The idea that the sportier version of the Audi A8 will come with a V8 isn’t new, but the fact that the car will have a total of 520 horsepower is. If you are a fan of big-sedan speed machines, this might very well be the car for you when it arrives on the market next year.
BMW and Mercedes have both already jumped onto the twin-turbo V8 bandwagon, making Audi look a bit tardy. But a combination of the A8’s advanced technologies and a 520 HP engine will make the S8 one of the most interesting cars in its segment.
In the short features, Car and Driver says the S8 will be pitted against the likes of Aston Martin’s Rapide, the Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG and Porsche Panamera. We don’t really think that is a fair comparison, an would like to suggest models more along the lines of BMW’s 750i or the more powerful 535 hp 760Li. Mercedes Benz’s best competitor would be the S600, which gets a 510 hp 5.5-liter mill. The S63 AMG is admittedly a more powerful car, with its 544 hp incarnation of the 5.5-liter V8, plus a factory upgrade to 571 horsepower available.
Just like all things coming from Audi, we expect the S8 to sell in decent numbers, though the car is built more for brand image than market success.
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