The Audi S3 Saloon surrenders to the Wörthersee treatment this month, swapping its already potent 300PS output for a mighty 525PS and metamorphosing into the A3 clubsport quattro concept
for the annual meeting of fans of the Volkswagen Group brands in Reifnitz, Germany (May 28-31).
Adding 600Nm of torque to the mix courtesy of a 2.5-litre, five-cylinder TFSI engine which replaces the S3 Saloon’s four-cylinder TFSI, the A3 clubsport quattro concept will be the Audi star of a show that will also include the 420PS Audi TT quattro sport concept and a host of other Audi models.
“The Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept shows our car and tuning fans at the Wörthersee just how much sporty potential there is in the A3 family and in our top‑of‑the‑line engines such as the 2.5 TFSI. We have pushed the limits in every respect with this show car: power, dynamics, sound, design,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development.
The powerful five‑cylinder TFSI engine is already available in the first ever SUV to wear the renowned RS badge – the RS Q3. The turbocharged engine with direct injection boasts an impressive CV – since 2010, it has been voted “International Engine of the Year” in its category four times in succession.
A3 clubsport quattro concept from 0 to 62 mph in 3.6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 192 mph. Extensive modifications make this extreme performance possible. These include a large turbocharger with up to 1.5 bar of relative boost pressure and a modified intercooler.
The Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept rides on 9.5 J x 21 wheels shod with size 275/25 R21 tyres. The internally vented front brake discs measure 370 mm in diameter. All four discs are made of carbon fibre‑ceramic, making them extremely lightweight and abrasion-resistant.
The spectacular appearance of the Magnetic Blue body immediately conveys the dynamic potential of the Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept. The Singleframe grille up front is framed in matt aluminium. A quattro badge adorns the grille’s high-gloss black honeycomb insert, which has been optimised for high flow. The bonnet, whose front edge extends slightly over the grille and the LED headlights, sports the four rings.
A distinctive element at the front of the show car is the continuous blade of exposed CFRP below the Singleframe grille. Like the winglets on a model aeroplane, its ends are bent upward to structure the large air inlets framed in massive edges. As with a racing car, a splitter at the bottom of the front skirt increases the downforce on the front axle.
The side view of the saloon has also gained some sharp accents. Two straight edges above the wheels that end in the doors frame the wing and the rear sidewall. The “blisters” give the body broad shoulders while also evoking the classic quattro models from Audi and the current RS 4 Avant. The round fuel cover in the C‑pillars and the more compact side mirrors are further typical Audi sports car elements. The side sill trims are made entirely of CFRP (carbon fibre-reinforced polymer).
At the rear, a large diffuser that extends upwards in the middle makes a bold statement. Three fins divide its high-gloss black honeycomb insert; two additional grilles joined by a blade conceal the tailpipes of the exhaust system.
