With its wide stance, fat wheels and tires, aero headlights, and Auto Union rings, the S8 represents Audi’s entry in the full-sized performance sedan market, going head-to-head against the Mercedes S-class and BMW 7 series sport models, except with a key advantage: Audi’s sophisticated Quattro all-wheel drive system. This 2002 Audi S8 near Enfield, Connecticut shows wear all over, but few modern sedans will match this 23 year-old when it comes to high-performance and room for four linebackers. Someone gave up on this specimen, but look past the shabby interior and $5200 here on Craigslist buys a wicked-fast German hammer for peanuts. Thanks to Mitchell G. for spotting this Clark Kent-looking supercar.
Looking much like the non-performance A8’s motor, this S8 4.2L (255 cid) V8 puts out 360 HP @ 7000 RPM compared to the A8’s 310 @ 6200. Quattro AWD gets that power to the pavement with rally-proven tech, adding sure-footed security in all weather conditions. While the smaller A6 might seem like a better bet with the 4.2, Audi made the A8 and S8 from aluminum, so this S8 weighs about the same as the smaller A6, a rare situation where the flagship suffers no weight penalty. This one recently developed a coolant leak. Luckily (cough) you can remove the entire front end to access the engine.
Seeing this much wear at a claimed 134k miles, you have to wonder if it sat with a window broken or suffered water intrusion from faulty sunroof drains, or maybe the car housed a pack of hyenas for some time. A water saturated car from Connecticut might scare off Audi experts, but it might be too hard to resist for a hard-working high schooler who just wants to smoke some Accords and post their antics on YouTube.
Wow, folks; can you not just step back and/or rotate slightly to get the whole car in the picture? Since you’ll never understand what the car looks like in this listing, here’s one at WBandSons.
Oh no; another failed opportunity with the phone camera. Missed it by a scant five or six feet. The length of the rear door depicts the rear seat’s roominess, and this isn’t even the extended-wheelbase “L” version. If you’re not convinced that this giant CEO-shuffler can rip, watch Ronin, or just the S8 chase scenes. Are you tempted to drop $5200 on this S8 and perpetrate an epic chase scene?
Ya, several years ago we had to remove the entire front end to swap an alternator on a Passat 4-motion. Fun times! and customers wonder why…
Ah, that’d be called the “Audi service position” — no joke, that’s what they call it, Google that phrase.
Pretty much any modern longitudinal-engine Audi (or related VW like the Passat) is explicitly designed to be serviced that way, so it just takes undoing a few bolts and a dozen or so clips, and the whole shebang just pulls away. For some operations you can just pull it slightly away and let it droop in-situ without a full removal. I’ve read some folks can get it down to just 15 minutes or so.
I was Service Manager at an Audi dealer when these were released. It was a bucket list car for many years. Definitely worth saving if you are an Audi enthusiast who doesn’t mind turning a wrench. Contrary to belief moving the engine compartment into service position is pretty easy and straightforward. In under a hour the front bumper comes off and the lock carrier can be moved out to perform a timing belt service. But also let’s consider the facts. All European cars are expensive to maintain and unless funds are a non issue the only way to own one is to work on them yourself. That being said these are wonderful to drive.
If you think this generation of S8 is cool, remember the next generation got the 5.2L V10 as the Lamborghini Gallardo and Audi R8
Cool maybe but the V10 adds a whole new level of complexity and repair nightmares. Timing chains are on the rear of the engine so it’s an engine out to do them at prices that will make your eyes water.
LOL even at $5200 you could fall down a rabbit hole on these money wise. Unless you are an Audi mechanic I personally would avoid this especially with a “coolant leak” – add $15,000 to fix it and you have a pretty nice ride for $20,000 until the next thing goes bad and your back at the dealer.
Sure. Buy this for your 18 year old “mechanic.” You’ll enjoy looking at your yard art, until the city tells you to get rid of it.
Wonderful car to drive. Awful to pay to maintain. Yes, when new, and under warranty, just fine, and if you could afford to buy it, you could keep it three years, and 60,000 miles and have only good memories. At 22 years it would still be wonderful to drive, but that is it. Yes, like my 1960 Jag XK 150 S, great yard art while waiting for enough cash to fix it. Unlike my ’54 Corvette, where it was just a Chevy/GMC truck 6, bullet proof PowerGlide transmission, and easy to fix. Never even spent an overnight in the dealer’s shop.
these are wonderful, like a VW Phaeton, and just as expensive to own.
I do like wrenching on my own cars, but with a 24 yr old MK1 TT and a 20 yr old Mk4 GTI, AND a 25 yr old Plymouth Voyager, I am being punished enough already, and I didn’t even mention the 29 yr old Toyota Landcruiser, lol while infinitely more reliable, it is trying my patience with the rusting
Awesome car. I had the same car except in black. I also have a same year Mercedes S-class. They are both comparable; executive style features and understated style. The S8 also had rear and side door curtains, which were pretty cool.