S8 or RS6 ???

[Chris_B]

I am surprised that he says that the S8 handles better than the RS6. I have owned a D3 Sport (4.2 petrol) and SE (3.0tdi) and was never happy with the handling.

The D3 S8 was the first to have the revised D3 suspension - it was taken across the Sport suspension range at the facelift (square fogs). The S8 engine is pretty lightweight for what it is, and quite compact, and because of the size and layout of the A8, the engine bay is quite low, so the engine and gearbox weight are less far ahead of the front axle, and lower down.

The RS 6 really benefits from DRC, but you can't always escape physics. The engine is quite heavy, the turbos, intercoolers and plumbing all sit way up front too, and that's an industrial version of the 6-speed gearbox (I think the torque converter is beefed up). There's a reason the RS 6 weighs two tonnes, and a lot of that sits on the front end. You can feel it in corners.

The S8 just felt more agile, there's less sense of being on the verge of understeer, and less chance of snap oversteer. Behind the scenes, the RS 6's ESP is constantly braking individual wheels when making fast progress on winding roads, the S8 is just more able to get by without the electronic aids.

If the RS 6 had been fitted with the quattro sport differential, it might have been a better handling car. The D4 A8 has it as an option, and it's standard on the TDI, possibly because it's helpful to counteract the nose weight of the V8 TDI engine?

Don't get me wrong, the RS 6 is a miracle of modern engineering to do what it does, but a nose-heavy car will always feel less nimble than a lighter more balanced one.

I drove the S8 three laps round Silverstone's southern circuit at a pre-launch, and it was amazing. Take an S8 and an RS 6 to a tight track like Cadwell, and there's no telling which would set the faster lap time, but I suspect it might not be the RS 6.

[garcon magnifique]

just downloaded the brochure for the new A8

my god its expensive and the options have all gone up stupidly

well over £6,000 for the B&O upgrade !!

im going off it fast

i feel a D3 S8 coming on soon................................

I spec'd a 4.2 TDI to over 130 grand!

(That was every conceivable extra, mind - including 14 grand for the 'exclusive' leather pack... )

[Merlot]

Thanks for the insight Chris. I'm scratching my head a bit at the moment. Mrs M is happy with her new S3 Sportback and I have been driving around in a Maserati 4200GT for the last year or so but might go for a change. We have a family wagon (4WD made by Brummies) so anything is really on as long as its a 2+2 as a minimum to get the kids to school. Just wish the RS6 had dropped in value more..........

[roberto1954]

WOW!! now thats expensive motoring baring in mind the extras dont make a lot of difference in price after 2 years !!

The D4 is almost upon us and theres plenty of new D3,s out there..

A 3.0 tdi sport @ £56,000 list can be bought at the moment for a mere £42,000

BRAND NEW..............................TEMPTING INIT

[TrundleFly]

On a slight tangent - From the pictures the new A8 doesn't look that much different from the outside to the "old" one which is pretty good as it means our cars don't immediately look outdated. Some nice additional gadgets but I don't know if they are killer enough to warrant the extra money versus what you could pick up a year old one for.

If I were you, I'd probably be tempted to get a recent "old" shape one but then I'm not a new car buying kind of guy. I like to benefit from depreciation a bit rather than just suffer it.

[Merlot]

Ask if they have a white one....

[Chris_B]

Some nice additional gadgets but I don't know if they are killer enough to warrant the extra money

see, that's what it's all about in my mind - the extra gadgets like night vision and stuff are the things you'd just have to have - why else would you buy a D4 TDI over a D3 S8 say? New nav might look prettier, but it does the same basic job.

But it's the toys that hike the price. I reckon a 4.2 TDI SE Exec plus the gadgets, without any Exclusive options would come in at about 78k to 80k. That's still pretty steep.

But I wouldn't back it out to £66k and not have the toys, I'd spend £60k elsewhere. Like a loaded D3 S8, with a hefty discount. Or an RS 6.

[Chris_B]

Oh, and which would I have out of S8 or RS 6? Probably an RS 6 Avant for the practicality. It also amuses me to have a 911-Turbo baiter that can carry fridges around.

