The roundest kid in this class still has something to prove
Top Gear brought together three of the most powerful Audis in the car maker's current lineup, for a drag race with a very foreseeable ending. The Audi S8 meets RS6 and R8 V10 Plus.
Let's start with the elephant in the room, the luxurious S8. Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine packs 597 hp (605 PS) and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) that are sent to all four wheels via the emblematic quattro system. Despite its 4,552 pounds (2,065 kilograms), the S8 can launch to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 3.8 seconds, which makes it a helluva luxurious saloon, doesn't it?
Now, the RS6 uses the same engine, boasting the same figures, with one small difference: its weight. While not a ballerina itself, the RS6 tips the scales at 4,464 pounds (2,025 kilograms), so it's some 88-pound (40-kilogram) lighter than the S8. It's a drag race, so this is an important detail in this context. The RS6 needs just 3.7 seconds to reach the 62 mph mark.
The trio of super-Audis is completed by the sportiest of them all, the R8 V10 Plus. As the name suggest, it uses a 5.2-liter V10 — packing 602 hp (610 PS) and 413 lb-ft (560 Nm). It's not only the most powerful of the three but also the lightest one, at only 3,593 pounds (1,630 kilograms). It can pass the 62 mph mark after 3.2 seconds, and reach a maximum speed of 205 mph (330 km/h).
In this context, the S8 looks like a barge but just think of this: both the sportiest and the most luxurious Audis can launch from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds!