Audi S8 V10: Spotted

Our Carpool of the Year is now up for grabs!

The Audi you see here may look familiar; that's because it has graced the PH homepage before, as a Carpool and then more recently as our most read Carpool of 2017.

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.

Common problems generally associated with the S8, including the partly bonded rear windscreen that lead to water leakages, have been rectified by the current owner. It's recently had the parking brake, the battery and all four tyres replaced, and more excitingly Lee has had the intake flaps removed and the V10 remapped to produce 487hp.

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...

So why is it being sold? Despite buying it to "drive and enjoy", it would appear that a little too much driving for work (and a 19mpg average) means it's no longer sustainable for Lee and the V10 has to be replaced by a diesel. Shame.

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