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Errr... Ummm... No one mentions the biggest elephant in the room! 3.5 sec 0-60 and 1/4 mile at 11.9, that's stonking fast. I've been waiting for someone to do an independent instrument test for a while as the Audi claims seem to always be very conservative.
3.5, 0-60 is quick no matter what car you're talking about. And with the auto and launch, it can do it all day long. Good luck getting the perfect launch in your GT350.
I'm starting to believe the dyno numbers I've seen out there.
3.5, 0-60 is quick no matter what car you're talking about. And with the auto and launch, it can do it all day long. Good luck getting the perfect launch in your GT350.
Yeah but 0-60 is abusive to the car as it involves dropping on the clutch, and for cars without launch control, it is highly dependent on technique. Car & Driver has known this for decades, which is why they also do 5-60 tests. It subtracts out the stupid part (the 0-5).
Jetta is a larger car. A lot of cars are larger. A Ford Fusion is larger too. I still don't get why a 2-seater, like a Cayman, can be $85,000 and small, and people say it is great. But you make a sedan that seats three more people, charge less for it, and "it is too small."
A Cayman is a two seater sports car. Small is desired in that segment. For a sedan claiming to seat 5, the RS3 is quite small. Trunk space is compromised by the Haldex system assembly underneath. Having done a 4 day road trip into the mountains a week ago with an S3, I can definitely confirm that it's a small car. I couldn't fit all of our stuff in the trunk. Had to tie down the cooler on the backseat. Mind you, the amount of stuff we took easily fits all in my RS5's trunk, a 2+2 coupe. Good thing it was just my wife and I, but once at the destination, we crammed 2 adults (small Asian women, even) and a 5 year old with booster seat in the back and it was no joy for them and us front passengers. With my 5'11" I had to scoot up uncomfortably close to the steering wheel. I'm used to that with my coupe and expect it, but a sedan is meant to carry passengers in the back and for that the (R)S3 is indeed quite tiny.
Hmm. I wonder if they complain that the $10K more expensive TT-RS is even smaller? Probably not. I cross-shopped the two and decided that I now needed a little more space than in the TT for my daughter. My alternate option was to spend $10K more for an even smaller car, so yeah, the small car statement doesn't really make sense. It depends on your comparison basis, I guess - other $65K luxury sedans are bigger, but then they aren't RS equivalents either .....
A Cayman is a two seater sports car. Small is desired in that segment. For a sedan claiming to seat 5, the RS3 is quite small. Trunk space is compromised by the Haldex system assembly underneath. Having done a 4 day road trip into the mountains a week ago with an S3, I can definitely confirm that it's a small car. I couldn't fit all of our stuff in the trunk. Had to tie down the cooler on the backseat. Mind you, the amount of stuff we took easily fits all in my RS5's trunk, a 2+2 coupe. Good thing it was just my wife and I, but once at the destination, we crammed 2 adults (small Asian women, even) and a 5 year old with booster seat in the back and it was no joy for them and us front passengers. With my 5'11" I had to scoot up uncomfortably close to the steering wheel. I'm used to that with my coupe and expect it, but a sedan is meant to carry passengers in the back and for that the (R)S3 is indeed quite tiny.
I wouldn't mind if the S3/RS3 was just a smidge bigger, but honestly I love the size. I RARELY have any adults in my back seats (like maybe once in the 3 months of ownership) but the back seat is perfect for hauling my young kids to school or on errands. I actually have 4 kids (all 8 and under) so I could never take the whole family in the car, but I'm fine with that, and is part of the reason why I got it (it's supposed to be a fun and nimble car, not a big car that is also fast). I love the S5/RS5's performance and cargo space but I honestly think it would be too much car for me.
I wouldn't mind if the S3/RS3 was just a smidge bigger, but honestly I love the size. I RARELY have any adults in my back seats (like maybe once in the 3 months of ownership) but the back seat is perfect for hauling my young kids to school or on errands. I actually have 4 kids (all 8 and under) so I could never take the whole family in the car, but I'm fine with that, and is part of the reason why I got it (it's supposed to be a fun and nimble car, not a big car that is also fast). I love the S5/RS5's performance and cargo space but I honestly think it would be too much car for me.
