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.
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