Audi detuned the S3's 1.8T to 210 PS specifically so it would not outshine the pricier Audi TT, which shared the same engine.
Lead trim: 1.8T (210 PS) · up to 222 hp
Audi S38L · 1999–2003
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Audi S3 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactAudi detuned the S3's 1.8T to 210 PS specifically so it would not outshine the pricier Audi TT, which shared the same engine.
The first-generation Audi S3 (8L) is the performance version of the first Audi A3, built from 1999 to 2003 on the same A platform as the Golf Mk4, Audi TT, SEAT León and Škoda Octavia. Like all Audi S models it has quattro four-wheel drive. Its 1.8-litre 20-valve turbocharged inline-four gave 210 PS in early cars (1999–2001), said to be detuned from the Audi TT, and 225 PS with variable valve timing from 2001 to 2003.
Collectors Spotted in the Audi S3 Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Audi S3 yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8T (210 PS) | 1999–2001 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 207 hp | — | — | AWD | — | — |
| 1.8T (225 PS) | 2001–2003 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | 222 hp | — | — | AWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The S3 Cabriolet's fabric roof opens or closes in under 18 seconds flat, and it'll do it while you're still rolling, at up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
Despite the quattro badge, this S3 skips the Torsen center diff entirely, running a Haldex setup because the engine sits transverse.
Audi detuned the S3's 1.8T to 210 PS specifically so it would not outshine the pricier Audi TT, which shared the same engine.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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