Well I'll offer a different opinion based upon driving Chris's fine example...
Shove in the back = torque, not power.
My K04 S3 had more of a shove in the back feel than Chris's 330+ BHP car, but couldn't sustain it.
Mine hit massive torque (330lb-ft) at 3000 ish...Chris's doesn't feel like it's spooling up 'till after 3500.
For back road thrashing, you have to drive them differently...
In mine I would be using 3rd and 4th...in Chris's I was using 2nd and 3rd.
There is no doubt that a big turbo car makes more power up the revs, and id far quicker up there...but low down it's nowhere near as torquey...6th gear cruising is A LOT slower than a well sorted standard turbo'd car at legal-ish speeds.
You totally transform the S3 with a big turbo...you loose all bottom end to get much more over 5000...and hold it to over 7000.
With a well tweaked K04 S3 you get mental low and mid range grunt...but with little top end - it's dead by 6000 ish.
I have no doubt that in a straight line the big turbo S3 will be faster. No doubt at all.
But...in my view, depending on your driving style, your car's chassis, your tyre choice etc...on A-B sweeping roads, there wouldn't be much in it...and the faster car is probably the one with the driver who is best placed to exploit the characteristics of the engine.
On the track I'd also expect a few surprises...fast tracks (Silverstone, Castle Combe etc) the big turbo car would romp away...tight tracks with inclines (Knockhill, Cadwell etc) I'd expect the K04 car to have the edge out of the tight corners and holt it's own over a lap.
I may be wrong though...just based on what I'd felt from Chris's car.
By well sorted K04 S3, I'm not referring to a re-map...but a high boost, peaky, highly strung set up...
Which is the easier to drive?
The big turbo car, for sure. It's much kinder torque delivery makes it easier to drive.
Chris's car feels like a standard factory model in terms of road manners...seamless, smooth power delivery with no fuss.
My old S3 was a peaky, aggressive old hector that required much more effort to get the best out of...more like the turbo torque delivery of old - almost like a switch.
Which would I own now through choice?
Neither...
I'd want highly strung K04 bottom end (sub 4000RPM) with IHI top end (over 4000 RPM) and sadly I don't know of anything that'll do that.
Sadly, having tried the best of both worlds in different cars, I'd really love to have both together.