The Mk1 Audi S3 built from 99 till 2003 and based on the A3 model it is the flagship of that range. there were 2 variants the 210bhp (99-02) and the 225nhp (02-03).
Both Had the same 1.8 liter straight 4cylinder Turbocharged engine, the second had a variable valve timing to increase the bhp output. Manufacturer stated a 0-62 of 6 seconds.

It was dubbed a Quattro as it used a 4 wheel drive system to distribute the power to where it was needed the most.

The S3 was officially sold in Uk, Europe, Mexico and Australia but not officially in the USA.

Some of the Main Features that came as standard on the new car were; xenon HID headlamps with high pressure washers, front fog lamps, 17 in "Avus" alloy wheels with 225/45R17 tires, electrically adjustable Recaro leather seats, climate control, alarm, electronic traction control/stability program, Electric Mirrors, Trip computer along with many that are std on any modern car.

As with all new cars this day and age there were the many optional extras that of course push up the price Including; Bose sound system, boot/trunk mounted 6 disc CD changer, metallic paint, 18 inch 9-spoke RSTT wheels, glass sunroof, center arm rest, auto dipping rear view mirror, parking assist, luggage net, heated front seats, cruise control, aluminum door mirror casings and part leather/Alcantara (blue/silver/yellow) combination seat coverings.

The original standard on the road price was in the region of £25000 from a main dealer but as can be expected this could vary wildly, and even more so when adding on the optional extras.

More Recently Audi have released the new Mk2 S3 with a 2.0 liter straight 4cylinder Turbo engine developing 265bhp and a 0-62 in 5.7 secs.

Ownership:
I bought a second had 2002 225bhp AUDI S3 in march 2006 at £15K which was the market value at the time and are still today going for £13K.
This was not my first high performance car but was a big step up in quality, power and prestige from my previous cars. and i was expecting big things from it and some friends said my expectations were maybe a little to high, having owned it now for over 1 year i will give you my Opinions on it.

Quality:
The quality of the S3 was exactly what you would expect from a modern Audi competing on the level with BMW and Mercedes, the finish of the trim, carpets were flawless even after 4 years of use, the Gearbox was solid and so was the power delivery, all the electrics worked first time every time and still do today. The leather seats were in good condition with very few marks on them. exterior wise was much the same there were a few battle scars from stones and the supermarket days but this is to be expected of a second hand car.

Reliability:
Now i but your all hoping I've had lots of problems, sorry to disappoint you but I've had very few in the last 18 months for a car that is now 5 years old its good going. what has gone wrong though is, rear washer jet tube fell off into the boot, 1 rear parcel shelf mount broke, the center arm rest broke and the passenger electric window motor broke. that is all. its been MoT'ed once serviced once had all 4 tyres changed once and thats it.

Driving and Comfort:
Now this is my favorite bit as well its what you do with a car is it not drive it and sit in it. The leather seats once you have adjusted them to how you desire with the electric adjustments are really comfortable just be careful on hot days and short Skirts/Shorts ouch. The climate control is great for the hot days too although you do find yourself either to hot or to cold sometimes and take a while to get it just right, but hey better than panting out of a window like a dog.
So now your set up and comfortable for the drive ahead, once you have given it a good amount of time to warm up and are ready to give it a bit of right foot, you will not be disappointed the grip is amazing helped both by the 4wd Quattro system and the ESP (electronic stability program) on take of and around bends its is hard to spin the wheels or loose traction, the pull when the turbo kicks n around the 4k mark is like turbos should be and will put a smile on anyones face, but its a surprise to most people as its a bit Stealth in its appearance not like some boy racer car its smooth one moment then a monster the next.
One Warning on the comfort Long drives can become a little less comfortable just stop and take rests (long distance being 500+ miles) and watch out for the bumps its sporty and has sporty suspension so can be a little rough over them.

To sum up yes there are faster cars yes there are more Prestige cars and there are cars that can be just as much a thrill for less money but for a car thats a jack of all the trades its a great one and i struggle to find Fault and its a well Recommended car. How good the new version is I've yet to find out but hope it wont be to different. The fuel economy is good for the car it is to i regularly get 32mpg mixed and near to 40mpg on the motorway.