Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro: the V10 steps out of the shadows, the exhaust system guide
The Audi S8 D3 is a large luxury saloon with an aluminium body and quattro drive, hiding one of the brand's most distinctive engines: a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10. Its factory exhaust was designed so that no passenger would suspect it was there, so 450 hp go by in silence. Here is how to choose the ROG exhaust that will finally let this V10 be heard, without giving up the comfort of a limousine.
Written by ROG Motorsport · Updated
Your ROG exhaust for the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro
From €2,490 in stainless steel, €2,990 in titanium
Configure my exhaust- Vehicles
- Audi S8 D3 saloon 5.2 V10 quattro (2006-2010)
- Engine
- 450 hp · 540 Nm
- Exhaust
- Valved cat-back, built for your VIN
- Material
- 304 stainless steel or titanium
- Valves
- ROG remote, or factory control if your vehicle has it
- Lead time
- 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship
Closely related versions have their own guide: Audi S8 D4 4.0 TFSI V8, Audi S8 D5 4.0 TFSI V8.
The 5.2-litre FSI V10: supercar engineering in a limousine
The S8 D3 gets a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 with FSI direct injection, from the same family as the V10 that powers the Lamborghini Gallardo. It produces 450 hp and 540 Nm, sent to all four wheels through the quattro drivetrain. Where a large saloon is often content with a torquey V8, Audi chose an engine that loves to rev: the thrust stays linear, then builds sharply as you approach the red line.
On a naturally aspirated engine of this calibre, all the character comes through the exhaust, since no turbine filters the sound upstream. The S8's factory exhaust therefore has a lot of work to do to contain it, and it succeeds all too well. The ROG valved exhaust gives it that voice back without touching the engine or the ECU. You keep a quiet limousine on the motorway, and you get a very much alive V10 back as soon as you open the valves.
What makes up the exhaust on your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro
Here is what the ROG exhaust replaces, and where the sound is shaped.
The cat-back is the complete exhaust system
It is everything you can see under your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, all the way to the tips: pipes, silencer, valves. This is the part where most of our research and development goes, the part that shapes the sound, and it fits without touching the engine or the ECU.
Your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro in figures
An exhaust system is judged first by ear and on the scales. The extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap.
Power
Torque
Published factory and Stage 2 figures.
The ROG exhaust works with or without an ECU remap. To get the full potential out of your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, we advise taking it to an approved tuning centre afterwards.
On this naturally aspirated V10, a Stage 2 ECU remap cannot play with boost pressure: it works on the ignition and injection maps. The gains are therefore more modest than on a turbocharged engine. The ROG exhaust is its natural complement, because it is what gives the V10's top-end reach its full presence.
Configuring your exhaust, step by step
3 choices, in the same order as the product page configurator.
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Step 1 of 3: Material: stainless steel or titanium
For your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, the exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium.
304 stainless steel
2 490 €
- Weight
- Baseline
- Sound
- Full and rounded
The safe bet: strong, corrosion-proof, with a full, rounded sound. The best value for money.
Titanium
2 990 €
- Weight
- Around 40% lighter
- Sound
- Metallic, crystal-clear
It makes the exhaust around 40% lighter for the same design. Its note is more metallic and clearer higher up the rev range, and its finish ranges from brushed to blued.
No worries on durability: 304 stainless steel shrugs off winter road salt and titanium does not rust. Stainless steel or titanium: what really changes.
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Step 2 of 3: Valves: ROG remote or factory control
Two ways to control the valves on your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro.
ROG remote
A discreet control unit in the boot and a two-button remote: you open and close whenever you like, independently of the drive modes. For fitting, we support you by phone or by email.
Factory control
- Only for vehicles fitted with factory valves
- Controlled by the drive modes
For vehicles fitted with factory valves: the exhaust connects to their control and the drive modes stay in charge, with no extra control unit.
At 130 km/h, many sports exhausts drone. Here, with the valves closed, the exhaust flows through the silencer and stays composed when cruising; open, it makes itself heard when you choose. More about exhaust drone.
