I’ve always been in love with Audis. A 90s model Audi A4 is slightly within my financial capabilities these days, but I am a bit put off by the fear of high maintenance. At first glance you might think this is an Audi A8. But the red and platinum badge on the grille gives that away. This is Audi’s BMW M5 killer, the Audi S8. The Audi S8 is a tuned up sporty model of it’s flagship A8 luxury car.
First of all, the engine. To put it into the same league as the BMW M5, the new Audi S8 has been equipped with an engine similiar to the Lamborghini Gallardo’s 5.0 litre V10 engine that makes 450bhp of power and 540Nm of torque. This is comparable to the BMW M5’s V10 which makes 400hp in normal mode and 507hp in M-mode. This lightweight engine weighs only 220kg, about 20kg less than equivalent competitors. The Audi S8 itself is only 1940kg in total weight. While the power to weight ratio is not as astounding as the Ariel Atom 2, it’s still good.
The engine uses FSI direct petrol injection, with allows a high compression ratio of 12.5:1. The injection system uses common rail injection, and injects petrol in precise amounts at pressures up to 100 bar. Direct injection also allows the air-fuel ratio to be finetuned to the leanest possible, for maximum power.
This powerful engine is mated to a six-speed tiptronic transmission. Power is transferred to all four wheels with Quattro all-wheel drive, with a default torque bias of 40:60 to the front and back wheels respectively. Maximum torque bias for the front is 65%, and the back is 85%.
The car rides on an adaptive air suspension which comes as an option for the Audi A8, but standard for the Audi S8. Ride height and other suspension characteristics can be adjusted either automatically or through 3 other preset driving modes – comfort, dynamic or lift. Ground clearange ranges from 95mm to 125mm.
The Audi S8 is equipped with 18 inch ceramic disc brake that are less prone to brake fade and also are half the weight of ordinary steel brake discs. These discs hide inside 20 inch sports rims wrapped with 265/35/R20 tyres.
The Audi S8 is set to be launched in mid-2006.
huge car!
the rear looks a bit like Honda Civic
if its anyting like the new rs4,thn it wil be awesome….bt i jus tink no othr car that drives like an m5…its nt abt engine only,its the whole package…sales charts dont lie…m5 is a whole legacy behind it n a history of moto sports n high performance…audi dont have that history i guess only wen thy had the audi quattro wen thy used to be in rally in the 80s…..! bt i guess i wdnt mind having one of thse s8 ,any donors out thr?! call me!
A 90s model Audi A6 is slightly within my financial capabilities…i fear the maintanance as well…Paul i feel you man
this car looks like the tranporter 2 car,
shiok man….
hey, I think the Audi RS6 is in the same class as BMW M5, not this S8…
Paul, this Audi S8 CAPITALISES on the expertise of the Gallardo's V10 engine, not actually using the Gallardo's engine exactly…
The engine is not the one used in Lambo Gallardo. This one only uses some of its components. And its actually 5.2 litres.
This car is deep in the Merc S55 AMG-Alpina B7-Jaguar XKR class (the XKR often included in the Merc E55 AMG-BMW M5-Jaguar S-Type R only based on its price). To rival the M5 Audi has the S6, coming in a few months time, or an RS6, which was just recently announced)
As Jeremy puts it, "…..the ugliest and most annoying car in the world, the M5!….' (Top Gear season 3, Episode 9). I hope Audi has learnt something from that. Hope to read or watch its test drive and reviews. Perhaps I could make better comparison between the two. But this S8 looks better than the M5. I mean way better. Yes, the new design by the Beemers are UGLY to me. They couldve been more fun than that.
Performance wise, I think the S8 will do alright…thou I think the M5 has more punch and feels. Let's hope Audi didn't give the same stupid indicator switch and the bloody annoying satnav system like the Beemers did!
I just hate the front grille, in general OKAY!!
wonderful lovely fast car… wooo…
A new generation of Audi??? Come on, refresh a bit lah,buyer won't like this model anymore when 2008 come,OK!
Analogically compared to BMW, I say this is the souped-up version of 7-Series. It's big. It's long (look at that wheelbase length!). In addition, its design looks dated. Abit too dull, more towards the luxury high-end side.
The RS6 would be more comparable to the M5. Its flared wheel-arches (S8 doesn't have these, thus not "aggressive" enough) is sexy. It's smaller, sportier.
And of course, RS4 (againt, flared wheel-arches! whee!) could be seen as the direct competitor of the M3.
