The movie Ronin featured some of the greatest car chases of modern cinema. Whether it was the BMW M5 being hot footed through Paris or the sheer brutality of the Mercedes-Benz 6.9, there plenty of action for speed junkies. My favorite of all the cars featured was the Audi S8, which was unleashed on the European market two years before the film’s 1998 debut. This car was an iron fist in a velvet glove. It struck a subtle stance, but with a 4.2 liter V8 and Quattro all-wheel drive, it packed quite a bite for such a large sedan and still strikes fear in the hearts of Citroën XMs everywhere. Steep depreciation and running costs have kept many of these first generation S8s from being well preserved, but this D2 chassis S8 for sale in Virginia is about as nice as they come these days.
Year: 2001
Model: S8
Engine: 4.2 V8
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 89,724 mi
Price: $14,700
2001 Audi S8 on eBay
You are viewing a Carfax Certified 2001 Audi S8 Quattro. 89,724 miles, navigation, rear window shade, rear window side shade, heated front seats, heated rear seats, xenon lights, moonroof, parktronic. The color combination of the vehicle is: interior – Sabre Black leather, exterior: Brilliant black. This vehicle includes a full and complete owners manuals kit.
Closing in on $15,000, this S8 is priced a bit high, but not way out of line. If this car could be had between $12,000 and $13,500, it would be well bought. The dealer has done a nice job with the presentation, as the cosmetics look good and interior looks tidy considering the age and mileage. In black, this car looks the business but blends into the landscape well. The only clues that would tip someone off that this isn’t something special, besides the badges, is the aluminum capped side mirrors and Avus alloy wheels.
And now to revisit a bit of that aforementioned movie scene…
-Paul
Drool. Most elegant S-car ever. No third pedal is an abomination.
Love it! In this model I don’t mind the automatic.
How bad is this car, maintenace / repairs wise, vis a vis a comparable age S class or 7 series? Hard pressed to believe it would be that much worse. At least it doesn’t have an air suspension, or does it have some sort of hydro level in the rear?
URSDRIVER,
How much would a 6 speed swap cost for one of these? I heard there’s a reputable guy in the midwest that does the conversion from time to time. I would imagine a 6 sped would really wake the car up, and possible improve fuel economy, no?
Raymond,
The W210 S-class is a well-known piece of Chrysler era junk, and the E65 7 series is the car that ruined BMW IMHO. The S8 is no picnic to run but aside from the major achilles heel, the weak and expensive ZF auto, these cars are more robust by comparison. The non-chian drive Audi 4.2 has a proven track record as a very strong motor. The all aluminum body work can be a nightmare to repair however.
Paul,
I toyed with the idea of a S8 manual conversion for a long time, even looked into what it would cost to import one. Too rich for my blood is the short answer. A combination of readily available drivetrain parts from a 2.7tt A6 TQM or a B6 S4 V8 can be swapped in along with a custom flywheel, but the electronics pose major problem, your almost better off converting to a stand alone ECU. I calculated 15-17k including labor so it becomes a 30k+ car, and decided a E39 M5 would still run circles around it.
Sorry W220 S-Class, W210 was an E-class.
I think that if I needed a six speed and could live with rear wheel drive the 2003 BMW 540i with the M sport package might be a pretty good choice cost / benefit wise.
I just bought this car from VIP Auto Inc. It’s arriving on Wednesday. Can’t wait!!!
I want to thank Paul for the good write up on my Audi S8. I sold this car to a very nice gentleman in Midwest. I know he will love the car it is a beaut. My web site is vipautoinc.com and we specialize in late model super clean low milage rare cars. Please check out my web site and look at all the AMG, M sport , Porsche , Maserati and all the other gems I have to offer.
Thank you Bill VIP Auto inc