Yeah but 0-60 is abusive to the car as it involves dropping on the clutch, and for cars without launch control, it is highly dependent on technique. Car & Driver has known this for decades, which is why they also do 5-60 tests. It subtracts out the stupid part (the 0-5).
Can't quite tell if you're trying to make my point or not... I was saying launching most three pedal cars consistently is difficult for even skilled drivers, and if you're driving a high HP car driving 2 wheels even trickier even with driver aids.
That's what makes the RS3 almost a "cheater car" on the street, it has great power, launch control, a transmission that shifts faster than the you and an AWD launch that makes the most of any road. The S-Tronic/DSG will do those starts all day long with limited variability in times, while most everything else in the RS3 price range will be at the mercy of the clutch drop and/or what the road may hold.
Stoplight to stoplight as a gentleman's understated hooligan ride it's hard to beat. Mine in grey with almost every option besides Carbon Brakes was barely over $60k. I think it's the perfect sleeper daily driver.
My alternative to buying the RS3 was a C63s AMG and I think the Audi is more practical (awd winter traction in Colorado), less gaudy (The MB has awful hideous chrome everywhere), faster anywhere below 120 mph, and gives me a gas mileage bonus.
Everything is a compromise, but so far I couldn't be happier.
Having done a 4 day road trip into the mountains a week ago with an S3, I can definitely confirm that it's a small car. I couldn't fit all of our stuff in the trunk. Had to tie down the cooler on the backseat. Mind you, the amount of stuff we took easily fits all in my RS5's trunk, a 2+2 coupe. Good thing it was just my wife and I, but once at the destination, we crammed 2 adults (small Asian women, even) and a 5 year old with booster seat in the back and it was no joy for them and us front passengers. With my 5'11" I had to scoot up uncomfortably close to the steering wheel..
It is small, and 'just' big enough for my use cases. I took my wife, 19yo son, and mother-in-law on a 5-day weekend trip of maybe 800 miles; I'm 6', my son's 5'10", the ladies were shorter. While I barely fit all of our luggage in the trunk when we left, my wife accepted two 5 gallon buckets of peaches during the trip, and somehow made them fit in the trunk along with the same luggage. I can also fit my road bike back with the rear seats and only the front wheel off. The fixed 'sport suspension' didn't elicit any complaints from the ladies, the sport seats were well received, and the only complaints were the speed I selected occasionally.
It is small, and 'just' big enough for my use cases. I took my wife, 19yo son, and mother-in-law on a 5-day weekend trip of maybe 800 miles; I'm 6', my son's 5'10", the ladies were shorter. While I barely fit all of our luggage in the trunk when we left, my wife accepted two 5 gallon buckets of peaches during the trip, and somehow made them fit in the trunk along with the same luggage. I can also fit my road bike back with the rear seats and only the front wheel off. The fixed 'sport suspension' didn't elicit any complaints from the ladies, the sport seats were well received, and the only complaints were the speed I selected occasionally.
Most of my road trips take me through California canyon and mountain roads, so some fun driving is always involved. Also, lots of brake pedal operation. This last one was no different. Driving several hours through Yosemite etc. until reaching the destination. I would never have been able to do this. If I'm too close to the steering wheel, my right leg is uncomfortable and I end up with a cramp in my shin after operating the brake pedal for a while. Audi mounts the brake pedals too high for my taste, so I always have to move the seat far back to operate it comfortably. Highway driving is fine, especially if I can engage ACC. So, I suppose it all comes down to what kinds of roads are involved on a long trip.
Jetta is a larger car. A lot of cars are larger. A Ford Fusion is larger too. I still don't get why a 2-seater, like a Cayman, can be $85,000 and small, and people say it is great. But you make a sedan that seats three more people, charge less for it, and "it is too small."
In a word, expectations. The Cayman is a bespoke sports car and really only has one job: be a great sports car. The RS3 is an A3 sedan with a lot of added muscle. There's the expectation that a sedan, even a small one, should have a usable back seat and trunk.
I'm not knocking the RS3 mind you, I think what Audi has done with it is fantastic and I'm thrilled that we finally have it in America. One of the reasons I am on this forum is because I am considering both it and the TT-RS for my next car.
10-17-2017, 02:59 PM
