16' Audi S3 after a half dozen Evos/STI
Oct 4, 2015, 12:33 PM
#1
16' Audi S3 after a half dozen Evos/STI
Folks!! It is me again
.
How is everyone doing? I don't come to this forum as much as I use to but I am here again to share a car that I just got. Is a 2016 S3 (AWD). Over the years I have seen so many people going from Evos to other sports cars that I think that is always good to put my grain of salt.
Before you throw the sentence : apples to apples and oranges to oranges let me say that a premium/limited STI or a Evo X MR is actually oranges to oranges price wise to a Audi S3.
So prior to the Audi I had a 2015 STI which was a great car. I did some minor mods to the STI and it yielded 319whp/411lb-tq Mustang dyno on E-85(no cams, no intercooler, stock cat back, stock turbo). It was fun.
The Audi S3 is a great little car, yes, let me say again, little. It is smaller than the Evo and the STI but it is also light. It you are a big dude with big family this car might not be for you.
I deeply regret getting the magnetic ride, I think it is the biggest piece of garbage/hardware put into a mass production car, definitely prepare to bounce up and down on every tiny road imperfection no matter on what mode you are.
Needless to say that when you select the comfort mode that doesn't guarantee Comfort on any stretch of the imagination. You will be better off with just a conventional suspension set up or an aftermarket decent coilover set. The least that I can say is please go and drive one with and without magnetic ride. The Magnetic ride is a package that cost $1500 and it comes with 19" wheels as well
As per interior, the quality is premium on everything, switches, soft touch dash and fit and finish. This car comes only with the DSG transmission which is actually very quick but it also has a couple of mechanical and software design flaws.
The DSG in sport mode will keep the gear too long if you just try to drive normally from a dead stop. This becomes very evident when you are in traffic in sport mode, the gear would stay on "forever". There is also a delay when you take off from a dead stop unless you use the launch control which makes this car shines.
The launch control allows you to build boost. The digital boost gauge will fill up with the LED and you will launch spinning all 4 tires EVERYTIME consistently.
Lets talk about the AWD system and after that we can talk about the motor. So the AWD system is a Gen 5 haldex. This type of AWD seems to be the "new" standard for many newer car makers although Audi has his own proprietary AWD patents.
So the car rolls as a FWD all the time unless you lose traction. That is when the system engages the rear wheels and splits the traction from a 100-0 to a 50-50. This is NOT a permanent AWD system, it is a "on- demand" AWD, it only engages as needed.
What are the advantages of this AWD?: Well, it is a compact AWD system and it significantly saves on gas mileage. The car is rated at 23mpg city/31MPG HWY which is phenomenal.
On real straight line testing this means that the car has a great take off and once rolling it picks up decent trap speed(4.4 sec 0-60, 12.9@107.9mph according to Car and Driver). Audi has other more expensive cars with real Quattro AWD systems which are permanent AWD and can be switched front to back.
Lets talk about the engine. I hope that you haven't been living in a cave for the last 1.5 years. The engine is called EA888 Gen III High output (Do not confuse it with the EA888 Gen III , Remember HIGH OUTPUT!!
Please understand that the GTI doesn't have the bigger turbo, 13% bigger injectors, bigger intercooler, high flowing heads with special alloy treated valves and beefed re-enforced internals. Remember the Rallyarts and the Evo X? exactly!!!!! this is the same scenario folks. Yes, the GTI are putting down some crazy power numbers with a tune but the engine is NOT the same as the one on the Audi S3.
So the engine has their own valve lift system (ie, VTEC, MIVEC, VANOS, call it whatever). The engine is underrated, Audi claims 292 and 280lb-tq but mot of the dynos put this car into the 310ish and even more in Europe. Torque comes at 1600rpm and you will notice it. It runs flat until 5500rpms then declines.
The turbo blows at high PSI, around 19psi I believe. The tunes on this cars are putting around 360-370hp(crank)and roughly 350lb-tq. This cars are geting high 3 sec 0-60 with just the tunes(look for videos everywhere on youtube or google). Your biggest VW tuners are in no specific order: GIAC, APR, REVO, Unitronic, Eurodyne,Burguertuning(BMS), Neuspeed.
