Audi RS3 (8P) Sportback 2011-2012

[Ferrer]

Great car!

[henk4]

Great car!

bloody fanboy...

[Ferrer]

No but, it is, really. It's got more of everything. 5 cylinders, 4 wheels drives, 7 gears, two clutches, more silvery bits than a Lady Gaga's dress...

Everyone knows that moarer is always betterer.

[Duell]

Thank you very much, henk4

Just replaced the posted pics with some in even higher res and rearranged the order.

Maybe I should stop writing my own texts into the introduction of new threads and use real press releases in order not to cause such confusion?

Hi Yeahone, I really thought it was the official press release
No problem with your comparison, but if Audi would to make such a comparison I would find that a bit strange.

Maybe it's advisable to let people know when it's a official press release and when not. I do like it when some extra info on the car is shared with the high res photo's.

But there is no real guideline here for posting beside that the pictures should be bigger then 1024*768.

[Man of Steel]

@Duell: I know it sounds a little sarcastic but it is a strange feeling too post pics into threads where none replies

Hi Yeahone,

To a certain extent I get the point. You are posting dozens of pictures in a thread, resizing them plus you add your own write-up. Without a reply, this may give you the feeling that no one appreciates the post. But I can tell you that is not true, as I like your posts as well.

For myself, admitted, when I post pictures of older vehicles (on which I don't add text though) it is always a pleasure reading that the pictures are appreciated. People don't realise that collecting them from different sources can take ages. Then sharing your complete 'collection' on that particular model in a few minutes without a reply may feel like no one cares, while a lot of effort was actually put in before people were even able to see them.

On the other hand, people are spoiled with car pic's these days, with high res pic's found all over the web. High res pic's are not unique anymore like 10 years ago. So I guess it would be a bit strange if a reply would be needed on each post in the Hide Out to be assured it is appreciated. Even while posting plain pic's without a reply being send, you can see the pictures are viewed multiple times. So it is not that they were posted for 'nothing'.

Often posting the pictures only already fires up discussions, especially on new cars. Personally, I would like to see more pictures of classic vehicles instead of all the modern stuff. It is quiet on that subject in the Hide Out, the big posters from the last few years are also not around. Oh well. On the other hand I myself seldom post pictures anymore, because of lack of time/other occupations (yes I seem to have those actually).

To mod's:

Who is taking care of the Hide Out anyway lately? The index needs updating and indeed response time to change thread title or delete a double thread is not as fast anymore. Please take this as a positive request.

[Chernaudi]

And a final point on new vs old. In a standing drag race, the older cars will often win because they're lighter (less saftey equipment than now), and sometimes will make more power (lack of emissions equipment).

However, put the same cars on a race track with corners, the newer car will almost always win because of better handling, grip and brakes. Such test are interesting, but a trifle pointless for relevance. For another example, EVO Magazine tested a Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst vs a Lotus-tuned Vauxhall Carlton. 20 years separated the cars, and the Carlton had a drag limited top speed of 176mph, while the Bathurst had a governed top speed of 155mph (considering that the normal VXR8 had a top speed of 180 without the governer, the Bathurst edition probably would have a top speed of close to, it not over, 200mph) But the VXR8 was much faster around the test track that was used. 20 years to techincal development allowed the air-bag equipped, beefy chassied, but race inspired (remember, the VXR8 was a Vauxhall badged HSV R8 version of the Holden Commodore), VXR8 to go faster, due to the stiffer chassis, better brakes and suspension, and better tires.

But then again, Group C cars driven by gentleman drivers have gone faster than in their hayday due to improved tires. But the gap between newer road cars and older ones is this--they can go just as fast, if not faster, and you'll be safer doing it, not that auto makers and OEMs endorse doing so, espeically on public roads.

Hence, the Audi RS3 might be one of the world's fastest (and most expensive!) hot hatchbacks, but has that 155mph governer to appease the German Green Party and to comply with the gentelman's agreement that Audi has with Mercedes-Benz and BMW due to that. In otherwords, unless it's an R8 or a tuned Audi, BMW or M-B, or you pay AMG a couple of grand to have a 186mph governer installed on your AMG Merc, it's hard to say whether the new or old German cars are really significantly faster unless you put them somewhere where the 155 governer is irrelevant, ie a race track.

[Ferrer]

Hence, the Audi RS3 might be one of the world's fastest (and most expensive!) hot hatchbacks, but has that 155mph governer to appease the German Green Party and to comply with the gentelman's agreement that Audi has with Mercedes-Benz and BMW due to that. In otherwords, unless it's an R8 or a tuned Audi, BMW or M-B, or you pay AMG a couple of grand to have a 186mph governer installed on your AMG Merc, it's hard to say whether the new or old German cars are really significantly faster unless you put them somewhere where the 155 governer is irrelevant, ie a race track.

