Audi V8

Audi V8: Which Version Should You Buy?

The Audi V8 was offered as a Sedan in a single generation from 1988 to 1994, with nine listed versions. Every version uses Gasoline, Distributed injection (multi-point), a V-shaped engine layout, no boost, and AWD. The main buying decision is therefore between the 3.6 and 4.2 engines, then between Manual and Automatic transmissions.

The Audi V8 was offered as a Sedan in a single generation from 1988 to 1994, with nine listed versions. Every version uses Gasoline, Distributed injection (multi-point), a V-shaped engine layout, no boost, and AWD. The main buying decision is therefore between the 3.6 and 4.2 engines, then between Manual and Automatic transmissions. The 4.2 versions provide 280 hp and 400 Nm, compared with either 245 hp or 250 hp and 340 Nm for the 3.6 versions. For the quickest acceleration, choose the 4.2 MT rated at 280 hp: one listing reaches 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. For lower measured combined consumption, the best result is 10.7 l/100 km, also recorded for a 4.2 MT.

Audi V8 generations and available versions

The Audi V8 has one generation in the supplied catalogue. The 1 generation ran from 1988 to 1994, used a Sedan body, and contains nine version records. These comprise repeated 3.6 MT, 3.6 AT, 4.2 MT, and 4.2 AT names, so identical names must be distinguished by power, displacement, performance, weight, or clearance.

There is no second generation to compare. The meaningful comparison is among the nine versions within the same generation: 3.6 versions have 245 hp or 250 hp, while every listed 4.2 has 280 hp.

Audi V8 engine specs

The 3562 cc 3.6 versions produce about 70.2 hp per litre, while the 3597 cc versions produce about 68.1 hp per litre. The 4172 cc engine delivers about 67.1 hp per litre. Although the smaller 3562 cc engine has the highest specific output, the 4.2 provides 30 hp more than the 250 hp 3.6 and 35 hp more than the 245 hp 3.6. It also adds 60 Nm over every 3.6 version.

The 3562 cc and 4172 cc engines are listed as Front, longitudinal. Engine location for both 3597 cc versions is not measured. Compression ratio is 10.6 for the 3562 cc and 4172 cc engines but not measured for the 3597 cc versions. Bore and stroke are 81 × 86.4 for the 3562 cc engine and 84.5 × 93 for the 4172 cc engine; they are not measured for the 3597 cc versions.

Audi V8 performance, acceleration, and fuel economy

The quickest version is the 4.2 MT with the 6.8-second result. It is 0.8 seconds quicker than either 3.6 MT, 2.1 seconds quicker than the 245 hp 3.6 AT, and 3.1 seconds quicker than the 250 hp 3.6 AT that takes 9.9 seconds. The other 4.2 MT reaches 100 km/h in 7.0 seconds, while the two 4.2 AT records take 7.7 and 7.9 seconds.

Every 4.2 reaches 250 km/h. That is 6 km/h above either 3.6 MT, 15 km/h above the 3.6 AT records with a 235 km/h maximum, and 18 km/h above the 3.6 AT rated at 232 km/h.

Measured combined consumption does not make the smaller engine an automatic winner. The lowest supplied combined figure is 10.7 l/100 km for the 4.2 MT with 6.8-second acceleration. The 3.6 AT with a 232 km/h maximum records 10.9 l/100 km, only 0.2 l/100 km more. However, repeated version names have different combined results, so the exact record matters: the other 4.2 MT is rated at 12.5 l/100 km, and the other 4.2 AT at 12.6 l/100 km. Fuel consumption for the 245 hp 3.6 MT and 3.6 AT is not measured.

Audi V8 dimensions, weight, clearance, and tank size

Overall dimensions, length, and width are not measured for any supplied version. Wheel sizes are also not measured throughout the range.

Among versions with measured kerb weight, the 1710 kg 3.6 models carry about 6.84 kg per horsepower. The 1715 kg 4.2 models improve this to about 6.13 kg per horsepower, while the 1770 kg 4.2 versions have about 6.32 kg per horsepower. The 1770 kg 3.6 AT has about 7.08 kg per horsepower. Consequently, the 1715 kg 4.2 versions have the strongest measured power-to-weight relationship.

The 1715 kg 4.2 versions weigh only 5 kg more than the 1710 kg 3.6 versions while adding 30 hp and 60 Nm. The later-listed 1770 kg records are 55 kg heavier than the 1715 kg 4.2 records. Their measured ground clearance is 95 mm, while the 245 hp 3.6 versions have 140 mm, a difference of 45 mm. Clearance for the 1710 kg and 1715 kg records is not measured.

All versions use independent spring suspension at both ends and Ventilated disc front brakes. Rear brakes are Ventilated disc on the 3562 cc and 4172 cc versions; the 3597 cc 3.6 MT and 3.6 AT have Disc rear brakes.

Which Audi V8 version should you choose?

For maximum performance, the 4.2 MT with 280 hp, 6.8-second acceleration, 250 km/h top speed, 1715 kg kerb weight, and 10.7 l/100 km measured combined consumption is the strongest numerical choice. It combines the quickest acceleration, the joint-highest top speed, the best measured weight-per-horsepower result, and the lowest measured combined consumption in the supplied records.

For an Automatic, the 4.2 AT with the 7.7-second acceleration result is preferable on the listed figures. It is 0.2 seconds quicker than the other 4.2 AT, while both have 280 hp, 400 Nm, a 250 km/h maximum, and a 4-speed Automatic. Its measured combined consumption is 11.0 l/100 km rather than 12.6 l/100 km, and its 1715 kg kerb weight is 55 kg lower than the 1770 kg record.

For a 3.6 Manual, both 3.6 MT records reach 100 km/h in 7.6 seconds and 244 km/h. The 250 hp, 3562 cc version has 5 hp more and uses 8 cylinders; its combined consumption is 12.1 l/100 km. The 245 hp, 3597 cc version uses 6 cylinders and offers 140 mm of measured clearance, but its consumption and weight are not measured.

For a 3.6 Automatic, the 245 hp 3.6 AT is the quickest at 8.9 seconds and reaches 235 km/h, but its consumption and weight are not measured. Among the 250 hp alternatives, the 235 km/h version accelerates in 9.1 seconds, 0.8 seconds faster than the 232 km/h version. The slower record, however, has the better measured combined result: 10.9 versus 12.3 l/100 km.

No reliability, timing-chain, twin-turbo, sale-price, or maintenance data is supplied, so those factors cannot support a version recommendation here. Based strictly on the available specifications, the 4.2 MT with the 6.8-second result is the performance choice, the 4.2 AT with the 7.7-second result is the Automatic choice, and the 245 hp 3.6 versions are the choices when the measured 140 mm ground clearance matters more than complete weight and economy data.