Audi S8: Supercar swift luxury chariot

First introduced in 2019 as the discrete high performance version of Audi’s full-size A8 luxury model, the S8 was something of a low key “sleeper” car next to wilder, more exaggeratedly style rivals. Packed with advanced features and built on a lightweight aluminium frame, the S8 is supercar swift luxury chariot for the tycoon with a desire for discretion. Boasting beguiling point-to-point performance, the S8’s high tech engineering all but bends the laws of physics in how it hustles its 2.2-tonne mass with impeccable composure, commitment, control, comfort and unexpected agility.

Subtle athleticism

Sculpted and statuesque with its fine detail and chiselled surfacing, the S8 walked a fine line between anonymity and outright aggression with it overall subtle athleticism and contrastingly overt and aggressive grille. So ahead of the game in its class when launched, the latest revised S8 remains almost unchanged since last driven, with updates focused on an aesthetic refresh, which introduces an edgier bumper and light treatment with sharper angles, creases, and lighting signatures. The S8’s grille more notably features a somewhat overstated large mesh, or chain-link style background, in place of its predecessor’s somewhat conservative slatted treatment. 

Nestled low between its enormous single frame grille and front axles, the S8’s aggressively tuned version of Audi’s twin-turbocharged, direct injection 4-litre V8 engine carries over unchanged. Producing a prolific 563BHP at 6,000rpm and an ample wave of torque throughout a wide and easily accessible 2,050-4,500rpm plateau, it powers all four wheels through Audi’s Quattro system. With short gasflow paths allowing for quick spooling turbos, and its tenacious traction, the 2,220kg S8 launches from standstill with immediacy, blasting through 0-100km/h in scant 3.8-seconds and onto an electronically-governed 250km/h maximum.

Swift and smooth

Pulling with confidence from low-end and through a muscular mid-range, the S8 is smooth and versatile throughout, and ever willing right to its rev limit. Stretching its legs in urgently linear fashion towards full power, the S8’s progression is backed up by a deep and wide torque reservoir. Silently swift in default and “comfort” driving modes, it returns comparatively restrained 11.4l/100km combined fuel efficiency. Brutally quick when driven with a firm right foot, the S8’s engine, however, adopts an edgier and more vocal soundtrack as sportier driving modes are engaged.

The S8’s rear-biased Quattro four-wheel-drive offsets its layout’s front-biased weighting and delivers remarkably reassuring road holding as associated with Audi since the 1980s. Sure-footed and agile, the S8’s self-locking centre differential distributes power between front and rear, while a “sport” differential diverts power where necessary along the rear axle to push it through corners. Its swift and smooth shifting 8-speed automatic gearbox meanwhile employs a broad range of ratios to optimise performance, flexibility, refinement and efficiency and features a choice of driving mode responsiveness, and more direct manual mode shifting.

Predictive poise

Superb in its stability at speed and settled yet supple ride characteristics in comfort mode driving, the S8’s air suspension provides taut lateral and vertical control. It nevertheless forgivingly soaks up rough textures. Poised and seemingly floating over imperfections, the S8’s air suspension firms up in sport mode for more composed cornering control. The S8 also features advanced Predictive Active Suspension, powered by its 48V system. With electric actuators individually adjusting each wheel for lumps, bumps and cracks, this can also automatically raise the car to mitigate side impacts.

The S8’s 48V-powered predictive suspension meanwhile virtually reads the road to anticipate and adjust for imminent textural changes, it also adapts to counteract body roll through fast corners. The 48V mild hybrid system also powers ancillary systems for improved efficiency and coasting. The S8’s dynamic envelope additionally includes four-wheel-steering, which turns rear wheels opposite to front at low speed to effectively shorten its wheelbase for enhanced manoeuvrability. It alternately steers rear wheels in the same direction at speed, to lengthen its wheelbase for improved steering response and lane-change stability.

Deluxe dynamics

As a result of its sublimely executed high-tech solutions and engineering, the S8 belies its size, weight and weight distribution in how tidy it turns in and through corners. With unanticipated responses, agility and control, the S8 seemingly shrinks around the driver and handles with the nimbleness of a smaller, sportier car, as its four-wheel-drive, differentials, active suspension and four-wheel-steering all act in concert to deliver flat, poised, smooth and composed dynamics and alternately cushioned refined and insulated comfort. Inside, passengers further benefit from noise cancellation tech, luxurious leather, metal and wood appointments.

Sportier than the garden variety A8, the S8’s deluxe lounge-like cabin is spacious in front and rear. Comfortable, well-adjustable and supportive seats, meanwhile, feature automatically adjustable pneumatic side bolsters for hard-driven corners, and optional massaging and ventilation functions. With extensive comfort, infotainment, safety and assistance equipment, the S8 features a configurable instrument panel and twin screen infotainment system with haptic buttons and voice recognition. The S8’s driver assistance and safety tech suite meanwhile includes lane tracking, traffic jam assistance, adaptive cruise control, and collision avoidance and mitigation systems.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

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

Bore x stroke: 86 x 86mm

Compression ratio: 10.1:1

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

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

Ratios: 1st 4.714; 2nd 3.143; 3rd 2.106; 4th 1.667; 5th 1.285; 6th 1.0; 7th 0.839; 8th 0.667

Reverse/final drive ratios: 3.317/3.204

Drive-line: self-locking centre differential, optional limited-slip rear-differential

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

Power, BHP (PS) [kW]: 563 (571) [420] @6,000rpm

Specific power: 141BHP/litre

Power-to-weight: 253.6BHP/tonne (unladen)

Torque, lb/ft (Nm): 590 (800) @2,050-4,500rpm

Specific torque: 200Nm/litre

Torque-to-weight: 360.3Nm/tonne (unladen)

0-100km/h: approximately 3.8-seconds

Top speed: 250km/h (electronically governed)

Fuel consumption, combined: 11.4 litres/100km 

Fuel capacity: 82-litres

Length: 5,190mm

Width: 1,945mm

Height: 1,475mm

Wheelbase: 2,998mm

Track, F/R: 1,629/1,614mm

Aerodynamic drag co-efficient: 0.28

Luggage volume: 505-litres

Unladen/kerb weight: 2,220/2,295kg

Steering: Electric-assisted rack & pinion, all-wheel steering

Turning Circle: 11.4-metres

Suspension: Five-link, anti-roll bars, adaptive air dampers, active electro-mechanical suspension

Brakes, F/R: Ventilated & perforated discs, 400mm/350mm

Tyres: 265/40R20