Audi S3 does 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds. Image: Jack McKeown.

I’m neither brave nor talented enough to go drifting around Fife in a high-powered Audi but I can confirm it has more power and grip than anyone could make use of on a public road.

It looks great, too, although the ‘python yellow’ colour my test car came in is an acquired taste.

During a beautiful sunset some golfers were kind enough to pause their game to allow me to take a few pics of the car with the R&A as a backdrop.

Touring Highland Perthshire

Later in the week I drove to Highland Perthshire to meet an old friend for a hike. This is where the car’s other persona came into its own.

Many hot hatches – the Honda Civic Type R is a good example – are thrilling to drive but harsh and unforgiving if you just want to travel sedately.

The interior is classy and understated. Image: Audi.

Not so the S3. At 60mph on the A9 it sat very peaceably for an hour. Very little engine or tyre noise made its way into the cabin. The suspension wasn’t too harsh.

The seats were comfortable. Apart from the fuel gauge diminishing more quickly there was very little to tell the S3 apart from its more economical counterparts in the A3 range.

the car seen from the rear, with the golf course in the background — Twin tailpipes differentiate the S3 from other A3s. Image: Jack McKeown.

Audis have always had nice interiors and the S3 is no exception. The cabin is understated and tasteful.

There are physical buttons for the heating and fan systems, which makes them infinitely easier to use than the touchscreen controls many car makers insist on.

The S3 was updated earlier this year. Image: Jack McKeown.

A 10.1in screen isn’t as big as in some rivals but it’s clear and easy to use. There’s a clever parking assist feature that will identify a suitable space and drive you into it.

The leather seats are comfortable for long journeys while offering enough support to keep you in them even during hard cornering. And the car’s Sonos speakers are excellent.

Lots of standard kit with Audi S3

Standard equipment includes three-zone climate control, leather upholstery and heated front seats, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, and a snazzy body kit to set it apart from lesser Audi A3s.

The top sped Vorsprung model I was in added adaptive dampers for a more comfortable ride, matrix LED headlights, a panoramic roof, powered tailgate, electric front seats and a 360 degree parking camera.

The S3 is a fine-looking car. Image: Jack McKeown.

New ambient lighting emits a soft glow and makes the car a pleasant place to be after dark.

The updated S3 has new LED headlights that offer loads of brightness, and the matrix LED headlights my top-spec car came with automatically adjust their output so you can keep them on full beam without dazzling other road users.

While there’s plenty of room in the front, space in the back is about average for this size of car.

Children and smaller adults will be fine but anyone over six foot won’t want to be in there for hours.

Boot space in the Audi S3 is reasonable and the rear seats split 40/20/40. — Boot space is reasonable and the rear seats split 40/20/40. Image: Audi.

The 325-litre boot is a decent size and splits 40/20/40 meaning you can slide your skis up the middle for a day at Glenshee.

I really enjoyed my week with the Audi S3. It’s a thrilling car to drive, with superb levels of acceleration and grip. Dial the performance back a little and it turns into a comfortable saloon you could easily road trip coast-to-coast in.