words: Bill, photos: Bring-A-Trailer
Normally I wouldn’t place a D2 S8 with 161k miles as a Find of the Day but this one is a little different…it has a 6speed manual transmission swap. Does that elevate this S8 just a bit? Here’s the ad:
This 2003 Audi S8 is finished in Ming Blue Pearl over white leather and is powered by a 4.2-liter V8 paired with a six-speed manual transmission that was installed by a previous owner. Features include Quattro all-wheel drive, 18″ wheels, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, and a CD/cassette stereo. The car was sold on BaT in March 2017 and was acquired by the seller in 2019. Subsequent service is said to include changing the oil, refreshing the brakes and suspension, and replacing the serpentine belt. This S8 shows 161k miles and is now offered at no reserve with service records, a Carfax report, and a clean Texas title in the seller’s name.
The exterior is finished in Ming Blue Pearl Effect and features clear front turn signal lenses, polished window trim, and twin exhaust finishers. The Carfax report notes a November 2007 rear-end collision, and the seller states that the front bumper has been refinished. Each side of the car is shown in the photo gallery below.
The car is equipped with nine-spoke 18″ wheels and power-assisted ventilated disc brakes at each corner. Service performed in the last 1k miles has reportedly included installing Bilstein dampers up front and replacing the following components:
- Front upper and lower control arms and ball joints
- Front sway bar bushings
- Front brake pads and rotors
- Rear brake pads
The cabin features white leather seating surfaces, charcoal plastics and carpets, and wood trim on the dashboard, center console, and door panels. Amenities include heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a wood shift knob, and an Audi Symphony CD/cassette stereo. Noted flaws include a broken rear sunshade, warping door panel inserts, a faulty left rear window regulator, and weak FM radio reception.
A wood-rimmed steering wheel has been installed, and instrumentation includes a tachometer with a 7k-rpm redline, a 190-mph speedometer, and auxiliary gauges. The digital odometer shows 161k miles, approximately 2,500 of which have been added by the seller over the previous year. The airbag light is illuminated and the horn does not work, and the seller states that the removed factory steering wheel is included in the sale.
The 4.2-liter 40-valve V8 was rated for 360 horsepower with 317 lb-ft of torque when new. The oil was recently changed, and the timing belt was reportedly replaced at 105k miles.
A six-speed manual transmission was installed during previous ownership. The transmission was reportedly sourced from a second-generation S4, and the installation is said to have included an RS4-spec clutch assembly, a TTV Racing flywheel, European-market transmission-control software, replacement clutch cylinders and hydraulic lines, custom transmission mounts, and a custom driveshaft. Power is routed to all four wheels through a Quattro all-wheel-drive system.
The Carfax report lists the aforementioned accident and shows history in Vermont, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.
A walk-around video can be viewed above, and a ride-along clip is provided below. A start-up video can be viewed here.
A manual swapped D2 Audi S8…the Walter Mitty in me is daydreaming of racing through the streets of Paris after buying some guns or bombing through the French countryside chasing the Russian Mafia. If you want to live your own Ronin dreams, you can find this S8 HERE.