Finally the brakes. For a long time I have been stubborn believing that if the car doesn't have Brembos then the braking is not exceptional. I know that many of you owned BMW 335i. The BMW uses simple looking brake calibers but they brake exceptionally well with a strong byte. The same thing with this Audi. It has a very firm byte and great stopping power. Again, it not a Brembo hardware brake but is not disappointing.
Performance in general is in a similar category as the STIS and Evos. Yes, it wouldn't pull a 1.0 lateral G like the new STI is pulling on corners during lateral accelerations but at the end of the day it puts similar numbers on road courses as Evos and STI mainly due to the fast shifting trasnmissions and the fact that once is rolling the drivetrain has much lower drivetrain loses becauae the car can run FWD. That is it folks. I just need to drop some pictures and start reading your comments. Good luck with whatever you buy and send me a PM if you have any questions.
. How is everyone doing? I don't come to this forum as much as I use to but I am here again to share a car that I just got. Is a 2016 S3 (AWD). Over the years I have seen so many people going from Evos to other sports cars that I think that is always good to put my grain of salt.Before you throw the sentence : apples to apples and oranges to oranges let me say that a premium/limited STI or a Evo X MR is actually oranges to oranges price wise to a Audi S3.
So prior to the Audi I had a 2015 STI which was a great car. I did some minor mods to the STI and it yielded 319whp/411lb-tq Mustang dyno on E-85(no cams, no intercooler, stock cat back, stock turbo). It was fun.
The Audi S3 is a great little car, yes, let me say again, little. It is smaller than the Evo and the STI but it is also light. It you are a big dude with big family this car might not be for you.
I deeply regret getting the magnetic ride, I think it is the biggest piece of garbage/hardware put into a mass production car, definitely prepare to bounce up and down on every tiny road imperfection no matter on what mode you are.
Needless to say that when you select the comfort mode that doesn't guarantee Comfort on any stretch of the imagination. You will be better off with just a conventional suspension set up or an aftermarket decent coilover set. The least that I can say is please go and drive one with and without magnetic ride. The Magnetic ride is a package that cost $1500 and it comes with 19" wheels as well
As per interior, the quality is premium on everything, switches, soft touch dash and fit and finish. This car comes only with the DSG transmission which is actually very quick but it also has a couple of mechanical and software design flaws.
The DSG in sport mode will keep the gear too long if you just try to drive normally from a dead stop. This becomes very evident when you are in traffic in sport mode, the gear would stay on "forever". There is also a delay when you take off from a dead stop unless you use the launch control which makes this car shines.
The launch control allows you to build boost. The digital boost gauge will fill up with the LED and you will launch spinning all 4 tires EVERYTIME consistently.
Lets talk about the AWD system and after that we can talk about the motor. So the AWD system is a Gen 5 haldex. This type of AWD seems to be the "new" standard for many newer car makers although Audi has his own proprietary AWD patents.
So the car rolls as a FWD all the time unless you lose traction. That is when the system engages the rear wheels and splits the traction from a 100-0 to a 50-50. This is NOT a permanent AWD system, it is a "on- demand" AWD, it only engages as needed.
What are the advantages of this AWD?: Well, it is a compact AWD system and it significantly saves on gas mileage. The car is rated at 23mpg city/31MPG HWY which is phenomenal.
On real straight line testing this means that the car has a great take off and once rolling it picks up decent trap speed(4.4 sec 0-60, 12.9@107.9mph according to Car and Driver). Audi has other more expensive cars with real Quattro AWD systems which are permanent AWD and can be switched front to back.
Lets talk about the engine. I hope that you haven't been living in a cave for the last 1.5 years. The engine is called EA888 Gen III High output (Do not confuse it with the EA888 Gen III , Remember HIGH OUTPUT!!
Please understand that the GTI doesn't have the bigger turbo, 13% bigger injectors, bigger intercooler, high flowing heads with special alloy treated valves and beefed re-enforced internals. Remember the Rallyarts and the Evo X? exactly!!!!! this is the same scenario folks. Yes, the GTI are putting down some crazy power numbers with a tune but the engine is NOT the same as the one on the Audi S3.
