Audi S8 photos, technologies, innovations

Friday, April 4, 2008

Driving an A8

The test vehicle was fitted with optional radar cruise control and four-zone climate control. The former works well, but in my opinion is unrefined technology at this present time. It’s impossible to drive with it in dense traffic and it immensely annoys other drivers as it constantly has to activate the brake lights when slowing down. The latter though, a perfect options for this car’s target demographic.
Audi S8 Road Test

I always get the same feeling when driving an A8. I always feel limited as a driver in terms of the things I can do – gadget wise. The other German competition – BMW and Mercedes – have such advanced onboard computers, they simply put the Audi unit to shame.
Audi S8 Road Test

The Mercedes unit fitted to the S-class – called COMAND –let’s you program everything, even down to the lighting ambience in the cabin. iDrive in the 7-series will allow you to call your best mate without you even taking your hand off the steering wheel. The Audi system is very yesterday and doesn’t feel at all advanced in comparison to its German rivals.
Audi S8 Road Test

Friday, March 28, 2008

Luxury performance

Dial up ‘dynamic’ via the adjustable air-suspension and the ride lowers and firms up dramatically. This helps the car sit more flat through the corners, but doesn’t offer the handling you would expect of such a machine. It simply feels too large and can’t be thrown around with confidence. This can only be expected though. The S8 is more of a luxury performance saloon than an outright road eater. So for what it is, it does a decent enough job – I guess that’s what an ‘RS 8’ would be for…

luxury audi S8

The 20-inch wheels (shod with 265/35 tyres all round) aren’t there just for show. An 18-inch braking system is employed to pull the S8’s large mass up. Oh boy…does it do the job or what. The anchors always feel alive and when pushed to wipe off speed, they do so in tremendous fashion. The S8 also uses an electro-hydraulic handbrake to ensure the car doesn’t move an inch when stationary. Carbon ceramic brakes can be optioned on the S8 for $20,000.

6-speed tiptronic transmission audi S8

The ex-Gallardo engine used to power the S8 produces a hearty 331kW at 7000RPM and 540Nm of torque at 3500RPM. The sprint from 0-100km/h takes just 5.1-seconds – damn quick. The 6-speed tiptronic transmission does a wonderful job of taming the 5.2-litre V10’s torque and uses paddle shifters on the steering wheel for instantaneous gear changes.

audi s8 photos

Drop the throttle off the line and the quattro AWD systems goes into hyper-mode to shuffle power around the wheels. The end result is back-wrenching delivery of power that seems fake in a sense that it moves a near 2-tonne weight with such haste and prowess. The noise that joins it is pure bliss to the ears. It’s a controlled and subdued sound, but at the heart of it you can hear this V10 ping that just brings satisfaction to anyone around it.

audi S8 sport model

Before you ask. Yes. A car like this has an options list… One of the options is a digital television tuner. This really irritates the bejesus out of me. It’s fitted with an analogue tuner as standard equipment, surely the near flagship model should receive a digital tuner. Other options include reversing camera and electric rear sunshades, all of which should be standard fitment.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Subtly loud

Starting the S8 during a cold start has to be one of the coolest noises I’ve ever heard. All you can hear is the starter motor running for around half a second longer than a conventional car and once it does turn over, the exhaust note barks and burps until the engine is sufficiently warm for takeoff. The noise sends tingles down your spine, making you – and anyone standing around – rightfully aware of the stupendous powerplant under the bonnet.

The Audi S8 – and all of Audi’s ‘S’ cars – are subtly loud. Unless you were a diehard Audi fan, you wouldn’t pick the S8 from a regular A8. Upon closer inspection though, a few things become obvious. There’s the massive 20” wheels, quad exhaust pipes and dual V10 badges, these are the S8’s dead giveaways.

Audi S8 rear seats
A multitude of luxuries exist in the cabin too. One of the S8’s boasting points is the spectacular 1000W Bang & Olufsen sound system. Available as a $18,900 option across the A8 range, this ripper sound system is standard equipment in the S8. I’ve already covered the finer details of this sound system, but suffice to say, it’s the best in the business – hands down. The level of clarity and supreme bass is second to none. You could be playing classical music or you could be playing the latest techno number, both result in ear massaging, high quality sound.

Audi S8 V10 5.2 S
The S8 uses fingerprint recognition, along with a key proximity sensor to operate the vehicle. After setting up the vehicle, the driver simply approaches, grabs the door handle and sits down. Once settled and buckled, stab the fingerprint reader with the pre-programmed finger and the car fires to life – it’s that easy. There are a theoretical infinite amount of driver settings for different drivers, as each drive has a unique fingerprint. Sure, it’s more of a gimmick than anything – but you’ve got to admit, it’s pretty cool!

