Audi?s performance quotient takes a big jump as the company lifts the hood on a pair of new twin turbo V-8s powering four new S models.? Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show are the new S6, S6 Avant, S7 Sportback and S8 performance models, all which are scheduled to arrive in showrooms in spring 2012.
Boasting 420 horsepower the S6 sedan, Avant S6 and S7 Sportback models get the first application of the new 4.0 TFSI twin turbo V-8 engine.? The 4.0-liter engines produce 0 to 62 mph acceleration times in the 4.8 and 4.9-second range and have a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph.? Fuel economy is 24 mpg.
The new engines include start-stop systems and a new ?cylinder on demand? cylinder management system, which shuts down four cylinders during light load driving. ?An Active Noise Cancellation system activates when the engine is in its four-cylinder mode.? Four microphones integrated into the headlining record the noise in the cabin, which is then analyzed by a computer. ?If the computer detects intrusive sound elements, it broadcasts an antiphase sound through the speakers of the sound system and largely cancels it out any intrusive noise caused by the engine.
All three cars share the fast-shifting, seven-speed S tronic transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive with a self-locking center differential and torque vectoring.
A sport version of the standard adaptive air suspension provides a tightly tuned suspension with variable damping to provide precise handling without compromising comfort
All the S models get a long list of standard features including xenon plus headlights with an all-weather light, LED rear lights, an electromechanical parking brake and the driver information system with color display. The MMI radio with Bluetooth interface and ten speaker Audi sound system.
All of the high-end options in the model series are also available for the new S models. These include LED headlights, adaptive light, the ambient lighting package, convenience key, head-up display, the parking system plus with 360? camera, power rear hatch, optionally with sensor control, and climate-controlled deluxe seats with massage function.
The tightly networked driver assistance systems are all state-of-the-art. These are the various versions of the Audi pre sense safety system, adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, Audi side assist, active lane assist, the speed limit display and the night vision assistant with highlighting of detected pedestrians.
Topping the range of infotainment systems is MMI navigation plus, which features a large hard drive, an eight-inch monitor and MMI touch input system. The system can be combined with the Bluetooth online car phone to create a Wi-Fi hot spot in the car.
The Audi S8
The flagship ?S? model is the luxurious the Audi S8, which gets a 520 horsepower version of the same 4.0-liter TFSi twin-turbo V-8 engine.? The S8 accelerates from 0 to 62 in just 4.2 seconds and has a top speed limited to 155 mph. ?Fuel consumption in the more powerful S8 engine is listed at 23 mpg. The tiptronic delivers the power to a quattro drivetrain combining a self-locking center differential with the sport differential at the rear axle.
The new Audi S8 has a specially tuned adaptive air suspension with variable damping, which can vary the ride height of the body between three levels and thus ensures a wide-ranging driving experience. It also has a dynamic steering system that adapts its steering ratio and boost to the vehicle?s speed. It also uses slight, nearly imperceptible steering corrections to stabilize handling at the cornering limit.? The Audi drive select dynamics system encompasses these two systems as well as engine management, the eight-speed tiptronic and the sport differential. The driver can determine the function of these components by choosing between the five modes comfort, auto, dynamic, individual and efficiency.
Beyond the generous standard equipment, Audi makes all of the high-end options from the A8 series available in the new S8. The core of these is the adaptive cruise control system with stop & go function; others include Audi side assist, Audi lane assist, the speed limit display and the night vision assistant with highlighting of detected pedestrians.
Supplementing these technologies is the safety system Audi pre sense, which is available in a number of versions. A new break recommendation function uses steering motions and additional parameters to detect if the driver is getting tired and issues an appropriate warning.
New to the A8 family is the parking system with 360? camera. Four small cameras record images of the sedan?s immediate surroundings and a computer splices them together. The driver can call up a variety of views on the MMI monitor, including a virtual top-down view. The system enhances safety while maneuvering and in narrow driveways. Special views allow the driver to see cross-traffic.
The MMI navigation plus, which comes standard, represents the state-of-the-art in infotainment systems. It includes the groundbreaking MMI touch input system, a large hard drive and a high-resolution 8-inch display. The high-end system can be combined with the likewise standard Bluetooth online car phone, which brings special Internet services to the car and provides WLAN connectivity for mobile devices.
Prices will be announced near launch time.