- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
4.0TT, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
382kW, 650Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 9.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Audi S8 quick spin review
The car: Audi S8
Vitals: $279,000 (plus on-road and dealer costs); 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 petrol; 382kW/650Nm; 8-speed auto; 9.6L/100km; four-wheel-drive
Why we’re driving it
The S8 has only just rejoined Audi’s lineup for the first time in the current generation of the flagship A8 limousine. It was previously sold until 2010.
What is it?
A limousine with the heart of a sports car. The twin-turbo V8 engine is also used in various Bentleys.
What does it say about me?
You (and your friends and family) want to arrive in luxury but you want to have some fun along the way.
Who else is buying it?
Business execs and wealthy types looking for something very comfy and very fast.
What colours does it come in?
Whatever you want, within reason. There’s a mix of non-confrontational greys, blacks and silvers (eight metallics, two pearl colours and two solids) or you can choose your own through the customisation program.
If it was a celebrity, who would it be?
There’s a temptation to go with Robert de Niro or Jean Reno given the fantastic car chase that featured the original S8 in Ronin back in 1998. But the S8 is more like Jason Statham for his muscle, flexibility and presence.
Why would I buy it?
For its effortless performance and ample space. The Quattro system is also handy if you want to arrive at the ski fields in luxury without having to fuss around with snow chains.
Best bits?
The engine and the four-wheel-drive system that makes its power so accessible. The interior is also beautifully presented, with ambient lighting, quality finishes and good functionality of the myriad electronics.
Any fancy gadgets to brag about?
The matrix beam LED headlights are a good talking point. Each high beam is made up of 25 LEDs hooked up to a computer scanning the road ahead. At speeds over 30km/h it will activate the high beams and block out the area where another car is, leaving other parts of the road illuminated. It worked for us most of the time but there were a couple of occasions where it unnecessarily blasted another driver with high beam.
Worst bits?
The impressive serenity can be marginally interrupted on some road surfaces, where you’ll notice some tyre roar.
Will I get a deal?
You may not save much but you’ll get a fancy sculpture handmade out of bronze. Made in Manly on Sydney’s northern beaches, just 60 will be made as a great paperweight for the office. There are also electric blinds in the rear, doors that suck themselves close and an onboard wi-fi system.
Will it get me noticed?
The S8 is more about subtle tweaks than look-at-me performance. So unless you spot the four oval exhausts and red S8 badging there’s every chance it’ll slink into the traffic like every other A8. Except that there aren’t many A8s on the road. And it’s a big vehicle, so from that perspective it naturally stands out.
Does it go?
The engine is a cracker, mainly thanks to the 650Nm of torque that arrives in a head-thrusting rush from 1700rpm. It’s beautifully refined and teams well with the eight-speed auto, so it doesn’t feel as brutal as some. But the speed at which the speedo needle is spinning clockwise tells a different story – as do the numbers; 0-100km/h is claimed to take 4.1 seconds.
Does it like corners?
There’s no shortage of grip and the faster the corner the better. At almost 2.1 tonnes there’s a lot of weight to convince to change direction and it’s the hairpins and other tighter bends that can highlight that weight. But tip into a sweeping corner on a country road and the S8 effortlessly builds up the G forces.
What about bumps?
For a car focussed on getting along briskly the S8 does a pretty good job of quelling road uglies. There’s air suspension on all four corners that works well with the low profile 21-inch tyres. While there’s some firmness it’s still supple enough to live up to the luxury tag.
How's the sound system?
There’s a choice between the basic Bose system (it’s a great system) or the more expensive (add $14,500, thanks very much) Bang & Olufsen setup that ups total output to 1400 watts between 19 speakers, two of which make a very fancy appearance out of the dash. Oh, it sounds pretty good too.
What about service stations?
Nothing this big and this powerful is frugal (in 2014 anyway) and the S8 is no different. If you enjoy the power you can expect to use something approaching 20 litres of premium unleaded every 100km.
Would you buy one?
There would be worse ways to travel in style, although the price of entry would be a good way to quell the temptation.
What else should I consider?
The Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG is its most natural rival. But if you can live without the S trimmings and want to halve your fuel bills then the A8 V8 diesel is well worth a look; a mighty engine in an even bigger body.
The spin
Charisma. Pure power... Dynamic. Superior.
The translation
It’s a big car but we don’t need big sentences to get the message across.