The Audi S8->ke1900 is the kind of car that already packs a lot of power and performance. A case can even be made that it doesn’t need an aftermarket program. But don’t tell that to ABT Sportsline,->ke1753 the renowned tuner of everything that is Audi,->ke14 including the S8. The German company’s new program for the flagship luxury sedan->ke142 fits into its reputation as it was able to take the S8’s 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 engine and increase the output from 520 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque to as much as 675 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. Even better, ABT Sportsline also has a kit for the S8 Plus, which puts the output up to an incredible 705 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of twist.

In case the numbers get a little confusing, it’s best to note that the S8 and the S8 Plus would be capable of producing supercar-->ke177like performance capabilities. That’s the kind of upgrade you get with ABT Sportsline, which is fitting for a tuner that earned its stripes working on kits for the four rings.

In addition to the variety of engine modifications that are available for both the S8 and S8 Plus, ABT Sportsline is also offering aftermarket wheel options and chassis and suspension improvements, more than making up (at least for some people) for the absence of any upgrades on the car’s exterior and interior.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Exterior

ABT Sportsline’s exterior modifications on the Audi S8 are limited to the new set of wheels that the German tuner has on offer. Customers are free to choose between ABT’s FR or DR wheels, measuring anywhere from 20, 21, and 22 inches. The wheels on offer are shod in high-performance tires from either Continental or Dunlop.

Interior

There are no interior modifications on ABT Sportsline's program for the Audi S8 and S8 Plus.

Drivetrain

Without any changes to the engine, both the Audi S8 and S8 Plus are powered by the same 4.0-liter TFSI turbocharged V-8 engine. Obviously, the output for both models is different with the former getting 520 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque and the latter having 605 horsepower and 518 pound-feet of twist at its disposal.

Knowing what it was working with, ABT Sportsline took up the task of breathing more fire into both luxury sedans. The tuner set up different levels for both versions so let’s start with the S8. The most basic upgrade for the S8 actually doesn’t have any output increases. Instead, the tuner is offering a program that only consists of taking out the Vmax limiter, resulting in an improved top speed of 174 mph, up from the electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

If customers are looking for an extra bite for their S8, the tuner’s “ABT Power New Generation Motortuning” kit is a good choice. This program, through the remapping of the S8’s engine control unit and the optimization of various parts of the V-8, is capable of improving the output of the S8 to 640 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. Should that still prove to be inadequate, ABT also has the “ ABT Power S New Generation Motortuning” kit. This upgrade is more comprehensive, but it results in more power for the luxury sedan to the tune of 675 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of twist. The upgrades for the S8 are resounding in that they allow the sedan to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in about four seconds and 0 to 124 mph in a little over 13 seconds. The car’s top speed also gets some positive gains, peaking at 180 mph.

Now it’s time for the S8 Plus. The absolute top-of-the-line version has its own “ABT Power New Generation Motortuning” kit, which is responsible for increasing the car’s output to an impressive 705 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. This kit helps the S8 Plus sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.5 seconds, close to three-tenths of a second quicker than the standard model. Top speed has also increased to 199 mph, almost 10 mph faster than the “normal” S8 Plus.

Chassis and Suspension

A lowering kit is also included in the program, allowing customers to manually adjust the ride height of the luxury sedan by lowering it by as much as one inch, ensuring improved road grip and a more appealing visual stance for the S8 and S8 Plus.

Pricing

ABT Sportsline has different prices for the different optimization options that it is offering. The most basic of the lot is the improvement of the S8’s top speed. That only costs €1,990, which is about $2,253 based on current exchange rates. Meanwhile, the ABT Power New Generation Motortuning kit costs €7,290 ($8,253) and €9,590 ($10,856) for the S8 and S8 Plus, respectively. Finally, there’s the ABT Power S New Generation Motortuning kit. It’s the most expensive upgrade available with a price of €12,640, or about $14,312 based on current conversion rates.

It must be noted that prices for the new set of wheels and the accompanying improvements to the chassis and suspension are open to inquiries.

Depending on where a customer is in the world, ABT Sportsline is also offering warranty solutions with customers in Germany receiving a two-year warranty up to 100,000 kilometers (62,000 miles) from the date of the first registration. Best inquire with the tuner directly if warranties are also applicable in other markets.

Competition

Audi S8 Talladega R by MTM

A car like the Audi S8 doesn’t attract as many tuners as it would like. Over the past few years, only a handful of aftermarket companies have taken up this challenge and one of them, MTM, can be considered as a notable rival to ABT. Also hailing from Germany, MTM’s kit for the S8 is called the Talladega R and it comes with an engine modification program that results in an output of 802 horsepower and 698 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are bigger than what ABT is capable of and the results speak for themselves. With the Talladega R kit in tow, the Audi S8 would be able to sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.1 seconds and 0 to 124 mph in less than 10 seconds. Top speed is also much higher than what ABT got out of the S8 with MTM claiming to get 217 mph with its own program.

Read our full review here.

Conclusion

When you’re in the market for a tuning program for the Audi S8, there aren’t that many tuners that can offer what ABT Sportsline can. There is MTM to consider, but if you really want something created by a company that knows Audi like the back of its hand, ABT Sportsline is the company that you need to call. Besides, the kit itself has a lot of impressive qualities, not the least of which is the variety of engine upgrades that are available. You can pick the amount of power you want or in this case, you can opt to keep the standard output as it is and just have the speed limiter removed.