The model names S6, S8 and S7 Sportback will be music to the ears of Audi and performance car fans and these stunning new road rockets will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Reflecting Audi’s intensive fuel consumption reductions, the down-sized engine is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre TFSI V8 with 309kW/550Nm. Incredibly, that’s more performance than the previous 5.2-litre V10 with 25 per cent less fuel consumption (as low as 9.7l/100kms).
Part of that fuel consumption story is ‘cylinder on demand’ technology which can deactivate four cylinders under partial throttle. But Audi being Audi, an Active Noise Cancellation system emits a suitable noise through the interior loudspeakers so those inside won’t hear their S6, S8 or S7 Sportback in four-cylinder mode.
Drive is via Audi’s seven-speed S Tronic transmission.
There are seven different types of 19-inch and 20-inch alloy wheels from which to choose and of course the usual multiple options of chassis and brakes, including carbon fibre-ceramic discs.
Externally and internally there are significant changes for the S models, including exclusive Estoril Blue, Daytona Grey and Prism Silver paint colours and four interior trims including carbon/aluminium and layered Beaufort Oak.
And of course there is the sort of technology one associates with Audi S models, including on the S8 a new 360-degree camera view with four small cameras providing images of the surroundings which are then spliced together via computer for display on the satellite navigation monitor.
Audi says the S models will enter production early next year.
