Audi refreshed the A8 and S8 earlier this month, giving the saloons a redesigned face and other minor styling changes. A high-performance RS8 remains absent from the luxury lineup, though Audi has never offered one, so why would it do so now? With no hopes of a proper RS8 from the automaker, X-Tomi Design went ahead and created one. It looks fast and fun.
Audi widened the A8 and S8’s grille, and that tweak is visible on the RS8, which has a large, menacing black expanse occupying the space between the new headlights. The grille has the same sporty mesh design found on the new S8. The front fascia, however, is still quite different. The lower portion now accommodates a sporty lip spoiler that flows into aggressive triangular intakes located on the outsides of the bumper, usurping the refreshed A8’s vertical-oriented ones.
Gallery: 2022 Audi S8
The saloon sits much lower than the S8, with the extended wing flares sitting tight over the low-profile tyres. Thicker side skirts flow along the bottom and through to the rear bumper, which looks to have a few tweaks, too. New wheels, an RS badge, and a black roof complete the saloon’s high-performance transformation. Sadly, we can only imagine what kind of powertrain it would have. The S8 is no slouch, though, with 563 bhp and 590 lb-ft of torque. We imagine that a proper RS8 would make a bit more than that.
The refreshed A8 family:
It’s unlikely Audi will offer an RS8 anytime soon, especially now as consumers continue to flock to crossovers and SUVs. Audi is also developing new electric vehicles, which is no easy financial feat. It’s not like Audi is missing out on much as BMW doesn’t offer an M7. Those high-performance duties are left for other models in the lineup to fill. The RS8 certainly looks the part of a proper high-performance Audi model, but it’ll remain a dream for now.
Source: X-Tomi Design / Facebook