Its damping is compliant, but there’s just a bit more body-roll than you’d want. The Quattro all-wheel drive is faithfully grippy and the chassis feels balanced if not pushed too hard. What Ultimate Driving Machine?īeemer-beater, the S8 isn’t, though.
#Audi s8 series
This is perfect early-2000s car chase fodder, as evidenced by the fact that Jason Statham swapped his BMW 7 Series for an A8 in sequels to The Transporter. Make the V8 sing, however, and a reputation forged by Ronin is quickly justified. Gear changes are a bit lurchy, exacerbated by the eager-to-rev engine. That is, flat-handing the top of the wheel and guiding it round as you slither through urban streets. At the risk of outing myself for bad driving habits, the S8 is a car that inspires a spot of ‘palming’.
#Audi s8 manual
That goes to ground via a five-speed automatic transmission.Įngage drive, release the manual handbrake and the waft-tastic regression session begins. Here, it’s no 420hp screamer, putting out 355hp. In time, this engine would inform the unit found in the middle of the R8. Turn it, and a nondescript hum fills the cabin as the 4.2-litre 40-valve V8 coughs into life. No start button, no keyless go: the key goes in the column, kids.
Once your seat and mirrors are adjusted, it’s one of those cars that feels so right – an effect that’s amplified when you hit the road. The control weights are heavy, the buttons make a satisfying click and the shifter for the automatic gearbox has a hefty clunk that today’s drive buttons could never hope to replicate. And there’s no sign of the stylish sloping centre console of subsequent A8s just yet.įor its comparatively slight proportions – it’s not much larger than a current Audi A4 – the S8 is nicely spacious inside. Plentiful wood also shows that even this most modern of premium marques was chasing old-school luxury tropes back then. Or hiding Justin Timberlake from prying paparazzi lenses, perhaps. The electric rear blind is perfect for shielding back-seat passengers from the sun. The tiny infotainment screen is dim in daylight, and outdone in the dark by quintessential Audi red backlighting. The leather chairs – yes, these are chairs, not seats – absorb you. Getting inside, it couldn’t be more ‘2001’ if Ricky Martin was blaring from the stereo. And this, after all, is a car designed for crossing continents. As such, some of its paint is a bit faded, and the leather a touch tired. In our month-long stewardship, its mileage ticked over the 157,000 mark. Our S8 – on loan from Audi UK’s extensive heritage fleet – is no spring chicken. Today, that sounds like a paint-by-numbers Audi S model. Big alloys and those signature shiny mirror covers complement flashes of chrome on the grille and window trims. The first S8 was launched in 1996, some 10 years before the R8 supercar arrived to drag Audi’s music-video appeal up by the scruff of the neck. Seeing it rumble into the office car park was enough to eke a wistful ‘oooh’ out of several MR staffers. It’s a collector of double-takes, as onlookers realise this low-slung saloon isn’t a typical old Audi. A slow-burnerĪmong the over-styled and over-sized new cars of of 2021, the S8 looks modest: perfectly proportioned and effortlessly tasteful. Today, it’s a bit of a unicorn, garnering respectful nods from the sort of car geeks you’d avoid at parties. Meanwhile, the coolest super saloon on the block is the original Audi S8.ĭespite starring in one of Hollywood’s most epic car chases (1998’s Ronin, where it served as a battering ram for a hapless Citroen XM ), the subtle ‘D2’ S8 flew under the radar. The Millennium Bug has buzzed off and the Millennium Dome will soon be sold on. It will change your commute into a joy.It’s the end of 2001. If you are considering an S-class or BMW, or even an A8, I highly suggest you test drive an S8. I looked at a 911, but the comfort of the seats and spaciousness of the cabin won me over. Once you get to know the system, it is thought out and works well.
#Audi s8 upgrade
The interior is a huge upgrade from the previous generation. Overall, the suspension does a great job of keeping the car planted and keeping the ride comfortable. The suspension is tight in dynamic mode and does a great job of eliminating the bumps in comfort+ mode. There just aren't many cars on the road that can keep up.
And it sounds tough too, without being too loud. Get it on the freeway, … mash the accelerator and you are off like a rocket. Sure, it's big and isn't flat around corners, but for it's size, it handles the road well.
It is like having a supercar in the comfort of a luxury sedan. I can't tell you how fun this machine is to drive. I have owned my 2020 S8 for about one month so far.
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