I don't think it (S8) will sell well in M'sia though. For that much of money, Malaysians generally go for BMW or Merc. If really rich, Porsche and other sports cars.
No doubt, Audi is picking up and slowly eating into pie (its share of market) especially since the opening of its state-of-the-art Glenmarie showroom, but it's still pretty expensive (to buy and to maintain). The A6 is in the same price bracket as new 5-Series. Unless you want to be "somewhat" different from the rest of the crowd, 5-Series is almost the more obvious choice.
Check out this link Paul, Nice Pics Here http://www.supercars.it/ginevra2005/salone_ginevr…
Another Bangle-style-influenced BMW? Well, they may look ugly when they come out- but you have to admit the guy has a gift for the designs not getting dated the way Alfas do.
I do'nt like the way it looks, but even as I'm looking at it, I can sort of guess that in a year or two, it's going to be quite stylish.
I mean, even the Hondas, Toyotas and Hyundais have started emulating the Bangle-type style….
get the A4 1.8T and let me have a spin pls, kthxbai
Although it may not look like it, Audi is actually one of the best selling marques in their homeland and in Europe. Way ahead of Mercedes and BMW. It's just not that popular in this part of the world.
Marmitecrab, that is not true. As for luxury marques, BMW is now the best selling brand in Germany, with Merc a close second. Audi is a distant third.
Maybe in Europe they're closer, but certainly not better than either. Europeans love their TTs and A4 convertibles.
The FR grille just the same shape as my house GATE!! WOAH! go job DOG and cats also can pass through man!!
YAU MO KAU…….CHOU!!! AUDI………….OUT……DIDI
From what I have read, I have to agree with Marmitcrab. Audi is the best selling luxury brand in Germany. In almost all the European reader polls and surverys I have read, Audi has beaten both BMW and Mercedes. In fact, I have asked a few people who have been to Germany lately and they have all told me that Audis are a lot more popular there than BMW. The Germans appreciate the engineering and quality of Audi. Another little tidbit; a Porsche engineer came to K.L. recently and was asked what his favorite car brand was, and he said it had to be Audi. Why? Because they have the best car engineers.
i see audi in volvo class, not bm or merc class.
I am afraid that the perception of Audi in Malaysia is not what it should be, due almost entirely to the previous distributors, Auto Dunia.
saw one in briz cbd the other day. fierce.full of ompss
minus the S
Paul, check this BABE!! I love it.
http://response.jp/issue/2005/1021/article75360_1…
Aluminium ROOF and Electronic control ASC, 4WD and 6 speed. Also with ROCKFORD FOSGATE audio system, 18 inch aloy rims,…….Awesome Styling, Must beat HONDA CRV, Nissan X-trail,………all SUV at the moment!!
BLOG it please!!
Paul, did u ever blog the Audi Nuvolari?
AkSms,
Jeremy did say that the M5 was "annoying and ugly" but in the end he said once the M mode wa activated, it became great. He practically salivated over that car and has ordered himself one.
Jeremy is bollocks! :) He knows nut about cars .. hee.. hee..
paul is fantastic…. frequent updates, anyway… s8 might come to msia thru cbu. crazily fast and luxurious
The thing with Jeremy, he hates BMW due to his nemesis/competitor in the Car world – Tiff Needell loves them especially the M5. Knowing him, he will say whatever he likes as long as it sells his Top Gear megazines and videos.
Yhtan- it is the car in the Transporter 2 movie. So go see the movie to know how this car performs or buat muka tak malu and get a test drive from Audi in Malaysia.
I wonder how much we need to pay for S8 .. most probably over RM500K.
500K? 500K can get you the A8 I think. Not the S8.
Well actually, 500k cant even get you close to an A8. The base A8 3.0 Multitronic is RM871k. The A8 4.2 is RM1.3mil. S8? most probabby close to RM 2Mil
i read in star motoring the A6 is about 400K only. huge gap between A6 and A8 it seems.
A6 2.4 is RM394k, A6 3.0 RM501k, and A6 3.0 quattro is RM573k.. Pretty much on par with the equivalent BMW 5-Series..
523i is RM350k, 525i is RM410k, 530i is RM460k..
But a 745iL is 'only' RM878k, just a tad more expensive than the base A8 3.0.. I guess thats what you have to pay to steer clear of the mainstream and be 'different'.
