Exhaust tip corrosion is severe
 

I started to notice after 12 months, but now at 30 months the tips are corroded through the chrome on about 50% of the lip area. I haven't seen this kind of degradation in past Audi.

I just had my detailer spend 2 days on the paint, so the tips really stand out now as ugly in contrast.

You guys must be seeing the same thing?

Here is a picture of a different Audi on the web, showing tips cleaned of the black carbon, exposing the chrome damage/bare metal. It's not from abrasion, this happens from just washing.

The tips on all my A6's and now the A8 have been and are stainless steel. Mine get black from carbon, but a little elbow grease and a scotchbright pad and there clean and silver again. Hard to imagine the tips on the S8 are not stainless, that's a rip.

They are Chrome. And the chrome revealed the stainless.

Regular (weekly) maintenance is the only way to keep the tips in top shape.

If they are stainless at least they can be cleaned/polished up without rusting. Not sure why Audi would have chromed over a piece of perfectly good stainless, crazy if they did!

If it were me, I'd find a way to get that chrome off and get the stainless to show thru, then use a scotch brite pad pad to scuff up the stainless to a nice silver finish. At least it will be silver instead of splotchy shiny ugly chrome.

What does the dealer say about this?

High heat black paint seems to be a popular choice too.

my a8l has the bumper mounted silver box thing with the actual tail pipes within the bumper. The silver surround box thing is corroding. Oh well!

What happened to the Audi corrosion protection warranty?

I'll ask about it the next time I'm in for service. I think it's for paint.