Audi S8 review – an old-school performance car with old-school appeal
A fine example of exquisite German engineering, set against an outdated set of principles
That a larger proportion of the Audi S8’s initial presentation was given over to a new colour palette tells you that even the might of Ingolstadt has already switched its attention to the A8’s all electric replacement, something that’ll be inspired by the Grandsphere concept.
There’s not long left for the current S8, which means we should make the most of its 4-litre, twin-turbocharged 48V V8. In the world of Porsche Taycans and Audi’s own e-Tron GT, the S8’s 563bhp and 590lb ft of torque might look a little undercooked, and with 2220kg to haul around it doesn’t take long to understand that Audis with an S in their name aren’t as potent as those with an R and an S.
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It’s quick, to a point, and then physics take over and the S8’s performance becomes agreeable. Its 3.8-second 0-62mph time is impressive for a big girl, but soon after that thump tails off and the pace becomes more of a cruise. When the autobahn traffic parts ahead of you the eight-speed auto needs to drop a few ratios if you’re not to be consumed by the 530d counting every one of those LEDs in your fancy new rear lights.
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The S8 still performs at its best when on a quick cruise than a full on bull run. It has that cast iron body control afforded to it by its predictive air suspension that scans the road ahead and pre-loads the air springs accordingly, allowing the cars to deliver two contrasting elements as one: maintaining that level of body control at high speed without a sense that every single component in the suspension has been made from, er, cast iron.
As a car to traverse large swatches of any country the S8 still remains a comforting place to be. Wrapped in the very best that the company’s interior maestros can create an S8 – all A8’s for that matter – remains the pinnacle of Audi’s famed interior quality and refinement, delivering a blend of performance and luxury rivals from BMW (750i) and Mercedes (S63) struggle with.
Away from a main trunk road and the S8 does struggle, but then it’s not exactly an RS3 rival. It’s here that the technology that allows the suspension to add up to three-degrees of counter roll into the body between 50 and 70mph to aid the S8’s lateral stability as much as possible. It doesn’t feel like a natural apex chaser, but neither does it feel out of its depth if you cycle through the dynamic select driving modes in a bid to discover its sharpest edge. Although you’ll need to call on the standard carbon ceramic brakes more than you would in a model from the class below, and their calibration feels a generation behind with a hint of delay on initial application causing you to push a little harder just as your first input takes effect.
Standard-fit four-wheel steering and the torque-vectoring quattro sport differential have more of an influence over keeping the S8 a step ahead of other A8s rather than transforming it into a pure driver’s car, although both systems do result in a large car that’s keen to turn-in and resist the urge to wash wide with an impressive degree of commitment. But it feels unnatural with the S8 not exactly willing to get up on its toes as the current crop of large RS models such as the RS6 and RS7 do. Yet the depth of engineering that’s gone into the S8 does feel deeper than that of an S6/7.
Ultimately in a world of polished performance EVs the S8 has grown to be a car that feels like it's from yesterday trying to keep up with today. Highly polished and engineered to a remarkable standard, you’ll appreciate every journey in an S8 but you’re unlikely to remember many of them. Then again, that’s possibly true of all in this segment.
Living with the Audi S8
How much of the S8’s longevity can be put down to its starring role on a French alpine pass 25 years ago? Would the current, fourth-generation D5 model still be on Audi’s price list had that nitrous-powered dark green example not whacked a Peugeot 605 and Citroën XM? It didn’t need the nitrous, did it? And does the world need super-limos or are they simply transport for our silver-screen escapism? Logic points to ‘no we don’t’, but logic and car choices rarely align.
A regular A8 does much of what our S8 does. It might lack the pure exec-limo magic of an S-class, but it also avoids the coldness BMW’s 7-series always wears to stop you getting to know it. Audi has shaped its aluminium machine into a limo that does the limo bit to an exceptionally high standard while also carving it a personality that gives it more of a distinctive feel than perception suggests. The S8 amplifies this further still.
You already know about the interior quality. What impressed me while I ran KY73 OTZ for a spell recently was how well it drives, not only as something to waft in, but how it adapts to so many different situations, and much of this is down to the tech bolted to it.
Such as rear-wheel steering. This is nothing new, but the S8’s RWS has been calibrated beyond an aid to negotiate tight parallel parking manoeuvres and tricky entrances into hotel car parks. No, this doesn’t mean it shrinks around you to become an RS3, but the sense of connection between both driven axles as the S8 removes its cufflinks and rolls up its sleeves makes you appreciate just how far Audi has gone to lift it above the norm.
The front is more than happy to dive into a corner and the rear will react instantly to provide a balance and sense of togetherness where once such cars pushed their snouts to the outside of any corner, leaving their tails far behind. It feels agile where you expect lethargy, direct in places where you expect underwhelming dynamics.
Being an S rather than an RS product means the 8 doesn’t possess the snarling nature of its more famous family members. And it’s better for it, because it remains as subtle and smooth to drive as it is to look at. Its 563bhp V8 never feels strained, making for one of those cars that is exactly what you need when you have 2000 miles to cover in a month. With new examples starting to appear with over £20,000 off their retail price, too, the S8’s appeal strengthens further still.– Stuart Gallagher, evo issue 319
Prices and rivals
The Audi S8 kicks off at a punchy £118,335, but as you'd expect in such a car, it comes with plenty as standard including 'Black Edition' darkened trims. For additional garnish though, you’ll need to upgrade to the Vorsprung at £129,035, which throws in almost the literal kitchen sink.
The segment is otherwise pretty thin today, with BMW’s V12-powered M760iL long gone and Merc’s updated AMG S-class still under wraps for now. As such, the S8’s rivals are lie with the S-class and 7-series. The Merc’s package is certainly lacking any sporting pretence, but the BMW is much closer in spirit and execution, and is a mighty fine driving experience to boot.
Maserati’s Quattroporte Trofeo was a close rival, and while no where near as polished or capable, it does have a different cool factor (it’s the movie villain’s car, not the protagonist’s) and that brilliant crackle-finish Italian V8 to make up for it – sadly, it's no longer on sale.