Audi S8 interior
So the whole time I’ve been harping on about the features. What’s the thing like to actually drive? Well…in a word – disappointing. Having driven the rest of Audi’s ‘S’ range, the S8 was particularly dreary in comparison. It’s certainly no slouch, that’s for sure, but on that same token it doesn’t handle like a sports car should. Come into a corner with speed and the whole body wallows. The steering wheel feels too big in the hands and doesn’t offer the same feel and response as its other ‘S’ siblings.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Hot review

As motoring journalists, people never pick us as the drivers of the cars we’re in. That’s why it’s amusing to find people standing next to your test car talking about it, only to stare in shock and amusement as you unlock the door and drive away.

5.2-litre – V10 engine

So it was a sunny Spring day and I’m getting some milk from the local supermarket. I’m dressed in tracky-dacks and an old t-shirt. I approach the beige S8 and spot a young child and his father standing next to the car. The boy says “Dad, look, it says ‘V10’!” The Dad chuckles to himself and says, “It’s not a V10 son, they’ve obviously just stuck the badge on to make themselves feel better about spending 200-large on a car.”

Audi S8 rear view

I then slip through the pair, open the door, stick my finger on the fingerprint reader and turn over the 5.2-litre – V10. The father looks at me awkwardly, and realises that dirty noise exiting the engine is in fact the idling burble of a V10. As I drove off I could see him eating some humble pie, trying to explain to his son that he was wrong and that it was in fact a V10. You see, since Volkswagen Group bought Lamborghini, there has been a spate of part swapping between the companies under the VW Group hat – including Audi and Lamborghini.

Audi S8 Lamborghini
Audi or Lamborghini

As such, Audi raided the Lamborghini parts bin and found a V10 engine out of the Gallardo. They did some tweaking and ended up with a 5.2-litre capacity, tied to Audi’s quattro AWD system. Suffice to say, if the noise doesn’t awaken your senses, the super smooth power delivery of this V10 monster surely will.

Friday, March 14, 2008

2009 Production

Lamborghini owners beware, the Audi RS8 will give you a run for your money in 2009.
We're still a little disappointed Audi hasn't got a transmission that can handle the power of the R8 TDI Le Mans concept, but the confirmation of a production RS8 is making life a little bit better. Audi's head of powertrain development, Wolfgang Hatz, confirmed to Autocar that the RS8 has been approved and will hit the market in the second quarter of 2009.

Audi R8 TDI Le Mans concept
A twin-turbo V-10 engine will power the RS8 to speeds over 200 mph, and should make a 0-to-60-mph sprint possible in under 4.0 seconds. You may remember the charred remains of an RS8 mule that burned during testing last year, but that shouldn't happen to the production cars. Audi told Autocar that the cooling work done for the R8 TDI concepts will be used to keep the V-10 from catching fire in production RS8 models. The roof air intake from the R8 TDI Le Mans concept could also make production on the RS8.

Audi R8 2009

twin-turbo V-10 engine
Autocar also reports that the TTRS should bring 340 hp to a TT chassis in 2010, but the name will have to change. Only Porsche can use the RS designation at the end of a model's name. Audi is allowed to use RS at the beginning of a name only. Let us know what you think the high-performance TT should be called in the comments.

Friday, September 7, 2007

Audi S8 Video

Related comments:
impressive...duhuh.....

the s8 is a monster on the road i have respect for this Audi!!!

Audi S8 = 5.2 V10 = 450hp.
Same Hp of A8, the only difference is that S8 is more evil :)

this car es un diablo!!

Audis S8 Offers Supercar Style Performance

With 10 Cylinders And 446bhp, Audis S8 Offers Supercar Style Performance For Five. Andy Enright Reports

Just once in a while, something shocks you out of complacency. It happened to me today. As I was perusing the specification sheets for Audis latest S8, I spotted the power output of 446bhp and felt a little deflated. After all, were accustomed to some big German cars shunting out over 500bhp and, in some cases, more than 600 horsepower.

Then I paused and mulled it over. 446bhp is more than a 996 Porsche 911 Turbo generated in standard trim. Its more grunt than a Lamborghini Countach or an Aston Vantage could ever muster. In fact, its only a few ponies shy of what many believe to be the most iconic super car of all time, the Ferrari F40.

