The Audi S3: Interior
The interior conveys a sporty atmosphere, top-quality materials and painstaking workmanship. Numerous carefully crafted details inside the car likewise serve as pointers to the power of Audi’s everyday sports car. In the centre console and rear doors/side sections, the inlays are in Piano finish black, but are also available in Matt brushed aluminium or Fine grain birch wood grey at no extra charge. The four circular instruments have a special look, with their grey dials and white needles they are reminiscent of the precision chronometers that are used in the world of motor sport. The instrument cluster also accommodates the computer’s display that shows the road speed digitally and a new function can also indicate lap times on a racing circuit, as in the RS 4. Leather sports steering wheel: like in a racing car The substantial rim of the optional leather sports steering wheel, which belongs to the new generation of Audi steering wheels, has a flat lower edge a trait adopted from motor sport that also facilitates entry and exit. The steering wheel is weight-optimised by virtue of a rigid but light skeleton of diecast magnesium. The steering column can of course be adjusted longitudinally and in height, as is customary in an Audi. The S3 initials are displayed on the steering wheel, the fittings, the gear knob and the door sills, and light up to greet the driver on the optional navigation system plus. The lever and the strips, as well as the four circular, very three-dimensional air vents and the pedals, have a high-quality aluminium look. The headlining is in either black or silver. The dynamic atmosphere of the new S3 includes the front sports seats with prominent lateral supports for the back and thighs. Their centre sections are upholstered in Jupiter cloth in black and silver as standard, and the side sections in black leather. Upholstery either entirely in Silk Nappa leather or in a combination of Alcantara for the centre section and leather for the side sections are available as options. quattro GmbH can in addition supply seats with an orange-coloured centre section. All combinations feature colour-coordinated seams for the floor mat piping, gear lever gaiter, handbrake handle and steering wheel rim. From quattro GmbH: folding bucket seats The front seats are located in a low, sporty position and can be adjusted in height. Alternatively, quattro GmbH can supply a bucket seat with folding function it provides optimum lateral support and introduces a note of motor sport flair. As always with Audi, the interior bears the hallmark of top-quality materials and a meticulously crafted finish; the soft foam-backed skin of the instrument panel is just one example of this. Nor does the new S3 fall short when it comes to ergonomics. All the switches, buttons and levers, including the controls for the standard deluxe automatic air conditioning, are arranged logically around the leather sports steering wheel and on the wide centre console, which is connected to the centre tunnel by two webs. There are convenient-to-use storage facilities and drinks holders for all passengers the interior fits like a made-to-measure suit. The interior: 55 mm extra length The longer wheelbase compared with the previous model is translated almost entirely into extra length for the interior compartment, which has grown by 55 mm in length. The rear passengers in particular benefit from substantially more knee room (+29 millimetres). And both rows of seats enjoy substantially more shoulder room (rear +23, front +42 millimetres). The easy entry function on the front seats facilitates access to the rear compartment. Height adjustment of the front seats is a standard feature of the Audi S3. The volume of the luggage compartment, which incorporates two handy bag hooks, is ample even for more involved logistical undertakings. The luggage capacity in the basic configuration is 281 litres, increasing to 1,011 litres with the bench seat folded down. High-strength and ultra-high-strength steel components account for 62 percent of the new S3’s panels. With its uncompromising torsional rigidity, the body provides an excellent basis for super-sporty handling and dynamic movement. |