Audi S8 V10: Spotted
Our Carpool of the Year is now up for grabs!
Its owner, Lee Whitehead, had always hankered after an S8 after watching Ronin. What car enthusiast didn't? By the time he came to buy one though, the V10 S8 - rather than the V8 film star - was in reach, and that was the one he plumped for. Using a reworked Lamborghini Gallardo engine stroked from 5.0- to 5.2-litres for extra torque, it utilised direct injection to produce 450hp and 398lb ft. Not bad, but also not enough to set the world alight in terms of outright speed.
It may not be as fast as some of the other uberbarges available, then, but the S8 isn't exactly slow: the 1,940kg kerbweight can be shifted to 62mph in 5.1 seconds and, without the 155mph shackle, the big V10 is capable of 170mph. On early test drives, journalists were disappointed by the muted sound of the V10 but this one has a non-resonated cat-back exhaust system to remove the muzzle from that barking engine.
Thanks to double glazed windows all round, phone signal is halved; that may frustrate some, but think of what a serene driving environment it will create to transport you across Europe or down to your local high street. In both the advert and the Carpool, it has been mentioned that the car has had a shunt or two when parked in an airport car park, so it's not pristine; all the more reason for a cross-continent drive, you might say...
Still, his loss could be your gain, because this is a fast, discreet and well cared for supersaloon at a fraction of its original price. But then Germany is quite good at those, so you're not short of alternatives: this Mercedes S500 for example, or an earlier V8 7 Series. From Japan a Lexus LS could appeal too. However, if you must have a V10 - and want a star of PH to boot - then there's really only one option...
SPECIFICATION - AUDI S8 V10
Engine: 5,204cc, V10
Transmission: six-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 487@7,000rpm (after remap)
Torque (lb ft): 398@3,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 314g/km
First registered: 2008
Mileage: 78,000 miles
Price new: £82,040
Price now: £14,250
See the original advert here
”...in fact the 5.2 shares very few components with the 5-litre Lamborghini unit, the only significant shared parts being the drivetrain for the four camshafts. The reason is that the Audi V10s are built at the same factory as every other Audi engine, which, for economies of scale, has been configured to produce engines with a common 90mm bore spacing. The bore spacing of the Gallardo engine is 88mm. This is how the Audi V10 ends up with a different cylinder block, a new crankshaft, different pistons and new camshafts, while the more restricted engine bay, plus Audi’s desire to give the engine its FSI direct injection, result in bespoke induction and exhaust systems and a new sump.”
So if they are related, they are second cousins once removed at the very best
That doesn’t detract from the fact that Audi should be applauded for sticking a monster V10 in a saloon car though, and I would love an S6 Avant, if I could afford to put fuel in the thing.
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CNET = Cars. Not Entirely Truthful
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Surely this is the commonality that is seen in the S8 V10 engine.
Mine developed a fuelling issue where every few weeks it'd just cut out and refuse to start for 4+ hours but then be fine for another few hundred miles. Ended up costing four figures to track down the intermittent problem and resolve including two new fuel pumps (found out a lot about horseshoe fuel tanks!) and fuel control unit.
I'd still consider a newer one though but be mindful that big cars with big tech cost an awful lot to fix! Thankfully mine had the uprated metal cogs for the pop up screen which is a £xxxx job too!
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