Audi S8 at Frankfurt motor show
* 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds
* New 513bhp 4.0-litre V8
Audi's flagship limousine, a 513bhp S8, will get its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month.
The car is powered by a new V8 4.0-litre TFSI engine. Despite weighing just shy of two tonnes, the S8 goes from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds. Top speed is limited to 155mph.
Despite having 69bhp more than the previous S8, which had a 5.2-litre V10, the new car is more fuel efficient it averages 27.7mpg compared with 21.4mpg. Just as in the S6 and S7 versions, the S8 has Audi's 'cylinder on demand' technology where four of the engine's eight cylinders are shut down to help improve fuel economy.
Audi says it has a range of measures to counteract any refinement issues this may cause.
The car has an eight-speed tiptronic gearbox and four-wheel-drive system which can deliver the lion's share of the car's power to the outside wheel, helping to push the car through the corner.
Customers can order a new S8 by the end of the year, although there is no word on prices.
Audi 'S' gallery
