Audi thinks you need a vacation. That's why it gives you the 2007 Audi S8, the ideal sport sedan for a cross-country trip; even if you're traveling in the middle of winter.
With a base price of $92,000, the Audi S8 is less expensive than that Winnebago Adventurer you've been considering. Its 450-horsepower 5.2-liter V10 engine combined with Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system promises to get you through the snow-covered passes of the Rocky Mountains and across the icy plains of the Midwest.
Use the $30,000 you'll save for some nice, warm Ritz-Carltons along the way.
A8 Luxury vs. S8 Sport
The S8 is the Audi A8's athletic twin, and the truth is, the two big sedans aren't all that different. But when you're ready to put the pass play on the lumbering semi in front of you, the S8 quickly distinguishes itself.
That's because there's the new FSI V10 under the hood, and the S8's driveline and aluminum chassis have been modified to handle the added power.
The S8's Quattro four-wheel-drive system sends 40 percent of power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear under most driving, and it'll vary the split depending on conditions. Audi tells us that 72 percent of the cars it sells in the U.S. are equipped with all-wheel drive, and it has built 2.3 million vehicles with the Quattro system since the first Audi Quattro coupe went on sale in 1980.
The A8's adaptive air suspension has been firmed up for the S8, and the steering ratio made slightly quicker to heighten the sport sedan experience.
Driving character
And heighten it does. Audi's speed-dependent, power-assisted steering is very precise for an all-wheel-drive car, and it gives you more feedback about what the car is doing than you'll find in the anesthetized Lexus LS 460.
This is a long car with a 116-inch wheelbase, yet it feels as responsive as a much smaller package. Part of the reason lies in the all-aluminum chassis, an extremely rigid piece that comes from the same place that produces the platform for the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It gives the S8 a uniquely solid feel.
Based on your desire to explore the S8's limits, you can choose from four different suspension settings: Automatic, Dynamic, Comfort and Lift. We found there's not as much difference between the firmest and softest settings as you'll find in the standard A8 sedan.
The S8 invites you to challenge freeway on-ramps, as the 265/35YR20 Yokohamas stay firmly planted on the pavement through the turns. At the test track, we threaded the 600-foot slalom course in Dynamic mode, hitting 68 mph during our best run.
But across the flat lands, Comfort mode is the way to go, as there's enough road harshness to the S8's ride so performance settings can get tiresome quickly. When the road is open, the S8 is more at home. The combination of the S8's all-wheel drive, long wheelbase, and the V10 engine located far to the front of the car lends this package remarkable straight-line stability. As a result, the S8 makes you confident enough to keep up your cross-country speed even when the roads are slick and icy, so midwinter travel isn't intimidating.
Track times
Audi says the S8 will get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, but after five runs, 5.6 seconds was the best we could coax out of the big sedan.
Despite the lightness of its aluminum shell and the smooth shifting action of the six-speed Tiptronic transmission, the Audi S8's hefty 4,277-pound curb weight prevents it from being as quick as a BMW M5, which sprints to 60 in just 4.8 seconds.
Brake tests leveled the playing field, since both the S8 and the M5 come to a halt from 60 mph in 112 feet. But even with its admirable stopping power, the S8's brakes make the car feel clumsy around town. As the brake pads heat up in a light-effort stop, the braking action quickly increases and it's very difficult to stop smoothly. That's what you want during a high-speed stop on a foggy autobahn, but the grabby lack of linearity is irritating around town.
Cross-country comfort
From Nevada to New Hampshire, the S8's sporty, comfortable cabin never gets old. The S8's ergonomics are impeccable, and everything about the interior is logical, functional and — most important — natural. This is the sort of thing that makes this 450-hp sedan as easy to drive as a Honda Accord.
Twelve-way power-adjustable front seats support the front passenger to satisfaction, and 37.6 inches of rear legroom allow the rear travelers to stretch out. Numerous storage compartments are tucked into the cabin, most lit with a soft white glow. CDs and iPod accessories are easily located, even during midnight runs.
The selection of materials within the S8's cabin is top-notch, from the soft headliner to the $4,900 upgraded package of soft leather upholstery package with contrasting stitching. Audi's traditional red illumination for the instruments (friendly to night vision) adds another level of sporting function to the flawless clarity of Audi's instrument panel, and a healthy dose of carbon fiber and brushed metal replace the A8's stately wood trim.
Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI) system integrates the optional $6,300 Bang & Olufsen stereo and navigation system with the suspension control options, and it does so with simplicity that should be universally revered. There's no learning curve, no need for cursing or fumbling around through the owner's manual. The MMI system simply does what you ask immediately, with zero frustration.
Adult fun
Real-world performance in a sport sedan is not about how many g's you can pull on the freeway off-ramp; it's about how quickly you get from L.A. to New York, no matter the season. And that's what the Audi S8 delivers. More like a Bentley than a BMW, it's a confident, grown-up sport sedan that doesn't skimp on the fun, but doesn't tart itself up in the process.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
With a base price of $92,000, the Audi S8 is less expensive than that Winnebago Adventurer you've been considering. Its 450-horsepower 5.2-liter V10 engine combined with Audi's Quattro all-wheel-drive system promises to get you through the snow-covered passes of the Rocky Mountains and across the icy plains of the Midwest.
