British fans of fast saloons with silly wings let out a big sigh of relief when Subaru announced the new WRX STi will be offered in the UK after all. But were their celebrations premature? Is it possible that a benign Audi saloon is a better performance car than the mighty STi?

To find out AutoExpress took both cars and put them through a series of tests on the road and track. In the battle of Subaru WRX STi vs Audi S3 you have to take into account many different aspects besides performance, such as value, looks, refinement, and of course, brand loyalty.

So WRX fans may not care than a rather dull-looking Audi is significantly faster than in a drag race than their beloved ‘Baru. For them it’s the whole package – the handling, the sound of that boxer engine, and yes, even the silly wing. Not to mention the Subaru is considerably less expensive than this German fellow here (£28,995 against £33,245).