Audi will fully reveal their upcoming line of high performance “S” line of cars at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show. Before they do, the German company has announced the main motivation for the next S6 and S8 as well as the new S7. Keeping with the turbo trends, an all-new 4.0 liter, twin turbocharged direct injected V8 will be found under the hood of all three “S” cars.
The new V8 replaces larger, naturally aspirated 5.2 liter V10 previously found in the S6 and S8. The most obvious reason for the cylinder downgrade is due to fuel economy. With a smaller displacement, the twin turbo unit can get up to 25 percent better fuel economy when compared to the older V10. Now able to achieve an average of 24 mpg, the S6 features other trick items such as cylinder deactivation. With the V10, the previous S8 averaged 17 mpg while fitted with the new 4.0 liter, 23 mpg can be averaged. The new S7 will be able to see 24 mpg as well.
Fuel economy is up, but power is not sacrificed. In S6 and S7 trim, the twin turbo unit produces 420 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. With quattro all wheel drive and Audi’s dual-clutch seven speed S tronic automatic transmission, 62 mph can be achieved in 4.8 seconds for the S6 and 4.9 seconds for the S6 Avant. That’s a station wagon that will accelerate faster than most sports cars. The new S7 will match the S6 Avant’s 0-62 mph time of 4.9 seconds using the same drivetrain.
To accommodate the massive size and weight of the hot-rod limo, the S8, the 4.0 liter’s power is increased compared to the S6 and S7. Different tuning and higher boost pressure allow the S8’s engine to make 520 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. Both of those ratings are higher than the previous S8’s V10 which allow the 4,354 lb sedan to hit 62 mph in just 4.2 seconds. Matched to the S8’s 4.0 liter is a modified version of Audi’s eight speed tiptronic automatic. Like the S6 and S7, the S8 features cylinder deactivation and quattro all wheel drive.
Source: Audi
