Audi S3 Sportback: The Lord of the Rings produces a rival for the Mercedes A45 AMG

By Stephen Edelstein February 13, 2013

With the Geneva Motor Show coming up, that uniquely European creation known as the hot hatchback is getting a lot of attention. Mercedes-Benz is taking the concept to the extreme with the A45 AMG, and now Audi is entering the fray with the S3 Sportback. The S3 isn’t supposed to debut until early March, but Audi couldn’t resist giving the world an early peak.

Like the Mercedes, the S3 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It’s 300 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque fall a little short of the A45’s 360 hp and 331 lb-ft, but the Audi does come with a six-speed manual transmission. Naturally, quattro all-wheel drive is also standard.

Audi does offer a dual-clutch automatic transmission, again matching Mercedes, as an option. With that faster shifting unit, the S3 Sportback will reach 62 mph (100 kph) in 5.0 seconds, and continue to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

That makes the S3 0.4 second slower than the A45 AMG, but their top speeds are the same. The gentleman’s agreement between the major German carmakers is apparently still in effect.

The S3 also matches the A45 AMG’s 34 mpg combined on the European cycle. Helping fuel economy are aluminum body panels, which drop the curb weight to 3,185 pounds, and low rolling resistance tires.

This performance Audi also gets a subtle visual makeover. A model-specific grille gives it a slightly different face, while a rear diffuser and four chrome exhaust tips will let puzzled GTI drivers know why they just got passed by an A3. The whole car is also lowered, which is never a bad idea.

On the inside, the S3 gets a model-specific instrument cluster, sport seats, and plenty of S3 badges to remind driver and passengers exactly what they’re in.

The S3 Sportback will have its first public outing at the Geneva Motor Show in early March, and will go on sale in Europe later this year. Audi has no plans to offer it in the United States, but if the redesigned A3 sedan makes it here, it could get the S3 treatment.

The A3 sedan would be positioned as a rival for the Mercedes CLA-Class, which is a sedan version of the A-Class the A45 AMG is based on. In fact, the upcoming CLA45 AMG will get the same engine as the A45. Talk about parity.

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2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe offers a sophisticated approach to speed

2015 mercedes benz s63 amg 4matic coupe feature

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is a great car to look at and be coddled by, but performance isn't really its thing. Enter AMG.
Completing the Mercedes big coupe line's transition from CL-Class to S-Class, the S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe will be unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show next month.
First Look Video

At the heart of this luxury ballistic missile is a 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 similar to the one used in the S63 AMG sedan. It produces 577 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque - the same as the sedan, and 41 hp and 74 lb-ft more than the CL63 AMG this car replaces.
The engine is coupled to an AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed automatic transmission, and a performance-tuned version of Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel drive system, with a standard torque split of 33/67 percent front/rear. Amusingly, the S63 also features an "Eco" driving mode and standard engine start-stop.
Another way to save fuel (and increase performance) is to make a car lighter, and that's exactly what AMG's engineers did. While it's not a Lotus Elise, Mercedes says the S63 is up to 140 pounds lighter than the CL63, depending on equipment.
That still makes for a car that weighs around 4,400 pounds, but that fire-breathing V8 will accelerate it to 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph.
The S63 AMG Coupe also features Airmatic adaptive air suspension, so it should still have the cushy ride of its siblings should the drive desire it. With the pedal to the metal, though, Mercedes says the car will still be entertaining, thanks to model-specific tuning that includes a larger front anti-roll bar and stiffer subframe carrier for the rear axle.
Optional carbon-ceramic brakes will reign in the big coupe if things get too entertaining. They're surrounded by lightweight 20-inch AMG alloy wheels.
Other than the sporty wheels, bystander will be able to tell an AMG from a normal S-Class by its more aggressive front fascia with AMG-specific grille and front-splitter. New side skirts, rear diffuser, and twin chrome tailpipes complete the look.
AMG has done a great job of integrating these elements into the S-Class Coupe's sensuous design. The overall effect is that of a complete car rather than a hot rod or tuner version of the base model.
On the inside, the S63 AMG Coupe gets sport seats and an AMG steering wheel - in addition to all of the luxuries of a "base" S-Class Coupe.
The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG 4Matic Coupe will be unveiled at the 2014 New York Auto Show, which opens April 16, and will go on sale this fall.
It will launch with a special Edition 1 model, which features Magno Alanite Grey matte paint and LED performance headlights with embedded Swarovski crystals, among other things. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

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Audi increases the range of its all-new A3 with a five-door, diesel-powered TDI Sportback

audi concept a3 tdi 1

The smallest Audi in the US market continues to get more interesting. Audi has just announced that a TDI sportback will be joining the A3 Sedan, Cabrio, e-tron and eventually S3. The A3 family now includes more combinations of bodystyle and powertrain than some entire car companies.
The new five-door TDI will feature Audi's 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine, that boasts 150 horsepower and Audi's excellent six-speed S tronic transmission. Unfortunately Audi can't tell us yet what kind of mileage the A3 TDI will have, but it will no doubt be less than the 73 highway mpg that the 1.6-liter TDI the European market gets.

That may be too bad, but the A3 TDI has the potential to fill a void in the American market: a drivers' car that won't break the bank or be hard to explain to your spouse. We already know that the new A3 platform is dynamite to drive, and while the diesel motor is going to add some weight and reduce some fun, it still promises to be good to drive.
While Audi can't release mileage until it has completed testing for the EPA cycle we might be able to get some idea of the end results by looking at the A3's stablemate the Jetta TDI. The Jetta uses the same modular platform and the same 2.0-liter engine and it is good for 30 city and 42 highway, and a real-world average of around 38 mpg. If the A3 gets similar mileage it should be comparable to a hybrid, but way more fun.
Audi hasn't announced a release date yet, but the TDI may be along sooner rather than later in the A3 family's 18 month rollout. When it does get in, the A3 should offer a configuration for just about every conceivable buyer (I am holding out for the S3), which I am pretty sure is what Audi had in mind.

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Brabus adds subtle style and not-so-subtle power to the Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG

brabus mercedes benz cla45 amg feature

Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus has made a point of getting its hands on every model with a three-pointed star, from the apocalyptic G63 AMG 6x6 to the chic CLA-Class.
Mercedes' compact "four-door coupe" has wowed and perplexed traditional customers with both its styling and A-Class hatchback roots. While it's proven to be a competent car, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement.
The car pictured here is Brabus' take on the top-of-the-line CLA45 AMG. Already augmented with a body kit from the factory, this upscale pocket rocket already packs plenty of visual punch, which may be why Brabus kept its changes on the subtle side.
The red-banded black wheels (other designs are available) make quite an impressive, and contrast nicely with the car's silver exterior. Matching carbon fiber mirror caps complete the look.
Other notable changes include rear deckled and roof spoilers, while the interior features plenty of red trim to match the exterior.
Brabus also offers a software upgrade for the CLA45, which boosts the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine's output from 355 horsepower to 394. The extra power lowers the Brabus CLA45's 0 to 60 mph time from 4.4 seconds to 4.2.
While not as wild as some of Brabus' other Benzes, the modified CLA45 AMG should offer owners a way to stand out, not that they need it.