Cool Photoshop art of an Audi RS8 parked on the Nurburgring track? Yes please, I'll take it. But we all know Audi doesn't want to make that car... for some odd reason, so we also need to look at the S8, which they will make.
The regular A8 model came out earlier this week. Normally, it takes them a couple of years to make the performance models, but the newly established Audi Sport division said it would hustle.
According to a report that came out yesterday, the S8 should have the same engine as the Porsche Panamera Turbo, a 4.0-liter V8. Not to be confused with the old 4.0 TFSI, this unit is built from the ground up in a collaboration that reminds people of the RS2 that started us on this hot Audi journey.
Power will be down from the 550 PS Porsche, but still slightly up on the current S8's 520 PS. Still, we know that nobody buys that anymore, instead preferring the S8 performance with 605 ponies.
In any case, the rendering of the new S8 comes from X-Tomi. It's not very naughty, featuring only mildly enlarged air intakes and some blacked out chrome elements. Still, it's obvious just how far Audi design has evolved.
The RS8 is what really gets the blood going. Designer Jan Peisert pulled it off in a matter of days. And in the video he just published, he also talks about coming very close with his A8 rendering several months ago.
We wish Audi would reconsider its decision on the RS8. With a wider stance and that fantastic black mesh grille, it exudes the kind of presence even S63 lacks. Despite making some compromises and downsizing its bigger engines from 5.5 to 4.0-liters, Mercedes-AMG sales are booming. So we're people would love a very big yet scorchingly fast Audi sedan.
But what do you guys think: is the RS8 cooler than the S8? And is there room for another German 4-door with a powerful V8?
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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