Anderson Germany Turns the Old Audi S8 into an Evil Executive Express

For years now, the Audi S8 has been one of our favorite cars. After all, can you name another full-size sedan that features a posh interior, brawny engine, a lightweight aluminum chassis and tenacious AWD grip? The Jaguar XJR comes close, but is rear-drive only. The BMW Alpina B7 xDrive claws at the road with all four tires, but the mostly steel monocoque makes it a fattie by comparison. Essentially, the S8 – now entering its third generation – is in a class of one.

But for some S8 owners, being the only car like it in its class isn’t enough, even when the prior generation S8 – known to Audi fans as the D3 generation – had an additional attribute that no direct rival had: A V10 engine, specifically a slightly detuned variant of the Lamborghini Gallardo’s powerplant. Fortunately, the well-rounded tuners at Anderson Germany have devised a suite of upgrades to make your Gen 2 S8 stand out from its peers.

The example pictured here, dubbed the Superior Grey, rocks a matte dark gray (Looks black to us.) finish on the body and gloss black on the 22” wheels wearing high performance Hankook tires and some trim items. We’re guessing Anderson Germany will build one in other colors, as we’re quite convinced matte paint and wraps have jumped the shark; the tuning and enthusiast communities just don’t know it yet. Other exterior revisions include a lower ride height, carbon fiber mirror housings and trim, new front and rear valences, vented fenders and bigger quad exhaust tips.

And those bigger exhaust tips aren’t just for show; Anderson Germany has replaced the whole exhaust system with a unit that improves flow and weighs about 40 lbs. less than the stock setup. The 5.2L V10 itself is treated to a sports air filter and a remapped ECU. Put it all together, and output climbs from 444hp to 501hp. It still won’t be face-rippingly quick like, say, an R8, but it should be noticeably snappier than a stock S8.

However, you might not care that much about the boosted performance when you’re ensconced in the lavishly retrimmed interior. The seats, armrests and door panels are re-covered in quilted white leather and Alcantara with dark gray piping, and carbon fiber trim now adorns the dash, door panels, center console and part of the steering wheel rim. Hop in back and you’re presented with dual front-headrest-mounted Alpine monitors that are connected to a Playstation 3. The sound system has also been treated to unspecified upgrades, making the Superior Grey’s interior an even more enjoyable place to spend time.

Anderson Germany hasn’t said what all these upgrades will cost, but we’re guessing ordering all the bits and pieces will run up a rather sizable tab. On the bright side, since the new third generation S8 (packing a twin-turbo V8) will be arriving in showrooms soon, second gen S8 resale values are plummeting.And to think people still ask us why we love late model luxury car depreciation curves…

Source: Anderson Germany