Unlike the rest of Audi’s performance lineup, the S8 has never gotten the RS badge. Does it really matter, though?
CarWow put the RS6 Avant up against the fast full-sizer in a series of performance tests to see if the S8 is an RS by another name.
Both are powered by the same 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, though the RS6 Avant is a bit more powerful. The wagon gets 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque while the limo has to make do with 565 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.
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It may come as a bit of a surprise, then, that the S8 beats the RS6 handily in the standing quarter-mile race. While the hosts posit that the S8’s little bit of extra weight might be helping it find traction, the gearing may have also helped the limo off the line.
The gearing also seems to be to blame for the S8 losing in the first rolling race. In comfort mode, the S8 is really dedicated to comfort. Taking seconds to shift down, it struggles to keep up and even in manual mode, it lags behind the RS6.
Finally, in the brake test, although there are some questions about which side of the track is less wet, the RS6 Avant wins again on average. Although none of the RS6’s victories are particularly embarrassing for the S8, it’s still hard to deny that it’s the better all-around performer.
It’s also hard to deny, though, that the S8, despite not having an R, holds its own in this fight.