Reality check over, its time to put the S8 into a little more perspective.

Its easy to quote power figures with a big saloon car but the massive weight it has to haul about often makes them somewhat irrelevant. Not so in the case of this £70,825 Audi. The acid test of a cars potency is its power to weight ratio and the S8 does better in this regard than something like a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S or a classic hotrod like a BMW M-Coupe. Couple that go to a Tiptronic automatic gearbox, Quattro all-wheel drive and some of the most sophisticated traction control electronics yet devised and you have a car thatll be tough to best in a traffic light grand prix.

Add rain to the equation and the Audis advantage would be even greater. Reducing such a technical masterpiece to its ability to get off the line rather undersells the S8. The engine alone is well worth closer investigation. Derived from the V10 unit that sits smack in the middle of a Lamborghini Gallardo, it marks a change in direction for Audi.

I once interviewed Hayden Leshel, the man Audi put into Lamborghini to knock the Italian companys processes into shape, and asked him if Lamborghini engines would ever find their way into top end Audis. He let me know in no uncertain terms that this would represent poor brand management. Fast forward six years and something must have changed.

"Audi hope a little Lamborghini magic rubs off on the S8"

The engine found in the S8 isnt a direct transplant of the Gallardos powerplant. That engine is optimised for a small, lightweight sports car and features a power delivery that would make a big limousine extremely wearing to live with. Therefore Audi have fitted a balancing shaft to improve refinement and have grafted on their FSI (fuel stratified injection) direct injection system to improve efficiency and responsiveness. Many wondered why Audi didnt just develop their monster 6.

x-litre W12 engine for the S8 but the V10 is a far preferable unit for a car that wears an S badge. Its a lightweight piece of metalwork, tipping the scales at just 220kg, therefore helping the S8 avoid the rather turgid handling characteristics of the A8 W12. Whats rather surprising is that despite the aluminium construction, the S8 still tips the scales at 1,940kg, which is only a couple of bags of sugar less than a traditional heavyweight like a BMW 745i. By contrast, a Jaguar XJ6 is nearly 400kg lighter.

Despite carrying a fair amount of excess baggage, the S8 is still capable of jetting to 60mph in a fraction under five seconds and will hit its 155mph top speed with plenty left in reserve. The FSI system helps to swell torque to 540NM at 3,500rpm, with fully 90 per cent of this figure available at as little as 2,300rpm. Audi have worked hard to enliven the S8s handling and have equipped the car with a more enthusiast-oriented torque split of 40 per cent of drive going to the front wheels and 60 per cent aimed aft. Adaptive air suspension is there to keep things composed and its quite a system.

Its based on the Sport set-up offered throughout the A8 range, featuring firmer damping and a 20mm ride height reduction in each of its four modes. The system has been modified for the S8 Quattro to suit its even more pronounced sporting bias, with revisions to the suspension mounts and to the shock absorbers within the air-spring bellows designed to maximise roll resistance. Speed humps will become irrelevant with such a setup. The speed-dependent Servotronic power steering has also been further sharpened through revisions to the steering ratio giving a reduction in lock-to-lock turns.

More composed ride and better feel from the steering answer two gripes many have about Audis. The other, that the brakes are overservoed and lack feel, has never been an issue that you could direct at the A8 family. 20-inch S-design alloy wheels shod with 265/35 ZR 20 tyres distribute the power to the tarmac, and within these are massive 15-inch front and 13-inch rear disc brakes that keep the S8 Quattro effectively reined in at all times. High performance ceramic brakes will also be available as an option, offering vastly improved temperature tolerance for the best possible resistance to brake fade and an operating life of up to 186,000 miles in everyday use four times the lifespan of a steel disc.

Just remember to budget for replacements. In addition to the 20-inch alloy wheels, V10 emblems on the wheel arches, aluminium-look door mirrors, a subtle integrated boot spoiler and four ellipsoidal tail pipes surrounded by a redesigned rear apron mark out the S8 Quattro externally. Audi S cars have a reputation for styling subtlety and the S8 is no exception. Most wont know what has just blown by and is disappearing into the distance.

The interior is similarly restrained with full leather upholstery with contrasting seat centre panels, side sections and head rests. A three-spoke S Quattro steering wheel with aluminium look gear shift paddles and fascia inlays in either brushed aluminium or carbon fibre are nicely judged technical finishes. The Audi S8 appeals to a very discrete set of customers. It offers understated power and composure, yet signals to those in the know what its all about.