Audi S8 – Photo Gallery: In an attempt to disprove that large and nimble are mutually exclusive, Audi has created the 2007 S8, a sport-tuned version of the luxury brand's grand sedan, the A8 (albeit not the long-wheelbase version). Thanks to the generous use of aluminum in its construction, the S8 (and A8) is relatively light, which allows its 450-horsepower V10 engine to be all that much more effective. In fact, that sophisticated piece of hardware, when coupled with S8's standard quattro all-wheel drive and six-speed automatic transmission, allows this most athletic rendition of Audi's flagship to reach 60 mph in only 4.9 seconds.

A 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds is impressive, and will surely catch the attention of large sedan lovers who won't shy away from the S8's base price of $94,020 when it arrives in November. But they'd best be satisfied with that exceptional straight-line performance, because in the corners the S8 is more oversized linemen than evasive running back. For the total performance package, including outstanding balance and handling, buyers would be best served to take a gander at the smaller S6 sharing space on the Audi showroom floor, or one of the S8's top-notch competitors.

Walk into an Audi dealership, ask for the most expensive ride and your salesperson, suddenly bursting with overwhelming friendliness, ushers you over to a shiny long wheelbase A8 with the W12 engine. At about $120,000, it may indeed be the priciest model (until the R8 supercar arrives), but you think it's a bit too long, and not quite sporty enough. Then, something with an S badge catches your eye – it's nearly identical, but a bit shorter and sportier. Plus, with its $94,420 base price (including $720 destination charge and $1,700 gas guzzler tax), you can be confident that you've selected the second most expensive car in the joint.

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