Manhart is a major tuner of European vehicles, especially those from Germany. It’s now showing off a vehicle that the company calls the S 400, but it’s not a Mercedes-Benz. Instead, the company turned a dial on the Audi S3 sedan.
The tuner uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and pushes output to 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 380 pound-feet (515 Newton-meters). For comparison, the stock S3 has 306 hp (228 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm).
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The Manhart-tuned S3’s figures even beat the European-market RS3 which had a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine producing 394 (294 kW) and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm). In the US, the RS3 offers 401 hp (299 kW). Europe also gets a Performance Edition variant of the RS that produces 407 hp (302-kW).
To achieve the massive horsepower increase, Manhart installed a new intercooler, carbon fiber intake, Remus-sourced stainless steel exhaust, and a remapped ECU.
Outside of powertrain tweaks, the Manhart fits in with a set of H&R springs that lower the S3 by 1.181 inches (30 millimeters). The exhaust pipe comes out of the carbon fiber lining.
The car shows off to highlight its modifications featuring a gray body with red and black accents, including asymmetrical trim. It rides on a set of 19-inch Manhart’s Concave One wheels with a black satin finish.
The show car has no changes to the interior or brakes. However, Manhart says that it can improve both aspects according to customer demand.
While Manhart’s improvements are impressive, German tuner Motoren Technik Mayer (MTM) has the S3’s tweaks even more extreme. The company’s four-stage overhaul increased output to 480 hp (358 kW). With that much power, this car can reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 3.2 seconds and 124 mph (200 kph) in 10.7 seconds.
In the US, the 2023 S3 starts at $47,895 (after a $1,095 destination fee) for the Premium trim. Premium Plus takes the cost to $50,595, and the top-of-the-line Prestige is $54,595.