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I made a trip out to Liverpool today to collect my new RS3 and then drive it 180 miles home.

The collection was well executed, brought my little girl on the train and the car was shrouded when we got there for the little'un to do the reveal by whipping the cloth covering off.

All thoughts of whether it was a crazy buy not worth the extra completely evaporated not far into the journey home. It feels special in a way I've not felt about a car since my 2015 Golf R, sounds amazing with the exhaust flaps open - rumbly and popping on the gear changes, looks mean yet understated and drives great. I was even surprised my it's motorway efficiency.















Stabbed the throttle probably 20 times during the journey to go 40 - 80mph and tried to maintain 75mph by ACC most of the time. There were very few 50mph zones Vs my occasional commute down the A1/M18/M1 to Milton Keynes where about a quarter of the 240 mile journey is sat at 50. My S3 generally got 38 -40mpg on the motorway, without standing the throttle. The tight as a drum RS3 managed 36.4mpg, I'm convinced I'd have been pushing 38-39mpg without those bouts of hard acceleration. Sat on the motorway, the car seems able to push along at very low revs like my old 190TDI A4 did - happy to sit in the 50 zones in 7th gear at 1400rpm. Looks like it'll be thirsty around the doors though.

Tried to do some OBD11 work to ditch lane assist and alas, my old version is not recognised by the car to connect properly. The oil temp, 3 hours after I got home was still reading 51C - that's some amazing heat retention.

It's very well equipped as the base model plus "Tech Pro pack" - fully electric seats with 2 driver setting presets for electric adjustments, HUD, Matrix lights, auto parking (novelty) and pretty much everything you might normally expect from a recent VAG hot hatch.

I was worried how hard the ride might be, given it's 10mm lower than the S3 and the S3 ride is harsh/brittle Vs the Golf R. It's hard yet very compliant, in the same kind of way my old 2015 R on Pretoria's had an unexpectedly much better ride than a GTI on 18s.

Very pleased with it, will be looking to reinstall my dashcams into it tomorrow.

Hello,

I have tried a search but not found all the answers. I have a low mileage 17 Clubsport S which is weeping engine oil from one corner of the plastic sump. No apparent damage. The plan is to replace the sump BUT with what? And do I need to change the baffle too (Erwin says yes, as deformed when torquing the pan up so not reusable).

I have been warned off some after market metal ones as poor quality and prone to leak, and directed (by Litchfield Motors) to the OE metal one from the Tiguan. Has anyone done this? If so, did you fit a new baffle?

Thanks

Mark

“Cars, SUVs and 4x4s, EVs”

This development looks like a genuinely intriguing proposition, especially for people like me who run summers all year round.

Up here in semi-rural Scotland I might think about these next year once reviews are in and prices establish.