Audi S3 gets new transmission

Audi has announced that its S3 range will come with a new seven-speed, S-tronic twin-clutch transmission.

This reduces the rate of fuel consumption and quickens shifts compared with the continuing manual version.

Available from October 1st at an extra cost of £1,450, the transmission shifts prices for the 'two pedal' S3 models to £28,920 for the three-door and £29,420 for the five-door Sportback. Deliveries in the UK are expected to start in mid-December.

Equipped with S-tronic, the three-door S3 can touch 62 mph from rest in 5.5 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the manual version with which it shares its governed top speed of 155 mph.

Equally impressively, S-tronic actually boosts the S3's combined fuel economy figure from 33.2 mpg to 34 mpg - a feat which the majority of conventional torque converter automatic transmissions couldn't match. As a result, CO2 output in the S3 S-tronic falls from 198 g/km to 193 g/km.

Advanced electro-hydraulic controls and the alternate use of two clutches enable the S-tronic gearbox to deliver lightning fast automatic or manual shifts with virtually no interruption of the engine's power delivery across its seven ratios, and to offer changes via steering wheel-mounted shift paddles for the first time in the S3's nine-year history.

The first of the two clutches serves the odd-numbered gears and reverse, and the second the even-numbered gears, so when the S3 is being driven in third gear, for instance, fourth is already pre-selected in anticipation.

As soon as the shift command is given, the first clutch is disengaged and the second engaged in just a few hundredths of a second, virtually seamlessly.