Here’s the 2021 Audi S3 making its visual debut on the Nurburgring

The 2021 Audi A3 has already been revealed. You can see it inside and outside in detail via our reveal post from a few months ago. But maybe it’s the S3 that you’re after. Previous sets of spy photos have shown the S3 in hatchback form running about in full camouflage, but America won’t get the hatchback. Instead, we’ll be getting the bright blue sedan pictured in these shots.

Frankly, these photos of the S3 sedan running around the Nürburgring are as good of a visual reveal as it gets. Audi has left the camouflage off, so you’re basically looking at a de-badged S3. The grille gets larger honeycombs in its honeycomb pattern, and it also adds the black nostril strip just above the big grille. Its side air intakes appear to be opened up and acting as functional venting on the S3, as opposed to the closed-off fake vents on the A3. Both the headlights and hood look exactly the same.

The larger wheels pop, and they’re hiding bigger brakes. There’s an even more obvious visual distinction between the S3 and A3 around back. While the A3 doesn’t appear to have any visible exhaust, the S3 pumps it up to a quad exhaust outlet with two tips on either side of the bumper. There’s a small diffuser tucked under there with more honeycomb styling directly above it. Some fake honeycomb venting is visible on the corners of the bumper right where the A3 has its fake vents, too. The final, slightly less noticeable difference is a small lip spoiler atop the upturned rear deck.

There are no interior spy shots, but expect the usual Audi S car treatment on the inside with different materials, colors, badging and digital cues. You can get a sense of what it’ll look like by checking out an interior photo for the regular A3 (below).

As for the powertrain, it’ll probably be running with an updated version of the 2020 car’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The car currently makes 288 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, so expect a number over 300 when it officially launches. It will have all-wheel drive, and power will be sent through an automatic transmission of some variety — Audi currently uses a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. We expect to see a debut for the U.S.-spec A3 and S3 later this year.

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