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Feann Torr11 Aug 2014
REVIEW

Audi S8 2014 Review

The latest luxury leviathan from Audi is one of its best yet, and is priced accordingly

Audi S8

Road Test
 

The $280,000 Audi S8 is equal parts luxury and sports, covered from floor to ceiling in leather, plush-pile carpet and suede, yet propelled by a storming 384kW twin-turbo V8 engine. It utterly cossets its occupants and cruises as serenely as an ocean liner, but open the taps and flick the suspension to sports mode and it's on for young and old. But is it better than the S 63 AMG? Hmm…
Ostensibly a face-lifted version of the now four-year-old D4 model, the updated 2014 A8 – and in the case of this test the S8 – feels suitably fresh.
It's true the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class has moved the game on in this ultra-luxurious category, yet the new S8 does a lot of things very well, such as the classy interior and ruthless acceleration.
This is the first time the current S8 has been offered in Australia and it's about time, because it's one of the most engaging cars in its class. Powered by a lusty, basso-profundo 4.0-litre V8 boosted by a pair of turbochargers, the S8 develops a whopping 382kW of power at 5800rpm.
Blended with 650Nm of torque sustained between 1700rpm and 5500rpm, a quattro all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic and you're looking at a 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds.
That makes it quicker to 100km/h than the more powerful and expensive $385,000, 435kW rear-drive Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG.
Sink the boot in and the S8 launches gracefully like a bird of prey; smoothly, effortlessly, but full of intent. And there's virtually no let-up in acceleration, the eight-speed ZF gearbox doing a brilliant job under duress.
Ferociously fast yet buttery smooth is the modus operandi of the S8. It's the vehicular equivalent of a Brazilian ju-jitsu master who gets about in a Burberry suit, wears Prada spectacles and probably a pair of supple Italian loafers. It fashionably conservative, but harbours a killer instinct.
Sometimes there's a subtle disconnect between mashing the loud pedal and the car deciding it's time to punch a hole in the fabric of space time. Neither the quattro AWD system, the auto box nor turbo are particularly laggy, but when all three have relaxed, then are abruptly commanded to snap to attention, there is a momentary delay as they get their collective acts together.
But there's no denying this car's refined ferocity. It doesn't feel like a two tonne mega-barge as it surges forward – and when you guide it into a corner it retains this sense of dexterity.
Rivals like the Jaguar XJR, Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG and BMW 750i also offer neck-snapping power but none of them are all-wheel drive (at least not in Oz) nor have as much front-end grip.
Fitted with Audi Drive Select that can alter the suspension, exhaust note, throttle response and steering at the touch of the button, the Audi S8 can cruise as quietly and comfortably as a regular A8, despite its massive 21-inch alloy wheels shod with low profile tyres.
Then again, it can also carve up corners with confidence.
It's quite remarkable how willing the front-end of the new S8 is, keenly diving into tightening corners without major protest and gripping like billy-oh. It feels more agile than Benz' S 63 AMG and generally goes where you point it. When pushed hard the cars 2065kg weight does overrule grip and the front-end wants to push wide, but the subtle stability control tech does a marvellous job of keeping the car on the straight and narrow.
For something so long, 5147mm from bumper to bumper, it's unexpectedly involving.
The electric power steering is one of the best calibrated in the Audi range (although having just sampled the S3 sedan, make that second best). It's perhaps a touch light for enthusiastic driving but vastly superior to previous efforts and is ideal in urban scenarios. It's an easy car to place on the road, despite its 1949mm width, and because it's bristling with sensors, cameras and a good turning circle – relatively speaking – it's easy to park too.
But the S8 is a gas guzzler. After a week behind the wheel and just under 500km I never came close to the claimed average of 9.6L/100km. On the highway at 100km/h the big German would use between 8.0 and 11.0L/100km, and city driving was thirsty work. Overall economy during this seven day test was 15.5L/100km according to the trip computer.
Audi has engineered a cylinder deactivation system that turns the rorty 4.0-litre V8 into a whimpering 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, and the system is seamless as it switches modes, and was more inclined to do so in urban driving than on the freeway.
One thing the S8 does very well is illuminating the road at night. The LED matrix headlight system is clever in that it lights up your forward view without dazzling other drivers, by tracking their movement (seriously) and selectively dimming or turning off the LED high-beam elements.
The interior of S8 is beautifully finished, and the way the car pampers occupants is memorable for all the right reasons.
The cockpit is equal parts fashionista and athlete, with lashings of carbon-fibre, leather and suede. I really like the inlayed twin-tier dash with its aluminium accents, the recessed area adds sophistication and depth to the design, as does the nautically-influenced gear shifter.
Seating is ample and lavish, especially in the front. The contoured front seats of this vehicle feature massage functionality with five settings; my favourite was the wave mode. It's like dozens of tiny fingers prodding your back as you drive and though it's not as good as a masseuse, it's still very pleasant.
You can also heat and cool the seats, and they're electrically adjustable in a dozen different directions, and rear seat passengers have their own control panel integrated into the central arm rest – with controls for the heating/cooling and stereo. The leather quality throughout the car is excellent and though rear seat leg room is nothing to boast about if you're six foot tall or above, it is sufficient.
Digital radio and TV tuners are nice touches although I'm not sure I'd be willing to part with $14,500 for the Bang & Olufsen stereo. It's good, but 15 grand good?
Twin rear TV screens with wireless headphones (optional for $9900) come in handy when you've got a little one (or two big ones) in the back. My three-year-old daughter thought they were iPads and attempted to remove one… Nevertheless it came in handy on an extended drive to the country to visit the cousins, although if I have to listen to the songs from Disney's Frozen again I may burst a blood vessel.

The only aspect of the interior that raises eyebrows (for the wrong reasons) is the central control panel and built-in touchpad. Audi's multimedia interface (MMI) system is fairly intuitive but there are too many buttons too closely arranged to make it useable at a glance while cruising. The S-Class has moved the game on in terms of ease of use and operability.
The touchpad is an interesting feature and works well for finding map data via the sat-nav, but isn't ideal for right-hand drive markets, as you have to use your left hand.
Although the S8 doesn't have the same sense of superiority as the Mercedes S 63 AMG, it'll save you $100,000 in the purchase price and barely puts a foot wrong. Despite being a revamp of a four-year-old model, the range-topping S8 feels thoroughly modern and has the potential the keep the range fresh until the all-new D5 generation arrives in 2017.
2014 Make Model Type pricing and specifications:
Price: $279,000 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 4.0-litre eight-cylinder twin-turbo petrol
Output: 382kW/650Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 225g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA
What we liked: Not so much:
>> Refined, quiet, luxurious >> Rear seat legroom
>> Performance threshold >> Busy control panel
>> Subtle exterior design >> Thirst for premium fuel
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Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
82/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
18/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
15/20
Safety & Technology
16/20
Behind The Wheel
19/20
X-Factor
14/20
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