Continent-shrinking comfort and control

By Ghaith Madadha - May 11,2015 - Last updated at May 11,2015

Ever composed, quick and comfortable, the Audi S8 is the high performance version of the Ingolstadt automaker’s luxury flagship saloon, well suited to the self-driving VIP. Discrete yet devastatingly swift with a twin-turbo V8 engine, the S8 offers across-the-range abundance and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the Quattro four-wheel-drive cleverly apportions power where needed, and with vice-like road-holding the S8 confidently deploys its might come rain or shine. Thoroughly engineered and with sculpted yet subtle design, the S8 is an unflappable continent-shrinking luxury chariot boasting a comprehensive suite of luxury, safety and infotainment equipment and classy cabin.

Sculpted and sophisticated

Tight and concise, the Audi A8 has a cool and confident air of quality and robustness about its design. And with is road-hugging stance and hungry, scowling and tidily framed face seems moody, menacing and ready to devour the road.

Designed with chiselled surfaces, crisp lines and sculpted ridges, the S8 is a full-size luxury saloon that seems condensed and toned. Seemingly smaller than its 5,147mm length suggests, the S8’s muscularly assertive presence is not diminished, and instead, it has an almost pugilistic but un-swaggering sense of tension and power.

An imposing and aggressive front-end features a huge and sternly arrogant grille, deep air intakes and browed headlights. However, this contrasts with a sharply defined and soberly level waistline, reasonably big glasshouse for good visibility and an elegantly flowing roofline.

Riding on massive optional 21-inch alloy wheels amply filling its wheel-arches, the tested car even had subtle but large print ‘Quattro’ decal along its lower side. Alluding to its innovative and effective four-wheel-drive system, the ‘Quattro’ graphics also served to bring to mind Audi’s legendary 1980s rally icon and sporting heritage.

Effortlessly effective

Powered by a twin-turbocharged direct fuel injection, 4-litre V8 engine the Audi S8 is seamlessly refined, abundantly muscular and brutally brisk. Developing 512BHP at 5800rpm and 479lb/ft torque throughout a broad 1,700-5,500rpm range, the S8 virtually eliminates low-end lag and provides effortless smooth mid-range flexibility.

Confident and quick in overtaking and on-the-move acceleration, the S8’s richly generous mid-range torque underwrites a swift and welling rise towards its maximum power. Highly refined from noise, vibrations and harshness, the S8 however delivers more emphatic yet subtly evocative engine acoustics in its ‘Dynamic’ modes

With its compact V8 engine slung low and as near as possible to its front axle and innovatively renowned Quattro hollow shaft differential four-wheel-drive system, the Audi S8 can develop tenacious levels of traction. Digging tight into the tarmac, the S8 effectively puts power down and bolts off-the-line with confident responsiveness.

Crossing the 0-100km/h acceleration benchmark in a supercar-swift 4.1-seconds, the S8 can muscularly keep accelerating to its electronically-governed 250km/h top speed. Powerful yet efficient, the S8 can automatically and imperceptibly de-activate four of eight cylinders to deliver 9.6/100km combined cycle fuel efficiency.

Confidence, comfort and control

Built on a light aluminium frame and riding on multi-link suspension with adaptive air dampers, the S8 is a comfortable and stable high speed luxury express, designed for continent-shrinking Autobahn duties.

Smooth, supple and wafting the S8’s air dampers belie massive and grippy low profile 265/35R21 tyres when in comfort mode. In Dynamic ‘mode’ the S8 becomes tauter and more buttoned down, firmly containing body roll through corners and settled over vertical rebounds. Steering is direct and light, while its 8-speed automatic gearbox is smooth and swift shifting, with comfort and dynamic modes.

Taut, smooth, refined and comfortable, the S8 is also a deft hand through corners and fast sweepers. Turning in is tidy and grippy fashion, the S8 tucks tightly into corners with confident body control and huge levels of grip and traction.

Providing unimpeachable road holding, the S8’s Quattro system provides vice-like traction for wet weather confidence and to confidently secure and swift cornering in the dry. Automatically reapportions power where needed, the S8’s immense and sophisticated ability to generate all-wheel traction allows it to power through corners like it is glued to the ground.

Form and function

A model for how to combine design and functionality, the Audi S8’s spacious and luxurious, cabin features a stylishly fresh yet conservatively grounded ambiance combined with quality, construction. With clear dials, sporty steering wheel, soft cabin textures, highly adjustable seats, rich Alcantara roof lining and durable, soft and perforated leather upholstery, the S8 is a thoroughly well appointed and comfortably indulgent place.

Ergonomically-designed and luxuriously finished and fitted, the S8 provides a comfortable and supportive seating, along with user-friendly and intuitive infotainment systems, including satnav and Bluetooth enabled multimedia stereo system.

Superbly well-insulated and refined inside, the S8 even features high tech sound cancelling and is well-spaced for front and rear occupants. Extensively well-kitted with standard and optional infotainment, convenience and safety systems, the S8 can be specified with a broad range of equipment, including massaging seats and thermal imaging night vision.

Semi-autonomous driver assistance systems include but are not limited to active lane assistance and adaptive cruise control systems, while driving menus in the S8’s infotainment system allow one to tailor various driving settings including engine and gearbox responses, and damper and steering modes.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 4-litre, twin-turbo, in-line V8-cylinders

Bore x stroke: 84.5 x 89mm

Compression ratio: 9.3:1

Valve-train: 32-valve, DOHC, direct injection

Gearbox: 8-speed automatic, four-wheel-drive

Top gear/final drive: 0.67:1/3.2:1

Power distribution, F/R: 40 per cent/60 per cent

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 512.5 (520) [382] @ 5,800rpm

Specific power: 128.3BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 248.1BHP/tonne

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 479 (650) @ 1,700-5,500 rpm