Unless you are driving an Opel, that is.

[Chernaudi]

From what I read, the Vectra OPC/VXR, at least the UK version, tops out at a drag-limited 150+mph. The Insignia OPC/VXR will easlily top 170, if not for it's 155 governer.

As for the RS3, the only cars roughly in it's class include the Golf GTI, which has a drag lmited top speed of 147mph, and maybe the Astra OPC/VXR. However, the Audi RS3's speed and 340hp comes at a price, about 47,000 Euros in Germany, if not more.

[pimento]

I believe I recall the later Vectra VXR being stated to be 160mph.. Clarkson going on about how it was the fastest 4-door saloon on sale at that point. Or something.

[Ferrer]

The Vectra had indeed an official drag-limited speed of 160mph, making it one of the fastest saloons on sale back then.

And if it's speed you are interested in, the Focus RS soundly thrashes this. The standard car has a 163mph top speed and the 500 can do 165mph. And they cost 25 and 43 grand respectively.

[Yeahone]

Hi Man of Steel,

you said pretty much what I was trying to explain. It is hard to know what people appreciate and what not. Like everyone who had to do with the Hideout will know there are a lot picture collectors who find this forum, register and try to get as many quality shots as possible. I would say I belonged to this kind of "lurker" before.
Than I realised that I am able to contribute and give a little of my collection to this forum, talk about cars with other enthusiasts (I live only about 5 kilometers away from the Volkswagen factory and you can imagine which brand the people here prefer ) and also which effort it takes to make the so called "quality posts"
Maybe I sounded a little too sensitive in post #2.

@Chernaudi: An EVO article, interesting. I remember an episode of fith gear where Vicki Butler-Henderson testet a Lotus Carlton (Omega called in Germany) against a Vauxhall VXR8 and judging from the smile on her face the Lotus caused a lot more fun even though the modern Holden Commodore-based car was faster on the track...

Also I have to say that Audi belongs to my favorite brands (even though I like almost all so called performance cars) mainly because of their clear and just matching design with fluent body lines and large clean surfaces.
Since the (B8) A4/S4 Audi has changed its style a little bit too much into the direction of Munich (long hood, big gap between front wheel arch and doorline on the sideprofile , classic door-handles and falcon-eyed headlights with batteries of LEDs...) so this will be possibly the last A3 with the old (but in my opinion lovely) style.

And as I wrote in the entry post maybe Audi will offer an opened up speed limiter too reach 280 km/h like they do for the TT RS.
It is a little like the DLCs for video games: the customer pays for something that is already included in the product, yet has to be unlocked...

[Ferrer]

Also I have to say that Audi belongs to my favorite brands (even though I like almost all so called performance cars) mainly because of their clear and just matching design with fluent body lines and large clean surfaces.
Since the (B8) A4/S4 Audi has changed its style a little bit too much into the direction of Munich (long hood, big gap between front wheel arch and doorline on the sideprofile , classic door-handles and falcon-eyed headlights with batteries of LEDs...) so this will be possibly the last A3 with the old (but in my opinion lovely) style.

Don't worry the space between wheel and the door will remain in the A1, A3 and TT. That's because it is related to the mechanical layout. Front engined, rear wheel drive cars have bigger spaces because that's the space the engine sits in. The more behind the front axle the engine the bigger the gap will be, and therefore will have a longer bonnet.

[Yeahone]

I already knew that, Ferrer. But thanks for the explanation. It is just that I expected a more elegant solution from da Silva instead of copying BMW (Bangle).
And I also read that the doorhandles have been changed because the old ones were very hard to open after a sidecrash. Strange that they have used them still on A3/S3 (now even RS 3) and A6/S6/RS 6 when they are so dangerous

Anyway the new design of A4/S4 and A8 is just not my taste.

However, there is still the TT/TTS/TT RS, R8 and A5/S5/RS 5. Until the (B8) A4 was launched I liked the style of all Audi models. Maybe it just will take some more time till the current design grows on me...

[Chernaudi]

The space there might not be so bad if Audi had RWD cars, instead of FWD/Quattro only. The differential is mounted in the front of the gearbox on the quattro Audis. BMW's X drive and M-B's 4Matic have a small transfer case mounted at the rear of the gearbox. But M-B and BMW have similar features on their cars.

As for the RS3, I like the way that the front mimics the RS5's and the TTS/TTRS, but it would look better if it had S6 or BMW 5 or 6 series LEDs let into those inlets.

Also, I don't think that the A4 was the responsiblity solely of De Silva, because around that time, he was promoted to head of design for all of Volkswagen group. Now Audi has a differenty designer, though I don't remember what his name was, though he did the A7 and the soon to be released A6.

With the A3 series seemingly the next up for replacement, and the A4 and A5 due for a facelift, I wonder what will be to behold there.

[Kitdy]

Chernaudi, why do you like Audis?