The sophisticated beast
Audi’s luxurious S8 sport sedan combines stealth and style
There’s something about Audi’s flagship four- door that brings out the inner bad boy.
It doesn’t help that the S8 is packing a potent 520- horsepower, twin- turbo 4.0- litre V8. Still, it’s not as much the muscle under the hood as what can be done with it.
There’s a fair number of full- sized eurosedans that also happen to go like stink. Along with the S8, you could choose any number of its competitors — the Jaguar XJR, Mercedes S63, BMW 760Li and, maybe, the Porsche Panamera Turbo S.
And no flashy colours, please. That’s too conspicuous. In this regard, the big Audi wears an extra cloak of stealth, courtesy of the handsome and very muscular yet conservatively cut shape of its sheet metal.
It also has a very high intimidation factor. Slower- moving cars change lanes as you sneak up in their rear- view mirrors. Maybe it’s the bold shield- sized grille and the four rings that proclaim a freight train of a car is about to take a bite out of your bumper.
Although the S8 is bred for the Autobahn, it doesn’t need to be driven like it was stolen. Still, there is temptation, even just puttering around town.
That lovely burble coming from the exhaust turns ferocious when the gas pedal is pushed harder and the eight- speed’s shifter is slapped into Sport mode. With Quattro all- wheeldrive providing fourwheel traction — and 481 pound- feet of torque that comes on at a low 1,700 rpm and hangs on until 5,500 rpm — the 2,125- kilogram Audi launches itself like it was a Porsche 911. The company says 100 km/ h takes but 4.1 seconds from a standing start.
Nobody considering a 500- plus- horsepower, full- sized sedan as a daily driver is going to be concerned about fuel economy, but Audi at least makes an attempt through its cylinder on demand ( COD) system, shutting down four of the eight cylinders when operating under part load. An Active Noise Cancellation system with active engine mounts suppress undesired noise and vibrations so the big Audi doesn’t sound like an econobox when it’s trying to be frugal.
Nor does it really succeed as one. I averaged 15.5 L/ 100 kilometres.
The S8 may be aging, but it’s aging with grace. It moves and stops well for a big car; the air suspension has a solid, well-damped ride quality and there’s tenacious grip at normal speeds thanks to the Quattro all- wheeldrive system. I found the steering just a little too light, but it does make it easier to park the car.
Speaking of which, the backup cameras — especially the “top view” one — are excellent.
Inside is more of the same. Audi didn’t skimp on the luxury touches, nor should it, considering the $ 140,000 price tag.
The grey dials and white needles of the analogue clock and the dial instruments characterize S- model interiors. The inlays are brushed aluminum and something resembling carbon- fibre, the door trim panels and the headrest are trimmed in Alcantara and the shift knob is carbon. The sport seats are covered in perforated Valcona leather and feature diamond- quilted centre sections.
All the modern conveniences are there — four- zone automatic air conditioning, a killer $ 7,000 Bang & Olufsen surround- sound system, navigation touchscreen, head- up display and more.
Is it as up- to- date technologywise as some of the newer competition out there? Unlikely, but the car is as sophisticated as it needs to be.
The S8 is a rare beast. Audi sells less than 300 S8s a year in Canada.
The S8 projects the requisite blend of power, exclusivity and extravagance that something in its price range should. Its biggest detriment, at least for those with large egos, is its subtlety.