2007 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe - Automobile Magazine
Dsseldorf, Germany Before explaining the visual elements that distinguish the new Audi S8 from the A8, Filip Brabec, Audi product planning manager in the United States, observes, "Germans like things understated. " His assertion is that, whereas the previous S8 was totally in sync with German buyers, the new S8 falls at least partway between American and German tastes. Indeed, the new S version of Audi's A8 luxury liner is bolder, sportier, and more audacious. The previous S8, sold in the States from 2001 to 2003, challenged all but the most dedicated Audi spotter, as its visual giveaways were limited to a slightly lower ride height. A series of vertical bars has been added to its grille-Brabec's last achievement, added just months before the design was finalized. There are special wheels, of course, twenty inches in diameter and wrapped in 35-series performance rubber. The most dramatic distinction, however, is under the hood, where Audi has installed its first-ever V-10 engine, adapted from the one in corporate sibling Lamborghini's Gallardo. Audi enlarges it from 5. 0 to 5. 2 liters and fits FSI gasoline direct injection. Such is the absurdity of the German horsepower race, however, that ten cylinders, 444 hp, and 398 lb-ft of torque still leave the S8 trailing rivals such as the BMW M5 (whose own V-10 is good for 500 hp) and the Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG (with 493 hp... Source: www.automobilemag.com