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Step 3 of 3: Tips: the visual signature
Match the tips to the style of your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, understated or bold. A particular finish in mind? Send us a photo and we will look at it together.
- Stainless steel
- Black
- Carbon
- Blued titanium
The ROG sound signature on the S8 D3's V10
A V10 sounds neither like a V8 nor like a six-cylinder: its voice is gravelly low down, then turns metallic and high-pitched as the revs climb. It is a rare tone in a saloon, and it is exactly the one that the S8's factory exhaust reduces to a distant whisper, for the sake of the rear passengers' comfort.
Once the ROG exhaust is fitted, with the valves open, the S8 changes personality: every climb through the revs becomes a crescendo, and downshifts take on a roundness the car had never let you hear. With the valves closed, it becomes once again the discreet grand tourer designed to eat up the miles, without disturbing the calm of the cabin.
From order to fitting
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Configuration
You configure the exhaust and enter the VIN from box E of your registration certificate.
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Check
Your VIN is checked before any manufacturing begins.
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Manufacturing
The exhaust is produced to order, for your vehicle.
-
Delivery
Free in Europe, insured parcel, tracking number from dispatch.
-
Fitting
Around two hours in the workshop, with no welding or cutting.
20 working days from order confirmation to delivery
- Warranty
- 3 years, parts and workmanship, from the date of delivery
- Payment
- In instalments with Klarna
- Installation
- At the garage of your choice
Is your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro still under the manufacturer's warranty? In Europe, the manufacturer cannot refuse cover simply because a part from another brand has been fitted: it is up to the manufacturer to prove that the fault comes from that part. Our article on the manufacturer's warranty.
Our recommendations for your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro
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Daily driving
2 490 €
- Stainless
- ROG remote
The best balance of price, sound and comfort.
View this configuration -
Enthusiast
2 990 €
- Titanium
A lighter exhaust, with a more metallic note at high revs.
View this configuration -
Style
2 990 €
- Titanium
- Blued titanium or black tips
An exhaust is seen as much as it is heard.
View this configuration
Every Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro has its own story and its own use: if none of these profiles sounds like you, let's talk.
Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro: your questions
How much power does an exhaust add on the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro?
As standard, the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro produces 450 hp and 540 Nm. The exhaust alone acts first on sound, breathing and weight; the extra horsepower comes from an ECU remap. With a Stage 2 build, the published figures reach 499 hp and 599 Nm.
Stainless steel or titanium: which material for the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro?
For the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, the ROG exhaust costs €2,490 in stainless steel and €2,990 in titanium. Stainless steel is the safe bet, with a full sound; titanium makes the exhaust around 40% lighter and gives a more metallic note higher up the rev range.
Is the ROG exhaust loud all the time on the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro?
No, that is the whole point of the valves. Closed, the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro stays comfortable; open, the engine breaks free. You choose at any moment.
Can the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro pass the French MOT with a ROG exhaust?
The exhaust replaces the rear section of the exhaust system on the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro, with no work on the engine or the ECU. Present the car with the valves closed.
How is the ROG exhaust fitted on the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro?
With clamps and gaskets, no welding or cutting: around two hours in the workshop for a well-equipped mechanic. The exhaust is built to the VIN of your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro.
What price and lead time for a ROG exhaust on the Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro?
From €2,490 to €2,990 depending on the configuration. Allow 20 working days from order confirmation to delivery. Delivery is free and the exhaust comes with a 3-year warranty.
Unsure about your configuration? Give us a call.
Stainless steel or titanium, ROG remote or factory control: the right choice depends on how you drive and on your Audi S8 D3 saloon V10 quattro. We take the time to talk it through before you order, with a reply within 24 hours. We are not here to sell to you over the phone: we help you choose, even if that means a cheaper option because it suits the way you drive.
ROG is a French brand, and the way we work comes down to one idea: an exhaust system should be sold with advice, not just a product page. More than 500 exhaust systems fitted and a rating of 4.9 out of 5.
Further reading
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