2015 Audi S8 – Something Wicked

this way comes……….

We were certainly eagerly anticipating the arrival of the 2015 Audi S8 tester but what we didn’t expect was the line of staffers lining up to drive it.  Unusual because the big Audi looks fairly conservative, it doesn’t shout ‘look at me’, in fact it might be described as staid. Looks are subjective of course, the S8 does look great but it’s hard to differentiate it from an A8 except for the subtle front and rear badges and the 4 pipes hanging out the back. Don’t let its looks deceive you though, the S8 has a demon lurking under the hood,  a demon that will blow away almost 99% of cars on the road. Just bought a Porsche 911? This is faster.

So what exactly is lurking below that aluminum hood then?……well its Audi’s trusted twin turbo used in the A8, but this time boosted to 520 hp and 481 lb-ft. Mated to a conventional 8 speed auto, programmed for rapid shifts in Dynamic mode, we were able to launch to 60 in 3.8 seconds. Yes that is not a typo. It took us a couple of runs to achieve that, but he combination of the power (which we think is conservative) and the Quattro drivetrain make launches spectacular. It simply shouldn’t be this fast.

You gain speed so quickly and discreetly in the S8, you have to constantly watch the speedometer….it’s easy to blast through 100 mph in a few seconds. Thankfully the brakes are massive 6 piston calipers that bite gently on initial application (to keep passengers happy) but then are able to stop the beast in a very short time if needed.

Audi has fitted the S8’s engine with cylinder deactivation and active engine mounts which dampen unwanted vibrations, so together with a noise-cancellation system that uses the car’s stereo, we never felt the switch from 4 to 8 cylinder operation. This unfortunately didn’t help us with our test fuel economy where we averaged 16.5, not bad considering every moment we could, we would floor the accelerator.

Handling and Ride

Set the S8 to comfort mode and it is a smooth riding luxury 4 seater suitable for your average C Level exec. It cruises all day at 80 mph at around 2,000 revs and generally has the mild manners of a nun. Set it to Dynamic though and retain the steering in Comfort, we preferred this, and it becomes unhinged, scorching though its 8 speeds, holding on to revs, begging you to keep stomping on the throttle. It’s an absolute hoot. We spent most of the time grinning from ear to ear.

The S8’s steering is pretty good with some road feedback and despite the mass we couldn’t get it to under-steer on a public road, or at least we were not willing to push it that hard. Coming hard out of a corner the transmission doesn’t need to downshift because it doesn’t need to, it simply uses those reserves of torque and shoots you out with a growl. We reckon the Auto  shifts as quick as a dual clutch so much so that the paddle-shifters were deemed redundant. That’s how good it is.

Interior

The S8’s interior is nothing short of brilliant with extremely comfortable front seats, 22 way power, including massage, which was very popular in the office. As expected the interior quality is exemplary with soft feel plastics and leather everywhere including an optional suede headliner. It really is a nice place to be. In fact most testers likened their own cars to a wheelbarrow after driving the big Audi.

Options

Out tester’s base price was $115,825 but with options was $132,295, which includes a Bang & Olufsen advanced sound system ($6,300); Audi design selection including full leather package, piano black shift lever, black Alcantara headliner, Carbon Twill copper upper inlays ($5,500); driver assistance package including active lane assist, pre sense plus, adaptive cruise control ($2,100); sport exhaust with black finishers ($1,500); cold weather package including rear seat pass-through, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel with shift paddles ($750); 21-inch 5-arm-Rotor-design with titanium finish, and 275/35R21 summer tires ($250).

Conclusion

The 2013 Audi S8 is one of the most capable large sedans we’ve driven. There is nothing this side of a Ferrari that’s as quick in a straight line. Compare it to its competitors like the Panamera Turbo, which starts at $141,300 and does 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds, and the S8 is a total bargain.
When they came to collect the car, we didn’t want to give it back and if you were in the same position, nether would you.

The S8 is a spectacular luxury automobile………..now, what about an RS8?

2015 Audi S8 Numbers

Gallery

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Photography by Mai Krakauer and Jimmy Wu