So the engine has their own valve lift system (ie, VTEC, MIVEC, VANOS, call it whatever). The engine is underrated, Audi claims 292 and 280lb-tq but mot of the dynos put this car into the 310ish and even more in Europe. Torque comes at 1600rpm and you will notice it. It runs flat until 5500rpms then declines.
The turbo blows at high PSI, around 19psi I believe. The tunes on this cars are putting around 360-370hp(crank)and roughly 350lb-tq. This cars are geting high 3 sec 0-60 with just the tunes(look for videos everywhere on youtube or google). Your biggest VW tuners are in no specific order: GIAC, APR, REVO, Unitronic, Eurodyne,Burguertuning(BMS), Neuspeed.
Finally the brakes. For a long time I have been stubborn believing that if the car doesn't have Brembos then the braking is not exceptional. I know that many of you owned BMW 335i. The BMW uses simple looking brake calibers but they brake exceptionally well with a strong byte. The same thing with this Audi. It has a very firm byte and great stopping power. Again, it not a Brembo hardware brake but is not disappointing.
Performance in general is in a similar category as the STIS and Evos. Yes, it wouldn't pull a 1.0 lateral G like the new STI is pulling on corners during lateral accelerations but at the end of the day it puts similar numbers on road courses as Evos and STI mainly due to the fast shifting trasnmissions and the fact that once is rolling the drivetrain has much lower drivetrain loses becauae the car can run FWD. That is it folks. I just need to drop some pictures and start reading your comments. Good luck with whatever you buy and send me a PM if you have any questions.
Last edited by fromWRXtoEVO; Oct 4, 2015 at 05:27 PM.
Oct 5, 2015, 02:25 PM
#3
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
That's how you get interior noise levels down to less than 65db, and no interior rattles...lol
Oct 5, 2015, 02:39 PM
#5
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
Base MK7 R is claimed at 3,330lbs by VW with out the mag ride, and with a manual trans. Edmunds tested an S# with magride, DSG trans, and the upgraded stereo and list curb weight as 3,449lbs as tested (they weighed it, Audi claims 3,450lbs). So that 120lbs, not ~200, and I'm sure the mag ride weighs more, and I'm willing to bet their are some enhancements for comfort/quality on the Audi that add weight.
Last edited by letsgetthisdone; Oct 5, 2015 at 05:05 PM.
Oct 5, 2015, 04:58 PM
#6
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This is the only thing that scares me trying to move into an evo from the european cars. I love a quality interior, and even though the x is a blast to drive, i feel like im sitting in a plastic box. :/
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Oct 6, 2015, 09:21 AM
#9
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
The high output VAG 2.0 can handle about what the stock Evo motor can. 400wtq. At least that's what it was in the 12-13 Golf R
Oct 7, 2015, 08:36 AM
#13
Remember the old adage of wanting a power to weight ratio of 1hp/10lbs or better in a sports car?
To me, a 3462lb. car with 292hp, and S-tronic transmission is simply not that exciting.
Can you make an S3 fast? Sure. But then again you can make almost anything fast if you try, even a cargo van http://www.greatbritishsportscars.ne...0-transit-van/
To me, a 3462lb. car with 292hp, and S-tronic transmission is simply not that exciting.
Can you make an S3 fast? Sure. But then again you can make almost anything fast if you try, even a cargo van http://www.greatbritishsportscars.ne...0-transit-van/
Last edited by nemsin; Oct 7, 2015 at 08:42 AM.
Oct 7, 2015, 09:55 AM
#14
EvoM Guru
iTrader: (1)
Weight isn't huge deal for me as long as the car doesn't feel like a boat. My dad's ZL1 Camaro feels like a boat. I hate driving that car. My cousin's '11 mustang feels pretty good with all the suspension work. Needs a stickier tire, the Michelin PSS's that are on it are decidedly meh. Everything I've driven that is under 3500lbs is generally perfectly fine.
Oct 7, 2015, 11:35 AM
#15
like letsgetthisdone said, if it doesn't feel like a boat is fine, and I'm sure the S3 doesn't. neither does an Evo X (except when starting from a dead stop) at 3500+, but its in no way a "light" car