The most cost effective solution probably will be ABZ or AHC. The 2.7T will have more power potential with bigger turbo's etc, posibly less weight also.

The 2,7 V6 Biturbo 230/250/265/380 all weigh more than even the 40V V8. Cast iron block, with turbos etc versus aluminium V8.

If you're prepared for a built motor in anticipation of boosting, then the V8 has better power potential, both 32 and 40V.

Concur.... Ignoring cambelt issues, i cant think of any D2 V8 blocks that I know have failed. Almost always crash damage or Tranny failure on those...

My cactus one ate a spark plug Ian...

Thought that was a fuel starvation problem that killed that..... but yes, you're always the oddity in the stats aren't you ?... +++

Not the fault of the motor, if you feed 'em properly, it wouldn't happen. Only starved V8 motors eat spark plugs.

Please explain more...?

The spark plugs were done along with a full service a few months before, the plugs came from Audi just like anything else that touched the car did, quantum oil etc... Car only run on V Power and oil level regularly checked. I was doing about 20 mph slowly accelerating when the car died. Engine was a write off, gearbox under 2k miles old, then just to kick me whilst I was down, it was stolen from the garage, I lost everything.

^^^ Sorry about your loss bud - these things happen for a reason. Look what you're rolling round with now - an awesome RS6 Plus. +++

In terms of your plugs, it's nothing to do with new plugs, or fuel grade. An inbalance in injector output can be lethal. On big capacity V8 motors, you could be two injectors down without knowing it. You only need to accelerate with a hot engine, and the 6 good injectors will be more than enough to allow the motor to pick up pretty good.

The cylinder with faulty injectors will run dangerously lean, and either melt the plugs or piston crown. My father-in-law suffered a similar scenario with a TVR Griffith. Destroyed the motor - when I pulled the cylinder heads, number 5 piston was gone. All that was left was the skirt, the entire crown literally vaporised. He was just overtaking a bus that was pulling into a bus stop, when the car lost power, must have been doing 25-30 mph when it failed.

The engine still ran, enough to cross the intersection, with lots of blue smoke. The rear valence was covered with oil.

Oh yes, I wouldn't have the plus now as I would have had the money to buy an RS6 sooner and probably ended up with a regular one, so that is some good that came out of it for sure. Scary stuff, but mine was a one off, generally the AVP engine is very reliable. I sold an ABZ with around 230/40k on it and it rang strong. +++