The 2020 Audi S8 was spied testing at the Nurburgring again, attacking those apexes with enough guts to make bystanders wonder what lies beneath its hood.
We might already know the answer to this question, though: a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 shared with the Porsche Panamera Turbo, where it makes 550 PS (542 hp / 404 kW), although it might be slightly de-tuned for the Audi.
Previous reports claimed that the mill should be good for around 530 PS (523 hp / 390 kW). Combined with a weight loss of approximately 100 kg (220 lbs) compared to its predecessor, the 2020 S8 should accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 4 seconds and do nearly 300 km/h (186 mph)a flat out with the electronic limiter removed.
Also Read: 2020 Audi Q4 Spotted: New German SUV Coupe Makes Its Spy Debut
There may be no ‘S’ badges adorning the bidyworj of this production-ready prototype, but the final version of the car will get some in the grille and on the boot lid. Also it will probably get a slightly more aggressive front bumper, although the rear bumper design, along with the quad exhaust pipes, should be maintained.
We still don’t know exactly when the 2020 Audi S8 will be launched. Nevertheless, one possibility is the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March.
Following it into production could be an S8 Plus derivative, believed to be packing the powertrain of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, reportedly downgraded to 630 PS (621 hp / 463 kW).