Audi S3 gets power-up, new gearbox options

A RUNNING revision to Australia’s 'Hot Climate' tune has yielded a mild power increase for Audi’s warmed-over S3 Sportback, Sedan and just launched Cabriolet.

The EA888-powered A3 range-toppers are rated to 226kW in Europe, but were limited to 206kW for Australia, which, like the Emirates and South Africa, is deemed to by a ‘Hot Climate’ market.

However, the S3 Cabriolet, recently launched on the Gold Coast, will hit the market with 210kW, and the rest of the range will follow suit, says Audi’s corporate communications manager Shaun Cleary.

“It’s a running change for MY15,” he told GoAuto, “and it’s just a retune of the engine’s ECU. There are no mechanical changes.” The S3’s torque figure of 380Nm is not affected.

Meanwhile, the S3 Sedan can now be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox as a no-cost option.

While the Sportback launched with two gearbox choices, the Sedan came to Australia with just the six-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission.

Now, however, customer demand for the manual Sportback, along with “heavy requests” from customers, according to Mr Cleary, means that the Sedan can be similarly equipped.

“Demand for the Sportback in manual was as high as ten per cent when it launched, though it’s softened off a bit now. We’ve had a lot of enquiries about a manual Sedan, so we’re pleased to be able to offer it.” The S3 Cabriolet will, however, not be available as a manual as it is not even an option in its home market.

Audi has sold almost 750 second-generation S3 variants to the end of September.

In the same period, the regular A3 has shifted 3241 units, which is a significant 126 per cent increase over the first nine months of 2013 when it sold 1436.

The A3 range has taken over the Q5 as the top-selling model in the Ingolstadt-based car-maker's line-up, with the mid-size SUV trailing its smaller stablemate by more than 700 units.

Audi is also creeping up on the top-selling Mercedes-Benz A-Class which is ahead in the small car over $40,000 segment by 344 units.