The pricing for the base A8 3.0 Multitronic is closer to RM600k.
cbljkkj: Hehe…of course la he said that. I have the complete video. If I'm motherforking loaded, I'd have ordered one already. Just listen to the V10 sound and the way it goes. Mother of God, so intoxicating!
But the thing is, I don't think BMW is on par with AUDI in terms of quality and reliability. I'd like to refresh you a bit that, the new M5 eletronics has gone mad after the flying laps by 'The Stig' in 2 M5s! The engine is so strong and powerful but, everything else that come with it is so fragile, so to speak. And I haven't heard or read any complaint about the Audi being too fragile or soft.
Anyone care to share?
Just to clear up any confusion here are the lastest price for Audi cars in Malaysia:
A6 2.4 Multitronic: RM368k
A6 3.0 Multitronic: RM450k
A6 3.0 Quattro: RM470k
A8L 3.0 Multitronic: RM668k
A8L 4.2 Quattro: RM850k
There you have it. Very close to BMW prices, and each and every model is CBU, Ingolstadt, Germany.
The prices i quoted were from Euromobil. Autocar's pricelist is the same as Chun mentioned, tho Autocar's pricelist is very unreliable. A spokesperson from Euromobil once admitted that the higher price of its cars are to offset the lower sales volume. Therefore the A4 is priced much more competitively because they are expecting it to sell quite well. As for the A6 and A8, which would sell in small amounts mostly to die-hard Audi fans, the high price is 'justified'
I think the prices you got from Euromobil were from some time back. Their newest and revised prices are reflected as what I have listed. I can confirm because a relative of mine just bought an A6 2.4 at RM368k. I had also checked with the salesperson at Euromobil for all the latest pricing and I can confirm that these are what they are.
The old A8 pricing from EuroMobil were ridicuous to say the least. At least now that they are comparable with BMW, they are shifting some units now.
Most of us Asians (let me justify, not all ok) tend to be a rather 'very-obvious-brand-conscious' lot. So when it comes to top brands for cars it will be none other than Mercs and BMWs.
Audis are not as much appreciated on our shores. (Good news though for Audi-fans, as thieves are not interested in these cars too…ha ha ha!)
To me Audis are real mean-machines and beautifully designed too. Takes correct exposure and knowledge to appreciate the Audis.
Cheers,
Ruby Ahmad.
OK sorry bout that.. Good for them then, tho i seriously dont think they'll sell in big numbers
Audi is famed for its interior, built quality. Top notch. Quality. Engine-wise, there're better competitors but that's almost unnoticeable for most of us Average Joes.
The best car I ever Had was the 2002 Audi S8 model, and now there is talk of you comming out with a 2006 model, please let me know if this is true!
I live in Somerville Mass at 157 Perkins street in Somerville please let me know if this is real or just a joke!
sighn someone who loves the Audi S8 model, James Alston
How is everyone doing here. I am actually working for an Audi Dealer in the United States. Just wondering how much is that S8 costs in Malaysia. F.Y.I: The current Audi A8 with W12 (12 cylinders motor) is running at US$130,000 on the sticker price.
E-Nabill stated – "m5 is a whole legacy behind it n a history of moto sports n high performance…audi dont have that history i guess only wen thy had the audi quattro wen thy used to be in rally in the 80s…..! "
Not only did they dominate World Rally Championship in the '80's with five world Rally Championships using the Original Audi Quattro, but lets not forget how Audi has been in:
1. Grand PRix – Dominated with their "Silver Arrows" from 1934 through 1939 with 42 victories in 83 races.
2. Pikes Peak – Three Wins ( Michele Mouton '85, Bobby Unser '86, Walter Rohrl '87)
3. IMSA GTO – 1988 with 8 wins with the 200 Quattro and 7 more wins in the Audi 90 Quattro – until they were kicked out for having an "unfair advantage"
4. DTM – 1990 Championship win in its first race and wins the Manufacturers title, successfully defending it with another win a year later.
5. Super Touring- 1995 win in the Touring Car World Cup. In 1996 Audi wins 7 championships with the A4 Quattro continuing to win privately through 1999
6. American LeMans Series – 2000 R8 wins the 24 hour of LeMans 5 times! and a total of all three titles (1st,2nd,3rd) 6 times. Out of 77 races, The Audi R8 was on top 49 times with the most successful Le-Mans prototype ever created. Its last year in 2005 it won 9 out of 15 races.
Audi has a very rich motorpost history to back itself up with. This coming year the R8 continues with a TDI engine. It will be interesting to watch as many more auto manufacturers are now getting involved.