Audi S8 vs Porsche Cayenne (8-speed Tiptronic S) 958.1: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the S8 hits 100 km/h in 3.83 s versus 7.55 s for the Cayenne (8-speed Tiptronic S). At this point, the S8 leads by 3.72 s and sits roughly 22 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the S8 is doing 157 km/h against 119 km/h for the Cayenne (8-speed Tiptronic S). The gap is 2.40 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the S8 crosses the line in 11.81 s versus 15.50 s. The 3.69 s gap represents roughly 143 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the S8 continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 222 km/h versus 166 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the S8 finishes in 21.26 s versus 28.16 s, with a 6.90 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the S8 is capped at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h, the Cayenne (8-speed Tiptronic S) at 230 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

With two combustion powertrains, the difference comes down to power-to-weight ratio (3.89 kg/hp vs 6.68 kg/hp) and transmission (Automatic vs Automatic).

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.88 seconds. The 3.72 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.