I know I said the S8 is the better chassis, and I think it is. I also think the S8 looks better, is more comfortable and more luxurious. It's the better long-distance car of the two - goes further between refuelling stops, and is very relaxing to drive despite the lower top gearing. I drove straight from Lincs to Greenock and could happily have jumped back in and driven back again straight away if I had to.

But most of my driving is on Lincolnshire's roads, which feature a lot of fast sweeping roads full of slowcoaches in long nose-to-tail lines. The RS 6 is supreme at making headway on that kind of road, whatever the weather.

So, between the two it depends on usage. Mostly urban, S8. Mostly fast country roads, RS 6. Mostly motorway, close but S8 by a hair. Tight, twisty roads, S8. Autobahn, RS 6.

[Wizbit]

see, that's what it's all about in my mind - the extra gadgets like night vision and stuff are the things you'd just have to have - why else would you buy a D4 TDI over a D3 S8 say? New nav might look prettier, but it does the same basic job.

But it's the toys that hike the price. I reckon a 4.2 TDI SE Exec plus the gadgets, without any Exclusive options would come in at about 78k to 80k. That's still pretty steep.

But I wouldn't back it out to £66k and not have the toys, I'd spend £60k elsewhere. Like a loaded D3 S8, with a hefty discount. Or an RS 6.

That's actually a very good way to put things into perspective.

[Merlot]

Just looked at the D4 standard paint colours - silver, grey and black. How drab.

[Merlot]

Seen how much the extend warranties are - much higher than for smaller Audis'.

Can't find privacy glass.

You still pay extra for the ski hatch. That means that tight arses like me who buy their A8s used will have to carry their skis in the cabin and I look like a real idiot when I do that.

[Merlot]

I thought that the D4 was meant to be lighter than the D3 but they are not. Also look at how much more the diesel weighs over the petrol and all over the front end - no wonder it has the sports differential as standard.

Still want one mind you...

[garcon magnifique]

Just looked at the D4 standard paint colours - silver, grey and black. How drab.

Ah but it has five different shades of black.

Frankly, that standard colour chart is no more than Audi owners deserve - if they had some f*cking imagination maybe there'd be some actual colours on there.

(Edit: mind you, my last six cars have been silver, silver, black, silver, black and, erm, silver.... )

Edited January 22, 2010 by garcon

[roberto1954]

Ask if they have a white one....

Yes they do:grin:

[paulrstaylor]

You still pay extra for the ski hatch. That means that tight arses like me who buy their A8s used will have to carry their skis in the cabin and I look like a real idiot when I do that.

Thats an easy retrofit, did mine last weekend! The whole is there behind the carpet - stanley knife there and to remove the leather benind the arm-rest.... bought a ski-hatch (expensive from audi, not so bad form ebay.de) and it just clipped in!

[Merlot]

Interesting.

[roberto1954]

Well guys the RS6 i wanted was sold yesterday..

So the S8 im looking at on tuesday next week is 160 miles away from me hope its still there..

[roberto1954]

well went to see the S8 today 2009 reg at THE CAR SHOP swindon

its done 1,800 miles in a year

and now i know why

its been in the body shop

had a n/s/f wing replaced

has damaged wing mirror,2 alloys,damaged rear bumper and scratches

not impressed at all

[Merlot]

Long drive for a disappointment.

[cruiser647]

There are loads on eBay at (what look like) proper Audi garages?

Just checked - not many!

Here's the one:- 2008 08 Audi A8 S8 FSI Quattro 4dr Tip Auto on eBay (end time 10-Feb-10 09:28:33 GMT)

Edited February 3, 2010 by cruiser647

[trikezx6r]

Low miler with ceramic brakes here :- BRAMLEY - THE BEST EXPERIENCE : S8 Saloon with Ceramic Brakes and Only 3,900 Miles

[craigyb]

Their both £4K or more than I wanted for my S8 and mine is higher spec

[roberto1954]

yours is nice craig i must admit..

waiting for a company car coming up 4 sale locally high milage £25,000

havent seen it yet , disposing of it march time , got 1st refusal..

[Mook]

That's a LOT of car for the money at £25K