Use the $30,000 you'll save for some nice, warm Ritz-Carltons along the way.
A8 Luxury vs. S8 Sport
The S8 is the Audi A8's athletic twin, and the truth is, the two big sedans aren't all that different. But when you're ready to put the pass play on the lumbering semi in front of you, the S8 quickly distinguishes itself.
That's because there's the new FSI V10 under the hood, and the S8's driveline and aluminum chassis have been modified to handle the added power.
The S8's Quattro four-wheel-drive system sends 40 percent of power to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear under most driving, and it'll vary the split depending on conditions. Audi tells us that 72 percent of the cars it sells in the U.S. are equipped with all-wheel drive, and it has built 2.3 million vehicles with the Quattro system since the first Audi Quattro coupe went on sale in 1980.
The A8's adaptive air suspension has been firmed up for the S8, and the steering ratio made slightly quicker to heighten the sport sedan experience.
Driving character
And heighten it does. Audi's speed-dependent, power-assisted steering is very precise for an all-wheel-drive car, and it gives you more feedback about what the car is doing than you'll find in the anesthetized Lexus LS 460.
This is a long car with a 116-inch wheelbase, yet it feels as responsive as a much smaller package. Part of the reason lies in the all-aluminum chassis, an extremely rigid piece that comes from the same place that produces the platform for the Bentley Continental GT and Bentley Continental Flying Spur. It gives the S8 a uniquely solid feel.
Based on your desire to explore the S8's limits, you can choose from four different suspension settings: Automatic, Dynamic, Comfort and Lift. We found there's not as much difference between the firmest and softest settings as you'll find in the standard A8 sedan.
The S8 invites you to challenge freeway on-ramps, as the 265/35YR20 Yokohamas stay firmly planted on the pavement through the turns. At the test track, we threaded the 600-foot slalom course in Dynamic mode, hitting 68 mph during our best run.
But across the flat lands, Comfort mode is the way to go, as there's enough road harshness to the S8's ride so performance settings can get tiresome quickly. When the road is open, the S8 is more at home. The combination of the S8's all-wheel drive, long wheelbase, and the V10 engine located far to the front of the car lends this package remarkable straight-line stability. As a result, the S8 makes you confident enough to keep up your cross-country speed even when the roads are slick and icy, so midwinter travel isn't intimidating.
Track times
Audi says the S8 will get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, but after five runs, 5.6 seconds was the best we could coax out of the big sedan.
Despite the lightness of its aluminum shell and the smooth shifting action of the six-speed Tiptronic transmission, the Audi S8's hefty 4,277-pound curb weight prevents it from being as quick as a BMW M5, which sprints to 60 in just 4.8 seconds.
Brake tests leveled the playing field, since both the S8 and the M5 come to a halt from 60 mph in 112 feet. But even with its admirable stopping power, the S8's brakes make the car feel clumsy around town. As the brake pads heat up in a light-effort stop, the braking action quickly increases and it's very difficult to stop smoothly. That's what you want during a high-speed stop on a foggy autobahn, but the grabby lack of linearity is irritating around town.
Cross-country comfort
From Nevada to New Hampshire, the S8's sporty, comfortable cabin never gets old. The S8's ergonomics are impeccable, and everything about the interior is logical, functional and — most important — natural. This is the sort of thing that makes this 450-hp sedan as easy to drive as a Honda Accord.
Twelve-way power-adjustable front seats support the front passenger to satisfaction, and 37.6 inches of rear legroom allow the rear travelers to stretch out. Numerous storage compartments are tucked into the cabin, most lit with a soft white glow. CDs and iPod accessories are easily located, even during midnight runs.
The selection of materials within the S8's cabin is top-notch, from the soft headliner to the $4,900 upgraded package of soft leather upholstery package with contrasting stitching. Audi's traditional red illumination for the instruments (friendly to night vision) adds another level of sporting function to the flawless clarity of Audi's instrument panel, and a healthy dose of carbon fiber and brushed metal replace the A8's stately wood trim.
Audi's Multi Media Interface (MMI) system integrates the optional $6,300 Bang & Olufsen stereo and navigation system with the suspension control options, and it does so with simplicity that should be universally revered. There's no learning curve, no need for cursing or fumbling around through the owner's manual. The MMI system simply does what you ask immediately, with zero frustration.
Adult fun
Real-world performance in a sport sedan is not about how many g's you can pull on the freeway off-ramp; it's about how quickly you get from L.A. to New York, no matter the season. And that's what the Audi S8 delivers. More like a Bentley than a BMW, it's a confident, grown-up sport sedan that doesn't skimp on the fun, but doesn't tart itself up in the process.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Add A Comment »
rlyon says:
01:31 PM, 07/01/2010
Why is the M5 being compared to the largest Audi? It should be compared to the 7 series.
rlyon says:
01:29 PM, 07/01/2010
The S8 is SWB only that I'm aware of.