Audi's S3 is one of the more recent arrivals - June 2007 - to join the swelling stream of cars feeding South Africa's addiction to ever more-powerful hot hatches.
VW's previous Golf GTi, for instance, was regarded as quite spirited with its 110kW but every boy racer was awestruck by the replacement car's 147kW.
Now even that figure barely registers on the hot-hatch-o-meter (though on paper the GTi is still a terrific driver's car). It's been put in the shade by turbocharged hatches such as Ford's Focus ST(166kW), Renault's Mégane Sport(165kW), Opel's Astra OPC(177kW), the Mazda 3 MPS(190kW) and the 188kW of Audi's S3.
No doubt the 200kW barrier will soon be broken but, for now, the S3's 188kW is quite adequate, thank you, especially as its turbocharged power doesn't die at high altitude.
The new R336 600 S3 has a tweaked version of the two-litre FSI direct-injection turbo engine found in lesser A3 derivatives (and in the Golf GTi). It has a bigger turbocharger that generates boost pressure of 1.2 bar instead of the standard 0.9 and an intercooler that reduces the temperature of the compressed air to increase the amount of oxygen available for combustion.
Deceptively fast
All of which gives the S3 the ability to reach 100km/h a little quicker than you can read this sentence as well as a top speed electronically governed to 250km/h.
The S3 is deceptively fast because it has little in the way of engine acoustics; the car is as quiet as a sewing machine and that's not good news for drivers who prefer a bit of bark to go with the bite.
Whatever, the way the speedo needle flies around leaves no doubt about the car's athleticism. Sea-level acceleration to 100km/h, VW says, takes 5.9sec and even our testing up on the Reef returned 6.7.
The S3 is always fast but it takes a bit of practice with clutch technique to whittle away the last few tenths. Even so, the S3's worst starts were good enough to see off many of its rivals at Jozi's altitude, including the more expensive, non-turbo VW Golf R32.
Flicking through gears is effortless with the S3's close-spaced six-speed gearbox and the gearstick's short shift has just the right feel for a sporty car such as this.
Still decent performance
The S3, despite its pace, is easy on the driver without a heavy clutch to make driving in heavy traffic a hassle. There's almost no turbo lag and power delivery is quite linear so you seldom get stuck in a lazy zone if you're not revving the car hard enough. It punches out 330Nm from only 2400rpm and maintains it through to 5200.
Audi claims a combined-cycle fuel consumption of 9.1 litres/100km but the test car's trip data computer recorded 11.2, still decent considering its performance.
The car might lack bark but it looks the part as top dog in the A3 range. Without going the flamboyant Subaru Impreza route, the war paint includes a chrome-look grille, wider sills, a boot spoiler and an S-specific rear bumper with a contrasting diffuser in platinum grey and twin oval tailpipes.
It wears 18" alloy rims through which are visible black callipers bearing the S3 logo.
The S3 has the cornering skill to tame its power. The car is 25mm lower than a standard A3, has a wider track and its S sports suspension is firmer to minimise body roll. It all adds up to the S3 taking fast turns with a sharp, pegged-to-the-road feel with the all-wheel drive system sending torque to the front or rear wheels, right up to 100 percent to either end.
This, along with wide tyres, provides plenty of traction though aggressive throttle inputs will push the car's nose wide if you're not careful.
Shaper steering
Traction control helps when the driver's enthusiasm exceeds the tyres' adhesion but, even with this electronic nanny switched off, the S3 has very forgiving handling without surprises. There's no tendency for the tail to break away and, when understeer sets in, it takes just a quick lift off the accelerator to get it tucked in again.
The electro-mechanical steering's been sharpened and, although Audis tend to have a reputation for a lack of steering feel, I experienced sufficient feedback from the S3's tiller.
The brakes have been uprated for the S3 but, though they're sharp and powerful in an emergency stop, they faded after a few hard laps of our handling course. Admittedly the car will seldom be driven this hard in real-world conditions.
Cabin quality is the usual high-class Audi fare with top-notch materials and workmanship. The sporty instrument cluster houses a computer display which includes a lap timer, same as in the much more expensive Audi RS4.
The steering wheel is flat at the bottom, like that of a race car, which not only looks good but makes it easier to get in and out of the driving seat.
Our test car had a few optional extras, including sports seats that cost R42 760. They're very supportive in the shoulder and thigh areas but quite narrow and could become uncomfortable for weight watchers.
The car also had satellite navigation (R19 770), GSM/Bluetooth mobile phone preparation (R4 770) and rain and light sensors (R3 130).
VERDICT
Very fast, very smooth. Some enthusiasts might prefer their adrenalin served with a bit more acoustic spice but, as a blend of speed, agility and refinement, the S3 is a compelling choice in the prestige hot-hatch sector.