German Car Zone

By Matt Davis
Issue #17.0, February 2007



Does the person shopping for a Lamborghini Gallardo actually pause for a moment in front of the Audi S8 and think twice about which to get? Statistics show that the answer is sometimes yes. And oftentimes these folks just go ahead and buy both. Embrace your envy.



They appear so different, but they share a bunch. If nothing else, they’ve each got their own version of a deliriously high-output, 90-degree V-10 engine spearheaded by Audi in Ingolstadt, Germany. The first use of this implant was the “07L” 5.0-liter version in the original Gallardo in 2003 that gave off 500 horsepower at 7800 rpm and 376 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm (80 percent available at just 1500 rpm). At the end of 2005, looking for more of a foot-up on the Ferrari F430 and the BMW M5 and M6, the Gallardo 07L was bumped to its current 520 horsepower at 8000 rpm. It now gets to 60 miles per hour in just four seconds flat—sub-four in a hot hand.



All the while that we were so smugly convinced the future R8 would just plug into this exact V-10, Audi was instead reengineering the all-aluminum engine for use in the next S8 and S6. Called 824 in this 5.2-liter FSI iteration (FSI stands for fuel stratified injection), it gives the S8 450 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 3500 rpm, 90 percent of the latter available from 2300 rpm. The S8 reaches 60 mph in a highly respectable 4.9 seconds. Whereas the Gallardo is set free to explore 195 mph during the Friday commute, the S8 stops at a more number-two-lane 155 mph (electronically limited).

The most obvious difference is that the Gallardo is a compact, low-slung groin toy that curb-weighs precisely 3539 pounds (we’ve weighed one ourselves), while the S8 is a four-poster executive train hitting the scales at an Audi-estimated 4300 pounds. Oh, and you’re also looking at $94,425 (base, destination, and gas-guzzler) to start on the all-aluminum S8 versus at least $175,000 for the all-aluminum Gallardo.



Leaping frequently from one car’s driver throne to the other, we revel in the delectable split personalities that still somehow seem to unite these two. Because the key at the end of the day is well-packaged high performance, and these two have that to spare even when taken separately.

Over the many miles of two-lane farm roads of north-central Italy, we took turns overtaking one another ad infinitum whenever there were no third-party cars in sight. Both the S8’s Tiptronic and the Gallardo’s Tiptronic-derived e-gear six-speed manu-matic offer hot shifting as needed. On the S8, the toggles for shifting on the back of the steering wheel are easily operated and each one can shift up or down, which is good when the steering wheel is spinning a lot through technical sections. Overall, we prefer steering wheel shifters that turn as the wheel turns, versus the stationary, column-based paddles that at times require us to hunt for them—and thus take our hands off the wheel—during technical driving. This is one aspect of the e-gear system that could improve on the Gallardo. But shifts of the e-gear in sport mode are outstandingly timed, while the Tiptronic of the S8—though more dynamic than for the A8 and with a shorter final-drive ratio—is frustrating at times as it will often short-shift. Why the Audi S-tronic could not be fitted here is confusing, but the sheer power of this V-10 overcomes much of the Tiptronic’s slightly negative impact.

You don’t need to be a genius to assume that the all-star in tightly wound dynamics through curves is the Gallardo, but the S8’s sturdy four-setting air suspension does superb work at gathering in this large speedster. The Gallardo is helped mightily by the snug performance seats and 30/70 default torque-split of its Quattro-based all-wheel drive. Switching off the ESP on the Lamborghini renders spirited oversteer antics a breeze, but the almost complete lack of any body roll allows you to steer clear of ensuing risks with no trouble. The S8 gets a 40/60 torque-split, more in keeping with a car that really shouldn’t be seeking out oversteer opportunities. But we did anyway, and the S8 delivers nicely and is even more controllable in any situation with a steering ratio that is 10 percent more responsive than that on the civilian A8. (Both the S8 and Gallardo take 2.75 turns lock-to-lock at the wheel.) Still, for heated sessions on any circuit, give us the Gallardo any day—perhaps even instead of the Ferrari F430 on some of those days where any slipperiness is forecast. There’s something to be said for a mid-mounted engine on an all-wheel-drive car.

As regards simple cruising stance and attitude in a sporty, drive-every-day car, Audi nails four-wheel drive just as BMW lances the bull’s eye on rear-wheel drive. Apart from sections of road where we encountered some roughness, even the Gallardo on its well-balanced nineteen-inch wheels was a capable all-day driver. We had the twenty-inch wheels and hard Pirelli tires on our S8, so only switching to the softest of the four settings really took the bite all the way out of it. Just avoid potholes while driving either car, especially the Lambo, as you can do some serious lip damage if not careful.

Both of these ten-cylinder powerplants make a sweet, deep sound, and the Gallardo twin-barrel exhaust literally yells out when you hit the gas pedal to take off. On the S8, the double twin-exhausts make a serious low racket under acceleration, but then they settle into a discreet thrum while cruising. Both are easily traceable back to Ingolstadt and nowhere else.

Living in either car is a distinct pleasure. Whereas the S8 simply lives up to the top-of-class Audi standard, we cannot thank Audi enough for taking charge of Lamborghini and changing the Italian interiors from real doghouses into penthouse suites. The Audi overtones in the Gallardo are unmistakable and utterly welcome. An added ingredient of the driving atmosphere in the Lamborghini is the painstaking efforts made at creating a truly driver-oriented cockpit. We prefer how the tall Lambo manual shifter falls to hand from the steering wheel over the cheap-feeling e-gear switchgear on the fingertips, but the rest is a tight ship.

In the meantime, the real master touch of the S8 cabin is the 1100-watt, fourteen-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system costing $7800 extra. Switch it on, and at all four corners of the cabin the main speakers emerge upward from the shelves. We parked the car and listened to our music on this superb sound pack at high volume for about a half hour before relinquishing the S8 to the lucky guy who got to drive it back to Ingolstadt. And golf clubs? Like we said, some buy both.

http://www.windingroad.com/reviews-p...hini-gallardo/

the Audi S8 is one very classy car... I love!!!

And the Gallardo is just amazing as well

I'd love to have these to cars in my garage.

I Totally Agree!

Great review!

But why is it here and not in Internal Combustion?

seems like they loved the cars. Great review. This would be a perfect garage, black S8 and an orange Gallardo

I like the fact that they are actually complementing each other, they seem like a good pair for any VAG fan.