dim slip

Hello guys,

For the past couple of days i can not sleep well... constantly looking, reading and searching forums for some kind of answer.
Could someone please explain to me. What are the major differences between a d4 s8 and a 4.0t a8 ??

I am looking to get a 2012/13 model with up to 50k miles... but don't know if it's worth overpaying 20% for the " S " sticker? Is this the case ? Or the S8 is a must buy over a a8 4.0t ?

Thank you very very much !!

MP4.2+6.0

Why not just look at current audi u.s. website and extrapolate backwards? Or search, since overlapping posts have been asked and answered in past.

Both exist in similar form today (hence why look at web site), with paper spec for 4.0t A8 going from 420HP to 450 in two steps/model years, even if likely actual output was probably similar. Not worth inventing wheel here for a one off post ask. 2013 is also step point IIRC for 4.2 vs. 4.0t, so be sure you are looking at cut over point on A8 if you want the turbo motor. 2015 is where later in model run facelift occurred; mostly cosmetic though w/ one of the 4.0t HP steps in nominal spec IIRC.

On price, also remember as you go up the model food chain, what is "standard" also increases, so you need to compare similarly configured models. Can look at something like auto trader to get a better sense w/ options/features in mind.

dim slip

Okey i understand. But as simple as it is, would you pay 45k$ for an 2012 4.0t or 55k$ for a same milage 2012 s8 ?

andrewmr

I'm guessing you're not in the US. Most of the answers you'll get on this forum are from US members and as such we'll talk about US spec cars.

I looked for an A8 for quite some time and in the end went with an S8.

I wanted a car with the sport package and a few other things that came already installed/equiped on the S8 so the price difference wasn't that extreme.

In the end it came down to the carbon interior so I pulled the trigger on an S8.

On a purely performance standpoint the S8 wins. With that said, the A8 is no slouch and I'm betting would be fast enough for all but a very few. And for those that wanted even more power there is always aftermarket tuning.

the_duke

I'm guessing you're not in the USA? Because neither of those cars existed in the the US in 2012. If you are in the US and just made a mistake then I would ask if you're looking for a CPO car or a car that is now out of factory warranty. Also you're not mentioning options. There are a lot of variables. Go drive one of each. Learn about all the options and features. Then make an informed decision on what you want. Everyone has different wants and needs.

Jack88

I never drove an A8 4.0t, but I can tell you the S8 is excellent. The active rear diff standard in the S8 is harder to find in an A8, it was an expensive option for those years. If you plan on being occasionally a hard driver, the S8 is for you. If you only sometimes lean in the throttle and take corners spiritedly but still with a reasonable buffer from the car's limits, the A8 4.0t is perfectly suited to you. Drive both, see if the difference in performance is worth it to you.

Ravill

Every A8 loaner I got from my dealer, made me long for my S8.

DirtyVegasTT

If you can afford S8 without too much of a struggle then you should get an S8. And yes, 10K is easily worth the upgrade.

thehaviet

Sorry, but is this even a question?

If you have the money, is there a reason why you would take the A8 over the S8?

I just happened to see a new 2017 S8 at the local dealer with a sticker price of $123k...and boy oh boy...that thing is a beauty inside out...I can't imagine what it's like behind the wheels of that beast.....too bad my bank account can't match the price of the car....

RED HORSE

Difference between A8 and S8?

A8 = Smile
S8 = Big Smile