Aston Martin DB11 vs Audi S8: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Aston Martin DB11 burns about $3,800 of fuel annually against $3,800 for the Audi S8. That $0 yearly gap compounds to roughly $0 over five years and $0 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City versus highway split: the Aston Martin DB11 is the stronger commuter at 18 mpg city, while the Audi S8 pulls ahead on the interstate at 27 mpg highway. If most of your driving is stop-and-go traffic the city figure is the one to weigh; for long-distance highway mileage the reverse is true, and the two vehicles effectively swap places depending on how you drive.

Powertrain choice: the Aston Martin DB11 is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 5.2, 4.0), the Audi S8 with 2 (SIDI; Mild Hybrid, SIDI). Across 13 recorded Aston Martin DB11 configurations and 12 for the Audi S8, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Aston Martin DB11 is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, the Audi S8 with All-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Minicompact Cars and Large Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Aston Martin DB11 emits 431 g/mile of CO2 versus 452 g/mile for the Audi S8. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.