The Audi S3 Clubsport Quattro to be revealed

The Audi S3 Saloon gets the Wörthersee treatment this month, swapping its already potent 297bhp output for a mighty 520bhp and metamorphosing into the A3 Clubsport quattro concept for the annual meeting of fans of the Volkswagen Group brands in Reifnitz, Germany.

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 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.

In the show car, the 2,480 cc five‑cylinder unit has a specific output of 209bhp per litre, and combined with a kerb weight of 1,527kg the power-to-weight ratio of the concept stands at an impressive 340bhp per ton. The 600 Nm torque peak is available between 2,300 and 6,000 rpm, pushing the A3 clubsport quattro concept from 0 to 100km/hr in 3.6 seconds. 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 features a seven‑speed S tronic transmission with a compact three‑shaft layout. Its tall seventh gear reduces fuel consumption, and the final gear ratio has been modified accordingly. The driver can allow the dual‑clutch transmission to work fully automatically in modes D and S or choose to change gears manually using the paddles on the steering wheel or the shift lever. A launch control function manages starts with maximum power and controlled wheel slip.

The heart of the quattro all‑wheel drive system is a hydraulically activated, multi‑plate clutch on the rear axle that has been specially designed for the high torque of the powerful five‑cylinder. Like the engine management system, the driver integrates its electronic controller into the Audi drive select driving dynamics system for the best configurable dynamics in any situation required.

The clutch can direct a portion of the torque from the front to the rear axle if the driver turns sharply into a corner. Its advanced chassis enables the Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept to deliver its tremendous power to the tarmac with impressive control and composure.

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 ESC electronic stabilisation control, which can be partially or completely deactivated, supports the show car's responsive handling with lightning-fast reactions. At the cornering limit, torque vectoring via brief applications of the brakes of the inside wheels ensures that the Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept turns easily into the corner. It enables maximum mid-corner adjustability, with the front axle straightening the show car out again as it exits the corner.

The Audi A3 clubsport quattro concept is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB). This enables a low centre of gravity and a finely balanced distribution of axle loads, which is a prerequisite for the car's handling ability. Hot‑shaped steel components in the floor of the passenger cell form a strong structure. The extreme strength of the steel allows for thin walls and thus very low weights.

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.