We Wish Audi Released An RS Version Of The A8 In The 1990s

This article includes a speculative rendering for a fictional first-gen RS8 created by Abimelec Design that is not related to nor endorsed by Audi.

The Audi RS2 is a true performance car icon but what if Audi also developed an older brother for it, based around the A8? What would it have looked like? Well, as these renderings from Abimelec Design reveal, it could have been just as well received as the RS2.

In creating what could have been the world’s first super sedan were it released back in 1995, the designer has taken inspiration from the RS2 and bathed the car in the same shade of blue. Various alterations have also been made to the car’s bodywork, including the fitment of revised front and rear bumpers, extended side skirts, enlarged air intakes, a blacked-out chrome elements.

Watch Also: The Audi RS2 Is A Porsche-Built Amazing Oddity From The 1990s

The Audi RS2 is famous for a lot of reasons, including the fact that it was built with the help of Porsche. As such, Abimelec Design’s dream Audi RS8 benefits from a number of Porsche parts, including wing mirrors from a 993-generation 911, wheels from a 996 911, bright red brake calipers, and enlarged brake rotors.

As for power? While the designer could have elected to use one of the many Audi engines that the automaker offered in the mid-1990s, he instead decided that the 5.4-liter naturally-aspirated V8 of the Porsche 928 would be perfect for this application, pumping out 365 hp and 383 lb-ft (520 Nm) of torque.

Given that this is a high-performance Audi, it has also been conceived to feature a potent Quattro all-wheel drive system that quickly detects wheel slippage and can instantly redirect power to the wheels with the most traction.

Image credits Abimelec Design