Audi S8 Car Reviews

The S8 delivers a decent driving experience, as you would expect from a car which costs in excess of £80,000, with smooth gear shifts from the 8-speed automatic transmission and responsive steering. Braking is also good in the S8, with carbon-ceramics available as a pricey upgrade – at £7,300.

Typical of Audi’s high-performance models, the S8 is designed beautifully inside from the sleek dashboard and control panel to the crisp white leather seats.

Interior space is impressive, with ample legroom and headroom for passengers of all shapes and sizes throughout the cabin. The Audi S8 would make a good family car for those that could afford to run one, with efficiency at just 27.7mpg on the combined cycle – this is however an improvement on the previous model which could only deliver 21.4mpg.

Background

The Audi S4 was first produced in 1994 as the D2. It was equipped with a 4.2 litre V8 engine and available with a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission. The D2 was made up until 2002.

The D3 was introduced in 2006. This version of the S8 boasted a huge 5.2 litre V10 engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. It had a 0 – 62mph time of just 5.1 seconds and was electronically limited to a top speed of 155mph.

The current generation S8 – the D4 – has been in production since 2011 and has seen improvements in terms of both performance and luxury.

Summary

The S8 is an exceptionally good car which handles superbly and boasts a particularly luxurious cabin. The model is incredibly fast although the fun factor of the driving experience is lacking somewhat. A deep pocket is required to fund both the purchase price and fuel-guzzling capabilities of the S8.