SPIED: Barely disguised new 2020 Audi S3 hatch

A pair of spy photos showing a barely camouflaged 2020 Audi S3 hatch has surfaced online, thanks to Worldscoopforums.

The photos not only give us a glimpse of the S3 but also reveal the overall shape of the new A3. Looking like an upsized A1, Audi’s latest Golf-based hatch features boomerang-style headlights up front and sleek LED taillights at the back.

We can tell the spied model is an S3 from the quad tailpipes lurking behind the car. Like the current model, the new S3 will feature sportier front and rear bumper with similar styling treatment to the side air intakes as the RS4.

Along the sides, there is a subtle side skirt, while the brake calipers are painted red for the high-performance hatch.

Underneath its bonnet, the all-wheel drive S3 is expected to share its running gear with the upcoming Volkswagen Golf R, including an uprated 2.0-litre TFSI engine churning out around 245kW of power. It will be connected to a seven-speed DSG transmission, with rumours suggesting that the manual gearbox will be dropped completely.

The regular A3 is expected to bow in at the Geneva Motor Show in early March and there is a possibility the new S3 will debut at the same time.