A few days ago, Audi showed off the SQ5 TDI it's bringing to Paris. Then yesterday they revealed the new A3 Sportback that won't be coming to America.
Now, Audi is bringing out the brand new S3. It has 300 horsepower and gets 40 MPG on the highway. But will it come here? Doubt it.
If you saw the new A3 Sportback yesterday, then you have a great idea of what the new S3 looks like. It has the normal flair that Audi adds to it's S cars, so different wheels and a subtle bodykit set it apart from the rest of the crowd.
But it really gets set apart under the hood. The new S3 makes 300 horsepower from a new 2.0 liter TFSI four cylinder. That's 150 horsepower per liter. Hot damn. That's enough to get the S3 to 62 MPH in 5.1 seconds, which also means it gets to 60 slightly quicker than that.
A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard, and Audi's double clutch S-Tronic gearbox is an option. On the European cycle, both transmissions get outstanding fuel mileage, with nearly 41 MPG on the highway in the S-Tronic model and slightly less, but still more than 40, on the manual car.
Our only lament is that Audi is yet to say if this car is coming stateside. Based on the normal American aversion to hatchbacks, we aren't going to hold our breath for the car to come across the Atlantic, but we'll keep praying.