Autoblog

In our recent Sibling Rivalry series, the Audi A3 demonstrated that it is an extremely competent and fun little car, though dynamically it's oriented more towards luxury than pure street carving. This is not a bad thing at all. Audi is, after all, a luxury brand. When they decide to create a sports model, they start over again, badging the car with their "S" moniker and giving it an identity all its own.

Such is the case with the new S3, introduced today for the European market. Based on the three-door A3 that's not available in North America, this latest hot hatch from Audi brings the goods. Underhood, the 2.0 TFSI's new turbo plumbing and related engine tweaks bring power and torque up to 265 hp and 258 lb ft, significant increases over its A3 sibling (200 hp/207 lb ft). A shorter-throw six-speed manual sends that power to the ground via Audi's Quattro AWD system, while a lower, stiffer suspension gives the car handling characteristics in line with its "S" designation.

(Additional info, photos after the jump)

[Source: Audi]