Audi S8

[BoRINg]

The first generation of the S8 was offered from July 1996 to September 2002 in the German market. It had a 4.2-liter V8 engine with 250 kW (340 hp) - the 1999 265 kW rendered (360 hp) from June - and was available exclusively with permanent quattro all-wheel drive with Torsen center differential.

When transmission is a five-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronicfunktion, dynamic shift program (DSP) and sport program or a 6-speed manual transmission was available as an option, which the Audi S8 uniquely made in the sporty luxury class saloon segment. At the time of launch it was the most powerful four-wheel sedan in the world. The special combination of aluminum body, permanent four-wheel drive and V8 engine he could even keep the spurt with the Porsche Carrera type 993rd

Engines and Technical Data 
The engine is based on the V8 engine of the Audi A8 with 220 kW (300 hp). The S8 are at an engine speed 2900-6000 rpm 90% of maximum torque available, which is not only impressive acceleration values but also very good elasticity values result.

The V8 engine with 250 kW of Audi S8 had sufficient power to the Porsche 993 Carrera 2 take a tenth in the acceleration sprint. The V8 version with 265 kW (360 hp) was faster even by two tenths of a second.

The performance of his direct opponents, the Mercedes-Benz S 55 AMG with 265 kW (360 hp) which exceed the Audis with Tiptronic to a good second; a direct comparison between the S 55 AMG and the Audi S8 with manual transmission are both par. After AMG in 2002 the S 55 AMG a compressor built - whereby the power to 368 kW (500 hp) was increased and brought a maximum torque of 700 Nm - it could undercut the 5-second limit and was thus much faster.

In addition to the S 55 AMG, there was also another sport luxury sedan, the based on the BMW 7 Series E38 built Alpina B12. This reached despite its 5.6-liter twelve-cylinder (later with 6 liters capacity) not the same acceleration, but on the other hand impressed by the model update in 1999 with a top speed of over 291 km / h. The Alpina B12 wore long time the title of the fastest production sedan in the world, making him not least because of its small numbers even more exclusive made as the Audi S8.