2025 Audi S3 Facelift revealed - Now with 333hp and Drift Mode!

[Auditography]

So, it’s time to partly reveal the biggest Audi facelift in years. We went to Oman to drive the new facelifted Audi S3 8Y and oh my were we surprised. The detailed video goes up online this very moment and I suggest you go there and see it. The car has, believe it or not, more power (+23hp), more torque, upgraded suspension, better tyres, optimised ECU, and hold your hats: a drift mode from the RS3. This feels like a proper Audi facelift like we were used to for decades. And the S3 takes a huge leap to its bigger brother RS3, and also closes the gap to its twin Golf R.

Video reveal:


Wallpapers:

[200Audi]

Idk how I feel about the orange parts, not the color, and the headlights, having a line at the edge has been an Audi symbol, with the etron, i understand the change but would prefer to keep the line on combustion engines.

I feel like the 2D logos, and taillights are very welcome, exhaust yes, power yes.

The vented breaks and torque splitter I guess is from the RS3.


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[XMetal]

I'm disappointed that it got the warts in the rear bumper similar to the RS3. I guessed they're keeping that design language, which means the RS3 may follow suit

[nerdpox]

Reading between the lines - I would assume all the suspension and steering changes will come to the RS3, likely the transmission updates (if they weren't already there)...and will the RS3 get a 20 hp bump to keep that ~100 hp stratification between the S3 and RS3?

I suspect they were finding it difficult for the S3 to sit next to the R without the rear diff.

[KJ2833C]

While I dont. hate the wheels, my issue would be not being able to reach the inside to clean and overall difficulty cleaning them. That car is going to generate a ton of brake dust stock and those brakes and wheels are going to be trashed. Wonder if they are the final design....

[RudyH]

I am a bit annoyed, I am supposed to pick up a 2023 S3 at a large discount (was a sales person demo, mint condition). Then it made me question my decision. Over one year the S3 I was getting is $15k under Audi's new MSRP with very low kms...easy decision to keep it I think. Loses come on depreciation over 1-2 yrs and a tiny bit of cost of borrowing.

I was seriously thinking of backing out for the 2025 S3, as I was waiting for a 2025 RS3 for Canada, and this is going to tie me over...that said,

...yes, you get the 2.5T, yes you get a tuned suspension, yes you get 'drift mode' and possibly some additional dampening settings. For me its still a daily driver though. I suppose need to see where the 2025 pricing falls, but the S3 needs to come down significantly in price which is doubtful...or you are better off getting a M2 for what the RS3 will be in priced at. I just don't know if the RS3 will be worth it.

Anyway, unless I can figure out how to get the rear torque diff into my soon, new to me 8Y...definitely going to grab a 8Y.5, and I don't even have my 8Y yet. I just see myself not being as anxious to grab one while I enjoy the 2023. Talk about Audi going out with a bang though, fantastic news for an enthusiast.

[Gberg888]

Ass looks like the current WRX and we all know that looks like shit.

PFL 8v S3 still the best looking version imo.

[S3DAN]

mid

[A3DelRey]

Really dislike that rear bumper valance and the front grille piece with the same texture.

[Mr. Three]

From what I am seeing in some of the other videos, the car gets the DIFF from the RS3 but NOT drift mode. So that makes it less awesome.....

[RudyH]

From what I am seeing in some of the other videos, the car gets the DIFF from the RS3 but NOT drift mode. So that makes it less awesome.....

Though I agree, personally I would never use drift mode.

One thing I think makes the 2025 S3 so appealing, is that 2.0T. Don't get me wrong the 2.5T is great, the beefier DSG in the RS3 even better...
but, that set-up is only being used in the RS3...

The 2.0T set-up is used in VW = cheap replacement parts which is actually pretty huge in the long term. The TCU is currently locked for the S3 (except if you have an early 2022), but after that, getting to Stage II+ seems to be a breeze and into the stock RS3 / Stage I power zone. Personally, I really enjoyed my MK7.5 Golf R, it was plenty quick for jetting around. Is it the perfect track car? no, but in the 6 yrs I owned it I never made it to the track once because I never find the time.

That's why I think the S3, and likewise S4 has always been more 'my kind of car'. Quick street car with room to mod. Will it conquer a race track? It will be good, not great but it will be very streetable for daily driving. With that rear diff though, I would actually choose it, dare I say it, over a 8V RS3

[TheContrarian]

High belt line combined with not much lower bodywork overhang makes it sit like a mini SUV rather than a sporty sedan.

A few years ago Audi made some of the best looking cars around, now it produces these awkward designs with all sorts of unnecessary flair (rear bumper treatment is inexplicable).

[Redlinez]

I would love to have a suspension that doesn't beat the piss out of me over broken pavement, bridge joints, and harsh bumps.

[spidey9999]

So, same engine as is in Golf R 333?

[Dubonfire]

it's great if you keep your car stock but if you tune your car the lock dq381 tcu is such a pain in the ass and limit hp potential a lot.

I got an early 22 8y s3 fbo stage 2 ECU/tcu and I would never trade a tunable transmission for a drifter differential.

I was looking to upgrade to a 23-24 b9 s4 or a c8 s6 and the lack of tcu tune is an automatic turnoff for me.

its a big pass for me

[nerdpox]

eventually all of these will get cracked. especially if there is commonality with the Golf R. it took years for the B9 S4 motors but everything gets cracked

[Mr. Three]

Though I agree, personally I would never use drift mode.

One thing I think makes the 2025 S3 so appealing, is that 2.0T. Don't get me wrong the 2.5T is great, the beefier DSG in the RS3 even better...
but, that set-up is only being used in the RS3...

The 2.0T set-up is used in VW = cheap replacement parts which is actually pretty huge in the long term. The TCU is currently locked for the S3 (except if you have an early 2022), but after that, getting to Stage II+ seems to be a breeze and into the stock RS3 / Stage I power zone. Personally, I really enjoyed my MK7.5 Golf R, it was plenty quick for jetting around. Is it the perfect track car? no, but in the 6 yrs I owned it I never made it to the track once because I never find the time.

That's why I think the S3, and likewise S4 has always been more 'my kind of car'. Quick street car with room to mod. Will it conquer a race track? It will be good, not great but it will be very streetable for daily driving. With that rear diff though, I would actually choose it, dare I say it, over a 8V RS3

I agree with your logic. You're not wrong....I just get annoyed that the RS gets the drift stuff and the S doesn't. I have driven the 8Y RS3 in drift mode and if for only a few minutes, its a hoot. I am sure the new S3 will be great and the 2.0T I have in my '23 S3 is fantastic with the Continental turbo, even stock. For daily driving purposes, even the 306 horsepower is ok.

[AudiWhatee]

They are still using too much from the previous Audi designer who went to Hyundai 4-6 years ago. I can't stop seeing Elantra N and Veloster N's on the exterior.

RS3 still one of the best platforms and bang for buck out there.

[Spinnetti]

Drift mode is cool, if for no other reason than to get the dang thing to rotate on track. I modified the heck out of my S3 and it was a missile on the street, but no fun at all on track despite a lot of money poured into the suspension so I sold it. Maybe the new one will be a bit more joyful on track. RS3 is just hard to justify the expense. S3 is kind of the sweet spot, and lighter too.