The first time I saw Ronin in 1998, I absolutely knew I wanted an Audi S8. In black, 'with nitrous, so it can shove a little'. As a fast Audi fan, the German super-saloon had been on my radar since its launch in 1996, but as a middle-ranking IT bod back then, I wasn't that far up the ladder - my wheels at the time was a Citroen XM. So when I first saw the two cars going head to head in John Frankenheimer's epic car chase film, I was torn over which one to cheer on...
Mirrors and badges the only real clues
A little over 15 years on and little has changed - I still have an XM in my fleet, I would love an S8, and I still haven't decided whether to cheer on the good or the bad guys in that memorable car chase in the south of France. The good news is that I can now afford an S8, and although there were 385 still on the road at
the last count
, numbers are dropping, values are pretty much on their uppers, and it's only a matter of time before getting one is going to become quite a bit harder.
The A8, on which the S8 was based, was a very interesting car. It was launched in 1994 and featured extensive use of aluminium in its body and underpinnings - it weighed between 1,450kg and 1,750kg, which was at least 300kg lighter model-on-model than the contemporary Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The styling was clean and Audi-generic, while the build quality was up there with the very best. In all, it was a highly desirable flagship that did more than a little to help lift Audi into the automotive premier league, even if sales were slow compared with its BMW and Mercedes-Benz rivals.
There'll be some V8 rumble from here too
Of course, it was with the arrival of the four-wheel drive S8 that things became a whole lot more interesting. Like all previous S-badged Audis, the S8 was visually subtle, with polished aluminium door mirror caps, polished twin exhausts and those lovely 18-inch six-spoke Avus alloys giving the game away. Aficionados could spot an S8 but, to the rest of the world, it was merely another big Audi going about its business. It was what was going on under the bonnet that made the S8 interesting.
At launch, it was available with a 335hp derivative of Audi's 32-valve 4.2-litre V8, and that was upgraded to 355hp and 40-valves for the 1999 facelift. Both were lovely to drive behind, with clean and tractable power delivery, as well as a craving for big revs (it tops out at 7,000rpm). Combine that with a relatively low kerb weight (for its size, especially considering it came with four-wheel drive) of 1,750kg, and you were left with a swift, unobtrusive, executive hotrod, with an agreeably gruff V8 soundtrack.
Okay, so unlike some of its lairier opposition, tail-out hooning was not on the cards, but for those who watched Ronin, who could forget those effortless four-wheel drifts in Paris at the hands of stunt driver, and ex-F1 racer Jean-Pierre Jarier? Would you want to try on UK roads? Probably not - an S8 takes up an awful lot of road...
Familiar Audi design inside...
But is the S8 a true PHer's car today? In terms of its concept - absolutely. Big stand-outs are its huge amounts of grip and high-speed poise that come with surprisingly subtle ride. Performance is more than adequate (0-60mph in 5.7 seconds, limited 155mph for the 40V car) - and although it doesn't quite have the grunt to stay with an E39-generation BMW M5 or Jaguar XJR V8, both a smaller and less roomy. The over-light Servotronic steering, which lacks feel, disappoints if you're looking for an all-out driver's car. But one gets used to it and importantly, when the cost of buying one today into account, you can forgive an S8 for one or two dynamic foibles.
Because here's the thing - Audi S8s are disturbingly cheap to buy right now. But running costs are potentially going to be burdensome if something goes wrong or breaks, although regular servicing isn't untoward if you use an independent specialist. The main area of worry is the gearbox, as it's not unknown for them to fail, leaving you with a £2,000-plus rebuild bill. But if you can spanner yourself, and aren't afraid of ferreting around for breakers, there's no doubt that the S8 represents one of the all-time high performance super-saloon bargains right now.
... and, um, externally as well
They're already getting scarce on the used market, as many owners find themselves unwilling to sell at today's values. They're also highly profitable breakers for those who can't stomach an incoming bill. But despite limited numbers, demand also seems limited right now. A quick scan of the
PH Classifieds
yields just two - both of which are less than £5,000, and look like cared-for cars. Me being me, the cheaper
of the two
at £3,500 appeals more, and not just because it's a private seller; the mileage is lower, and it comes with Bose sounds and a factory-fit sat-nav.
Search further afield and the options for the brave are there for the taking. Without too much digging, I found a dealer local to me looking to unload one with a short MoT for a smidgen more than £1,500. It might well be an unexploded bomb looking to do grizzly things to your wallet, but what fun to be had while it's running. Given that there are still a few doing the rounds at between £2,500 and £3,500 in the small ads, your own piece of Ronin is more accessible than you think - are you brave enough to accept the challenge?