The V10-Powered Audi S8 Is The Closest You Can Get To A Lamborghini For New Hyundai Elantra Money

When you think about it, the 2000s was an insane time for engines. It was the decade of the V10s, with automakers from BMW to Volkswagen to Lamborghini turning the cylinder count up to ten on everything from sports sedans to an SUV to supercars. It was a triumphant time for multi-cylinder glory, but only one flagship sedan came to America with a V10 under the hood. The 2007 to 2009 Audi S8 is a rarity, a true if-you-know-you-know car.

Yes, for a few years in the late 2000s, Audi dropped a naturally aspirated V10 into the engine bay of its A8 flagship to create the S8, the boisterous middle child between the comparatively common A8 4.2 and the exclusive A8 L W12. A further development of that engine family went on to power later Lamborghini Gallardos, fuelling the myth around this unique highway bruiser.

Of course, nothing depreciates like a full-sized German luxury sedan, so even though this understated four-door features a Lamborghini-adjacent engine and came with a price when new of more than $94,000, you can now pick a nice one up for the price of a new economy car.

What Are We Looking At?

If anything symbolizes the excess of the 2000s, it’s cramming a V10 into a Mercedes-Benz S-Class competitor that already offered a 12-cylinder option. Look, credit where credit’s due, the Ronin-era Audi S8 was a giant step forward for aluminum construction in passenger cars. However, the V10-powered S8 that came after it was from a different planet. Let’s start with the engine. The 5.2-liter direct-injected V10 under the hood of this Q-ship is often described as a Lamborghini engine, but that’s not quite right. While it does come from the same family as the engine in later Gallardos, it features a split-pin crank, a wet sump oiling system, cast aluminum pistons, and a different valvetrain that all added up to a lower redline and less power. Granted, 450 naturally aspirated horsepower at 7,000 rpm isn’t exactly small potatoes, and all this shove comes backed by a truly unique soundtrack that’s far more velvety than a V8 yet with a more pointed anger than a V12.

Sound is great, but what about speed? Well, the S8 wasn’t the fastest executive sedan on the planet, but it was certainly brisk enough to not bore. In 2009, Car And Driver clocked zero-to-60 mph in 5.1 seconds and a 13.5-second quarter-mile time out of its long-term test car. That’s not quite Porsche Panamera 4S quick, but that’s also not bad.

On the inside, the S8 felt like the future compared to the Bangle-butt BMW 7 Series of the time. From the retracting infotainment screen to an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system with motorized tweeters, the cabin’s a precise choreography of aluminum and leather that looks fresher than you’d expect for a platform launched in the early 2000s. Floating infotainment screens, ramped consoles, and sueded inserts are popular in cars today, but the second-generation Audi S8 had all of that ages ago.

How Much Are We Talking?

So, how much does a Lamborghini-ish engine in a big sedan cost? Not a lot, as it turns out. For context, a base model 2025 Hyundai Elantra stickers for $23,220, but you won’t have to pay that much to get your hands on a V10-powered Audi S8. Take this Daytona Gray 2007 model that hammered on Cars & Bids for $14,500. With just 83,400 miles on the clock, a squeaky clean Carfax, and a ton of documented maintenance including new valve cover gaskets, a transmission service, and new brake pads suggests that this flagship’s been well looked after. Even the wheels are genuine Audi items, just from another model.

Looking for something with even less mileage on the clock? This Phantom Black 2007 S8 recently hammered on Bring A Trailer for $20,050 and it had just 69,000 miles on the clock. Nice. Not only is it rocking the gorgeous split-seven-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels, it’s got the Bang & Olufsen sound system, the Alcantara headliner and parcel shelf, a clean Carfax, and service records for maintenance items such as discs and pads. Not bad.

Oh, and if you’re not looking to pay top-dollar for an auction car, a flip through the used car classifieds can turn up examples cheaper than either of these two. Take this white 2007 model, for example. It’s up for sale in Florida with 81,004 miles on the clock for a mere $13,725. Alright, so it might not have the Bang & Olufsen audio system, but it has a clean Auto Check and you never see these things painted white.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong With A V10 Audi S8?

While the V10 in the Audi S8 has proven reasonably robust from a mechanical standpoint, the flaps inside the intake manifold have a fairly high failure rate and don’t have a viable aftermarket solution aside from deleting them. Beyond that, carbon buildup due to direct injection not washing the backs of the intake valves is a real issue, but it can be solved with carbon cleaning. The biggest thing to remember is that a budget V10 performance car is an oxymoron because even though parts like coil-on-plugs aren’t abnormally priced, you’ll have to replace ten of the things at once. Add in limited access for things like oil leaks, and you could be on the hook for some big mechanical repair bills, but not on the same level as some other high-performance German luxury cars.

In fact, a more likely scenario is that little body and suspension issues will be the big expenses, seeing as this is still a complex range-topping German luxury car. It rides on air suspension, has soft-close doors and a power trunk lid, is packed with cabin electronics, and you could even get it with solar panels in the sunroof that can provide juice to gently ventilate the cabin on sunny days.

Should You Buy A V10 Audi S8 For The Price Of A New Elantra?

Unless you’re a masochist with deep pockets, you probably shouldn’t buy a V10-powered Audi S8 for the price of a new Hyundai Elantra. These cars have the potential to be as ruinous as they are fabulous, and while they are enjoyable highway heroes, I’d have an extremely hard time recommending one. Still, if you see one in the wild, tip your hat to the driver. It takes a hero to keep a V10-powered luxobarge on the road, especially one that’s more than 15 years old.

(Photo credits: Bring A Trailer, Cars & Bids, Autotrader seller)

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