How ‘Ronin’ Put the Audi S8 on the Map
“Something very fast. Audi S8. Something that can shove a little bit. I’m also gonna need a nitrous system.” – Larry
Ronin is one of those movies that’s seriously underrated. Part post-Cold War spy movie, part heist film it features a great cast. It also features some of the best car chases in movie history. Directed by John Frankenheimer who helmed Grand Prix the car chases happened on location. There are no special effects. Instead, the actors strapped into cars and drove through Paris and southern France at speeds up to 120 mph. The cars in the movie are underrated too – a Citroen XM, E34 BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, and a D2 Audi S8.
The Audi S8 is not an obvious choice for a car chase. But the driver, Larry, says he needs something “that can shove a little bit”. He needs the Audi for a specific role chasing down a Citroen XM carrying a mysterious case. And the S8 is ideal. Big, fast, but light on its feet the 4.2 liter V8 produces 364 horsepower in European spec. The big Audi wastes no time getting up to speed, hitting 60 mph in under 6.5 seconds. Add a nitrous system as Larry does and it will run down just about anything on a winding road.
An Icon of the Sports Saloon World
The A8 was Audi’s game-changer. In the 1990s Audi lagged behind BMW and Mercedes-Benz in prestige and brand recognition. A bogus “sudden acceleration” scandal tarnished Audi’s reputation in the US during the 1980s. But by 1994 when the A8 debuted Audi’s fortunes were on the way up. Audi appealed to people who wanted sensible transportation, the kind of people who bought Volvos. The A8 changed that. The aluminum space frame and body weighed a fraction of an equivalent steel one. It floated like Muhammed Ali in his prime while the Mercedes-Benz S Class and BMW 7 Series felt leaden. Top Gear called it an icon of the sports saloon world stating, “it’s fair to surmise AMG S-Classes and XJRs wouldn’t have upped their game so much in the years that followed.”
I’m not sure how the Ronin crew picked the S8 but it’s a supreme choice. It also put the A8 and S8 on the map as serious performance sedans. The movie showcases the big Audi as a fast car with almost sports car-like agility. Larry, played by Skipp Sudduth doing most of his own driving, drifts the car through Paris early in the movie. Later on, he uses the S8 as a blocker car to shove the Citroen XM during the heist.
The movie has a cult following in part because of the S8. And while it doesn’t hold the same level of esteem as Bullitt, the car chases are more intense. It’s definitely worth watching if you haven’t seen it. Or you can view the video below.
Photos: Audi and IMCDB
Video: Ronin via Movie Car Chases HD
