| A Week at the Wheel | Cambs, England | Audi S3 |

Inside & Out:

Audi is a master of subtle aggression, its S and RS cars are muscular, but restrained and the judgement of balance between brash and class is nearly always perfect. Our S3 test car's balance was somewhat upset by the bright orange paintwork - not a choice for those who like to go about their business without standing out - but more sensible hues suit the German's character better. Other than the colour and discrete badging, the S3 is differentiated by a new front grille, an array of spoilers, the trademark silver wing mirrors and individual wheel design concealing some bespoke brake callipers.

The A3's interior is beginning to feel its age, but it's a reflection of how good it was at launch that now, some years on, it is still competitive. Audi itself would probably admit that it has made even more progress of late in terms of switchgear, interfaces and materials and no doubt the new A3 will be graced with such improvements. However, the S3's interior still trumps anything else in the class (as it should at the price) and the sporting features such as the wheel and seats are fine additions to a solid cabin.

Engine & Transmission:

Audi has worked wonders here pushing the evergreen 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine up to some serious outputs until recently only associated with cars such as Subaru Imprezas and Lancer Evolutions, whilst also managing to retain the flexibility associated with quick Audis. The headline figures of 261bhp, 0-60mph in less than six seconds and, perhaps more tellingly a reflection of pace, a 0-100mph time of less than 14 seconds are, again, numbers akin to those of previous generation fast Imprezas.

The S3's engine is obviously quite heavily boosted, but its manners don't suffer and it is tractable and fuss free at all revs - anything more than 2,500rpm sees the engine giving its best and in-gear performance is as impressive as the all out acceleration figures suggest. The well judged gear ratios are accessed via a six-speed 'box that’s shift action is slick, smooth and precise and the pedals are well placed for heel-and-toe shifts.

Ride & Handling:

Audi fits its familiar Haldex-equipped quattro transmission to the S3 and it uses it to devastating effect to deploy its not insignificant punch. Traction is never an issue, regardless of conditions and the grip levels are very high courtesy of large wheels fitted with fat sticky rubber on each corner. The wisdom of fitting quattro four-wheel drive is clearly evident in comparison to similarly powerful foes such as the Mazda3 MPS, as the power is not allowed to corrupt the direction of intended travel.

In a departure from the norm, the Audi S3 also has a respectable ride quality and the compromise between ride and handling is very good. The only criticism would be the feeling of detachment from the action. The S3 is perhaps slightly more traditional Audi in that it goes like stink but doesn't offer much engagement. Audi has made big inroads in this department in recent times; the RS4 and new RS6 bear evidence to such effect but if, like us, you think hot hatches should be involving and hair raising then the cold and calculated approach to ground coverage exhibited by the S3 may leave you equally cold; adrenaline junkies should look towards a Renaultsport Mégane or Civic Type R for more driver focused thrills.

Equipment, Economy & Value for Money:

In the harsh light of day it's hard to justify the price premium between the S3 and rivals such as the Ford Focus ST which, at a saving of around £10k, represents a significant wedge of cash. One has to apply a more holistic approach to running costs to put the value into context: for example, the depreciation of the S3 is likely to be less. The overall relative value will, as ever, come down to personal conceptions of value and priorities. Equipment levels are generous, but some of the extras are a little expensive.

Overall:

It's hard to fault the Audi S3 as a package. Audi has managed to combine hot Impreza style cross-country capabilities with its trademark quality and image. It is a premium product in terms of a hot hatch, but it is also at the peak of the genus to justify the price tag. Only more driver involvement would improve things further, though perhaps the new version will include that. If it does, the S3 will be very hard to beat indeed.