2025 Audi S3 Welcomes RS3’s Top Feature: A Long-Awaited Upgrade

Sleeker Design, Enhanced Power, and Unmatched Performance: What’s New?

Audi has unveiled the initial pictures of the 2025 Audi S3, available in sedan and hatchback models (in the US, only the sedan will be offered), giving us a sneak peek into what we can anticipate from the upcoming refresh. The enhancements encompass a fresh aero package, augmented horsepower, and enhanced speed, leveraging technology borrowed from the RS3.

In contrast to the usual swirly camouflage often found on development prototypes, the new Audi S3 has opted for a more marketable approach with its use of brightly-colored orange blotches to obscure certain features that Audi wishes to keep under wraps. However, these efforts are hardly successful in concealing the updated design details. The most significant alterations include a refurbished grille, enhanced front and rear bumpers, revamped headlamps and taillights, and a relocated Audi emblem.

However, let’s move on from that topic and focus on the performance, which has been greatly improved.

The new version of this car boasts an enhancement in both power and torque, now reaching 328 horsepower and 310 lb-ft, showing improvements of 22 hp and 15 lb-ft from the previous model. Although the top speed remains at 155 mph, the S3 has become faster at reaching it. It can now achieve 0-62 mph in just 4.7 seconds, a tenth of a second quicker than its predecessor, meaning that the 0-60 mph time is now in the low-4 second range.

Maximum torque can be attained between 2,100 and 5,500 rotations per minute. However, the boost in power originates from the advanced starting torque level of the S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Furthermore, the shift programming has been restructured, causing full-throttle shifts to take only half of the previous duration.

The enhancements are satisfactory, however the major feature to note is that the S3 will acquire the torque-splitter technology from the Audi RS3. This specialized differential system, which utilizes a rear clutch mechanism, distributes power to both the left and right wheels, making it possible for us to engage in the drift mode that we have previously encountered in the RS3.

Audi has decided to use a different term for their latest model, opting for ‘dynamic plus’ instead of Torque Rear as seen in the RS3. However, this new feature will still have the same effect of causing oversteer, or as the German engineers would say, “result in a tendency to oversteer.” In simpler terms, this means that yes, the car will be capable of drifting.

Furthermore, in addition to this enhancement, the 2.0-liter TFSI engine’s idle speed has been raised by 200 rpm, now reaching 1,300 rpm. This alteration is made to boost initial acceleration when starting from a stationary position.

Some enhancements consist of bigger and denser ventilated front brake discs equipped with twin-piston calipers, optimized progressive steering that becomes even more responsive during turns, a pair of fresh 19-inch Falken tires for improved performance, and a newly implemented pivot bearing on the McPherson strut axle to increase negative wheel camber by 1.5 degrees. The ESC programming has been adjusted to enable smoother cornering by slightly braking the inner wheels.

The latest Audi S3 is set to make its debut later this year, launching in the US for the 2025 model season. The revamped RS3 will then follow suit, with speculations of an increase in power for its ultimate gasoline version.